Avery Hazelton To Bring Metalcore Festival to The Hub March 28

Dylan Tulk

He/Him

Staff Writer

3/10/25

The College Dropout Festival, organized by Avery Hazelton, ‘26, will be running a weekend-long concert series in the HUB Hage Room the weekend of March 28.

“College Dropout Festival will bring the New England hardcore community together for a great two days of hard-hitting music,” said Hazelton.

Hazelton explained that the name for his festival was inspired by The Devil Wears Prada’s 2023 Metalcore Dropouts Tour. Hazelton has always been a fan of The Devil Wears Prada, and “I was obsessed with the name of the tour” he said. College Dropout Festival is a play on words because “Plymouth State University is where the festival is being held, and calling it the College Dropout Fest would be fitting,” he said. The bands will be coming from all over New England. Local acts will include Alchemy, Last Words, and Cleansed with Rhode Island’s Edict, Vermont’s Voices in Vain, and all the way from Biddeford, Maine, Gumskab. 

The College Dropout Festival is entirely funded by ticket sales, with all revenue being divided between the sixteen bands set to play.

“As someone who has been attending hardcore shows and shows in general since I was very young, my love for music is endless,” Hazelton explained. He has always believed that the hardcore music scene is the most inclusive and accepting out of any other. 

“Music is for everybody, and there are no limitations to that. All we have nowadays is each other, so let’s get together and enjoy some music!” 

Despite organizing a smaller concert in October of 2024, Hazelton has “never organized an event of this size before.” 

“There have been a lot of bumps in the road, as planning an event this large is not easy for one person,” he explained, “But I’ve had a lot of support from people inside and outside of the university.” 

“I met with higher-ups in Student Life to bring this crazy Idea to the table,” Hazelton explained. “From the moment I brought this idea to them, they’ve backed me every step of the way,” Hazelton said, extending a  personal thanks to Melina Baker-Murphy, Brianna Sorensen, and the Student Life team for their support. 

Hazelton also received help from his brother, Jared Hazelton of JCH records, who hosts the annual festival “New Hampshire Hardcore Fest.” 

“Jared has always been a huge inspiration to me and has been so helpful in the planning of the festival.” Hazelton said, “Not only would none of this be possible without Jared’s advice and expertise, but I would have never started organizing events like this if it wasn’t for him.” 

Doors open at 5:30 PM on March 28, with music starting around 6:30 PM. On March 29, doors will open at 1PM and music will start at 2PM.

Students get discounted tickets at $10 for either day or a weekend pass for $15. Tickets for non-students are $15 for either day or a weekend pass for $25. Tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis.