He stands “a little less than 6-foot-8.” He weighs 270 pounds. For those reasons alone, fourth-year bioengineering student Wilson Adams sticks out in a crowd.

But Adams, who competes in the hammer throw and weight throw for the University of Maine track and field team, is also a dominant presence in UMaine athletics. During the team’s Feb. 1 meet against the College of the Holy Cross, Adams broke the school record for the weight throw, previously set in 1964 by Richard Nason. Adams eclipsed the 50-year-old record of 61 feet, .05 inches with a throw of 62 feet, 7.25 inches.

Adams knew he had the chance to have a historic day with his first throws of the meet.

“The first three throws I had were actually all personal bests for me by about 10 centimeters. All of them were over my P.R. [personal record] from sophomore year and well over the P.R. I had this year,” Adams said.

Going into the final round, his best throw was “about 4 centimeters short” of Nason’s record.

“For my fifth throw, I ended up popping out a [19.08 meter throw], which is … about a foot and a half further than the record. And then… after that, it was a little bit of a blur. I was just so excited, everyone was really excited.”

Although that kind of record seems to be a muscle-fueled feat, Adams says he relies more on technique and actually downplays his strength.

“If you compare my lifts to most other hammer throwers in the nation, everyone would probably laugh at me,” Adams said. “I’m very technical, but I’ve gotten a lot stronger, so I’d say technique definitely outweighs my strength. In the hammer … I’d almost say [it’s] 80 percent technique. I was lucky enough [in high school] to have … hands down one of the best coaches in the country for coaching high school hammer.”

Competing for Barrington High School in Barrington, R.I., Adams started to have success his junior year.

“I didn’t really do very well in high school until my junior year. I started to get a lot better,” Adams said. “Then my senior year, I just took off.”

Adams was ranked sixth nationally in the weight throw and was named All-American that year. It was the season before that he began to come into his own and started thinking beyond high school.

“Junior year, I was thinking, ‘I’d love to do this in [college]. Division 1 might be a stretch, but it might be something I can do,’” Adams said. “After my senior year, I knew it was pretty possible for me to do that.”

Adams was recruited by various colleges, including the University of Connecticut, the University of Rhode Island and UMaine. He seriously considered attending UConn, but decided on UMaine partly for academic reasons.

“If I went [to UConn], I would basically be majoring in track,” Adams said. “Coming here … I got the sense it was more like you get out what you put in, which is more my style. I’m a lot more easygoing. I can push myself if I have someone there to help me, but I don’t want to be forced into something. That’s kind of the reason that I decided to come out.”

Adams strives for success in both athletics and academics and has achieved it: He was named to the Scholar-Athlete team for the fourth year in a row, meaning he achieved a 3.0 or better grade-point average and/or has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Adams is active in the bioengineering department and has “a lot to do with what goes on behind the scenes, making sure our programs are accredited […] and getting input from companies.” He redshirted and did not compete for UMaine last semester so he could focus on a co-op he had with Idexx Laboratories, a multinational corporation based in Westbrook, Maine that creates “innovative diagnostics and technologies for better veterinary care and safer food and water,” according to their website.

His focus was not off athletics entirely, so he found time to prepare himself for his return to the team.

“It was in fall, so no one was in Portland,” Adams said. “It was just me working and after work, I’d sit around and play video games and I was like, ‘You know what, why don’t I just go lift?’ and I just got stupid strong compared to [how I was] before.”

“Coming back, I really had a leg up going into my season, even though I redshirted,” Adams said.

From high school to today, Adams has remained appreciative of his support base, saying: “I wouldn’t have gotten here without any of my coaches, my family, my team [and] everyone [who has] been cheering me on. Without them, there’s no way I would have gotten this.”

Looking forward, Adams hopes to break the UMaine record for hammer throw: in his sophomore season, Adams’ best throw was “about a foot and a half short” of the record, good for second in school history, and he says it is “definitely still in sight.” Aside from school bests, he is always looking to improve his personal highs.

“I just want to continue P.R.-ing, continue throwing better than what I did before,” Adams said. “That’s one thing I’ve always done whenever I got into a meet: not necessarily throw at this distance, but throw further than the distance that’s my best. If I do that, I can safely say I threw better than I have all year, I’ve thrown better than I have in my life. I can’t be sad about that, you know?”

It’s tough to be sad about being one of the biggest athletes on campus, in terms of both size and achievement. Still, Adams has one complaint: “Walking through doorways kind of sucks.”

University of Maine President Paul Ferguson has named Karlton Creech the new athletic director for the UMaine, a hiring that will be effective Feb. 10. Creech fills the vacancy left by former athletic director Steve Abbott, who worked in the position for three years. His contract expired in Dec. 2013 after signing a 6-month extension in June 2013.

“I am so pleased that Karlton will be joining the UMaine leadership team,” Ferguson said in a press release. “He brings to us a remarkable record of athletics leadership and management at the University of North Carolina, one of our nation’s great public research universities. His level of professionalism, coupled to his strong experience in fundraising and management, will no doubt move Black Bear Athletics to new levels of excellence and community engagement.”

Since 2012, Creech has served as the senior associate director of athletics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Prior to that, he was the associate executive director for UNC’s Educational Foundation Inc., starting in 2004.

Creech was one of three finalists for the position to be interviewed by a UMaine search committee led by Robert Strong, a finance professor and NCAA faculty representative. Creech was selected over Scott Kull and Jim Herlihy, who grew up in Old Town and Millinocket, respectively.

“I would like to thank President Ferguson for entrusting me with the responsibility to lead UMaine Athletics,” Creech said in the press release. “President Ferguson’s Blue Sky thinking is inspiring, and I look forward to partnering in the achievement of his vision for the University of Maine to become the most distinctively student-centered and community-engaged of the American Research Universities.”

After the fiasco that was Dayglow, an electronic music performance meets paint party, hit campus, Student Entertainment was looking to start fresh this semester with a show that would prove to be both popular and safe.

At the Dayglow performance, which took place in April 2012 in the Field House, “[t]here were two arrests, both for criminal trespass, both non-students,” according to University of Maine Police Chief Roland LaCroix, adding there had been 16 medical transports from the Field House and “another 60 or 65 treated and released [for] real minor stuff.”

Details about police and ambulance activity following Saturday evening’s Pretty Lights show were not available from UMPD at press time, but according to vice president of Student Entertainment Sarah Goode, there was no excess of police activity.

“We’re especially happy with the fact that there were no major injuries or transports, and we think this is a reflection of the safety plans we put in place,” Goode wrote in an email.

The only major snag in the show happened after electronic artist Kap Slap’s opening set, when there was a 20-minute delay before performer 3LAU was able to take the stage, during which Dean of Students Dr. Robert Dana got on stage and said the show would not resume “if we don’t get about a thousand of you off the floor.

“Those of you who need to be in your seats, go up to your seats,” Dana said to the crowd. “If you don’t belong on the floor, go up to your seats. We’re not going to start until you go up to your seats.”

Many attendees who had purchased general seating tickets instead of floor tickets were seen hopping over the boards and standing on the floor area.

“[T]here are certain realities to hosting an event of this size on campus,” Goode wrote. “It was the responsibility of the university police to make a call regarding the safety of the floor, they brought their concerns to us, and we all worked together in real time to make sure the rest of the concert was safe for everyone there.”

After Dana’s appeal to the audience, 3LAU addressed the crowd.

“It was 11:30 p.m. last night in Las Vegas,” he said. “U.S. Airways calls my phone and says my flight’s delayed. I’m not going to make it to UMaine tomorrow. So I call my travel agent, and she says there’s nothing I can do. I’m f—–, right?

“But I go online and I find a flight leaving in one hour that has two connections that will take me 17 hours to get from Las Vegas to Maine. So I got in my f—— car, I drove at 110 miles an hour, thank God I didn’t get a ticket, and I’m f—— here!

“So, if you want me to play tonight, unfortunately, some of you have to move up into the seated section. What that means is that y’all are going to have to rage extra f—— crazy up there and jump around and s—. But I cannot get on and play and Derek [Vincent Smith], Pretty Lights, cannot get on and play until some of you guys clear the floor. So don’t let my 17 hours go to waste. Let’s f—— rage, alright?”

After about 20 minutes, the floor was sufficiently cleared and Dana again took the stage, this time to thank the crowd for their cooperation.

“Have fun up there in the seats,” Dana said. “If you get too hot in here, go up to the seats. We’re going to start in just a minute. I don’t want anyone else on the floor. If you want to get off the floor, go up.”

When the show resumed, ticket holders who arrived late were not allowed into the venue, which Goode says was a decision made by UMPD and was “out of [Student Entertainment’s] control.”

Goode said that Student Entertainment will do everything in its power to avoid issues like these in the future.

“For these concerts, as you can imagine, there are a ton of moving pieces, and we do our best to develop good relationships with quality contractors to ensure that we can count on them holding up their side of the bargain,” she wrote. “Sometimes these partners don’t live up to the high expectations that we have. We’re doing a post-game analysis to see what can be done in the future over the next couple weeks.”

Kap Slap and 3LAU’s sets consisted primarily of up-tempo electronic dance music that contained samples of popular pop songs from the past few years, as well as samples from nostalgic hits like “Otherside” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and “Clocks” by Coldplay.

Attendees, primarily donning skimpy neon-colored clothing, sang along with recognizable lyrics and filled Alfond Arena with thunderous cheering. By the time Pretty Lights finished his headlining set, which was more focused on original material, including some from his latest release, his 2013 album “A Color Map of the Sun,” the crowd instantly launched into a “one more song” chant, after which Pretty Lights returned to the stage and performed for about 20 more minutes.

According to Goode, about 2,600 tickets were sold, which “surpassed expectations.”

Goode said Student Entertainment was pleased by the performances of the artists and how they dealt with the delay.

“We’re very happy with the quality of the performance from the artists, and their cooperation with the brief delay,” Goode wrote. “They were ecstatic about the crowd when we spoke to them after the event, and we’ve [heard] great things from the students as well.”

Ultimately, Goode was pleased with the show and that its primary beneficiaries were UMaine students.

“We sold most of the tickets we offered, and unlike some previous shows, most of the attendees were [UMaine] students, which is the population we serve,” Goode wrote.

Sarah Goode is also the business manager for The Maine Campus.

An opening ceremony was held on Thursday for Charlie’s Terrace, an outdoor classroom and terrace between Colvin and Estabrook halls built to honor the memory of Charlie Slavin, founder and former dean of the University of Maine Honors College.

According to the UMaine Honors College website, a group of “family, friends, colleagues and alumni” came together after Slavin’s death to “discuss how best to create a space on campus that celebrates his vision and contributions to Honors at UMaine.

“As a result, a clear, unified concept emerged: an outdoor classroom and terrace that creates a visual and, literally, growing connection between Honors College space in Colvin and Estabrooke halls, where students, faculty and staff can gather as a community,” the website continues.

The ceremony was held outside in the plaza, which features brick walkways, orange adirondack chairs, plants and an archway engraved with “Charlie’s Terrace.” Speakers included friends and family of Slavin, as well as other members of the UMaine community.

“I want to say that Charlie’s Terrace is such a lovely addition to this part of the campus,” Honors College Dean Francois Amar said. “It fits so well into the stewardship of the place.”

Amar also talked about how Slavin was a “doer,” was “pragmatic,” was “eager to see ideas come to life” and would have been proud of the terrace.

Amar then introduced University of Maine President Paul Ferguson. “He challenged students to think about big ideas and to grapple with difficult texts,” Ferguson said. “He challenged his colleagues to think big and he did all that without any pretentiousness.”

Closing the ceremony was Emily Cain, coordinator of advancement of the Honors College, who spoke about some of the details of the terrace.

“We are going to have a giant plaque that is going to be here…and the plaque will read, ‘Charlie’s Terrace: dedicated September 12, 2013. This is a place for honors students, faculty and staff to gather as a dedicated community of scholars in celebration of the leadership and vision of Charlie Slavin, Honors College Dean.’”

The plaque will also thank people and organizations involved in the terrace’s creation.

Cain also talked about the intended purpose of the terrace, saying, “This space is…meant to grow and change and bring new life into the Honors College as students, faculty and staff, every year, come up with new ways to use it.

“Charlie would always encourage faculty, ‘Take your students outside. Get them out there, sit them in a circle,’” Cain continued, talking about how the space is also meant to be used as an outdoor classroom.

Cain reported that the fundraising goal for the plaza was to “cover the cost of construction and create an endowment.”

“I’m happy to report to you that we have raised more that $66,000, which completely covers the cost of the construction and begins the endowment, and we intend to complete it. Even today, we were getting more contributions mailed.”

Cain closed the ceremony by imagining how Slavin would have appreciated the terrace.

“And if you think about it, can’t you just see him?” Cain said. “Bounding across this terrace, coming in to see what students are talking about, being a little bit nosy and a little bit gossipy, to find out what’s on their mind.

“That’s what’s going to happen here forever, in the spirit of Charlie and in the spirit of the work he did every single day to make this a better place.”

Slavin received a B.A. in mathematics from Princeton University in 1976, his master’s in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin in 1980 and his Ph.D. in 1984.

Slavin joined the mathematics department on Sept. 1, 1984. Slavin was later named director of the Honors Program in 1997 and was its director as it transitioned from a program into the Honors College in 2002. He served as the dean of the Honors College until he passed away in June 2012.

When Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor announced in 2009 that his flagship musical project would be quiet for a while, the news struck fans like a railroad spike to the heart. The group had long been kings of aggressive electronic rock, but even during the band’s hiatus, Reznor didn’t necessarily leave the throne.

He kept himself busy recording two film soundtracks with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross — “The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” — and releasing two EPs and a full-length album with a new group, How to Destroy Angels.

A strange feeling resulted when it was revealed that Nine Inch Nails would come back with a new album in 2013. The world was supposed to feel as though their savior had returned, but with his continuing “extracurricular” activity, it felt like he had never left. What was all the fuss about? So Reznor decided to make more music under a name he used to use — whether it’s NIN, How to Destroy Angels or plain old Trent Reznor, what’s the difference?

The difference is that his output with NIN is markedly more aggressive and driving than the material from his other monikers. This is likely due to the larger body of work as part of NIN and the fact that everything else can easily be regarded as a side project, but the products of Reznor’s main project are always strongest, and “Hesitation Marks” isn’t going to be the album to break that trend.

The seeds of “Hesitation Marks” are “Satellite” and “Everything,” both of which were originally written as tack-on tracks for a NIN greatest hits album. Instead, the sessions turned out to be more fruitful than originally anticipated, enough so to have arguably brought about the return of NIN.

The fact that the latter of the two tracks was a catalyst for an entire album is not surprising. It’s fresh and it’s different, but ultimately, it is still Nine Inch Nails, albeit with a The Cure-like jangly guitar line that doesn’t take away from the raw power of the song, propelled by Reznor’s curiously John Mayer-like vocals.

While “Everything” is a candidate for album highlight, it’s not necessarily representative of its peer songs. While “Everything” is upbeat and downright poppy, most of the rest of “Hesitation Marks” is marked by a dark, electronic vibe that would almost feel sexy if it didn’t have such an unsettling, on-the-edge-of-your-seat energy.

Some media sources reported that this album was a less aggressive turn for NIN, and while that’s true of certain songs — like “All Time Low,” which is a juicy cut of straight funk — for the most part, “Hesitation Marks” has a feeling that falls somewhere between aggressive and intimidating — like the burly bouncer people may suspect of having a criminal record. Either way, there’s a clear force there that’s not to be messed with.

It is a good sign that Reznor was confident enough in his new material to release it under the Nine Inch Nails name. Or perhaps he writes his material in the mindset of whatever project he’s decided on in advance, and NIN gives him confidence to make bold, hard-edged material that is more rounded than anything else he pumps out.

The album title alludes to wounds received from testing a blade on yourself before attempting suicide or self-harm, so perhaps it represents Reznor not being as ready to leave NIN behind as he thought he was. It’s fun to work within a new mindset, but in the end, sticking with the familiar may be the easiest and most productive course.

Grade: A-

After a year marred by financial issues, Student Entertainment is committed to having a successful run of on-campus performances this year. The first step is the upcoming concert by electronic music artist Pretty Lights, set to take place on Sept. 20 in the Alfond Arena.

On Jan. 29, it was confirmed during a University of Maine General Student Senate meeting that Student Entertainment had a $13,000 deficit, partly because of performances by The All-American Rejects and Boys Like Girls, Michael Ian Black and Mike Birbiglia, and Brantley Gilbert and Aaron Lewis that were not profitable.

Vice President of Student Entertainment Sarah Goode believes the Pretty Lights show and the rest of the year will go well, due in part to increased student involvement in the performer selection process.

“We did a survey this past spring to see what genre of music would be the most popular, and [we’ve been] doing more research on potential artists [and] getting more input from [the] Student Entertainment committee,” Goode said. “[We are] really utilizing that think tank to pick somebody that we know will do well, so that way, we don’t overspend our money [and] we recoup money so we can do [other] shows later on in the year.”

Goode says that student input will be the “top deciding factor” in what sort of acts are brought to campus in the coming year.

“Student input is what’s going to make concerts go on because if students don’t want to go to a show, we’re not going to sell out and we’re going to have another budget issue like we have had in the past,” she said. “It’s the students that are paying for it, so you want to provide something that people will want to attend.”

So far, ticket sales for the show have been strong, according to Goode.

“Since we announced [the show] over the summer, we could only do social media marketing until we got back to school, but based on that social media marketing and the first initial ticket sale blast, students have been very receptive to the sale,” she said. “Now that we’re back at school, we’ve been papering campus, advertising in the Orono area [and] Bangor area, and that has been very good as well. We sold out the floor tickets before we were even back at school, and so right now we’re just trying to sell out the rest of the seats and make it good.”

Addressing concerns about the destructive and wild behavior of attendees of Dayglow, the last major electronic music performance to take place on campus, Goode said there would be “increased security measures” to prevent a similar atmosphere from happening again.

“If people are too intoxicated at the door, they won’t be getting in,” she said. “There’s not going to be a holding area for people to calm down [and] give them an hour. If you are incoherent, you’re not getting through the door. We’re not going to put up with any of that stuff. If something happens inside the venue and you need a police escort, you’re not getting back in.”

“We’re doing our best to provide what the students want but we have to make sure we’re following policy and make sure safety codes are followed as well,” Goode added.

In order to avoid financial issues similar to those experienced by Student Entertainment last year, Goode says there will likely not be another “huge show” this semester, but there is potential for a “smaller show, maybe a comedy show or guest lecture this semester.”

Goode said the reception of shows this semester will have an impact on what performances will take place on campus during next semester.

“Depending on how much money we recoup from the Pretty Lights show and the comedy show, that will dictate what we do in the spring semester, so everyone should buy their Pretty Lights tickets so we can have something big in the spring, too.”

Aside from shows put on by Student Entertainment, other notable performances are scheduled to take place on campus this semester: Sigma Phi Epsilon is scheduled to host their annual Rock Against Rape concert on Sept. 28, which will be headlined by Boston band Bad Rabbits, who performed at the show last year. The Collins Center for the Arts will also be hosting a performance by Maine comedian Bob Marley on Oct. 4 and a concert by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Elvis Costello on Nov. 19.

Mom and Dad finally finished helping you move all of your clothes, bed sheets, Xbox games, Kim Kardashian posters and whatever other bits of home you decided would be fitting for your first dorm room. A hug and kiss “goodbye” and they head home to turn your room into a yoga studio or man cave, depending on which parent won that debate.

It’s time for them to adjust to life without you there all the time, which means you have to do the same. For the first time, you’re essentially on your own. You can now carry out your life in just about whatever way you please and the only authority you have to answer to is your RA’s — but how much real power do they have over you, anyway?

The first year of college is a time when people seem to find themselves, which means discovering who they really are when parents and pressures from their hometown communities aren’t breathing judgmental air down their necks. You have the opportunity to become whoever you want to be, but be careful: With so many new people, locations and other stimuli around, it’s easy to find yourself making compromises you may come to regret, or at least come to dislike about yourself.

Now in my fourth year, I feel like I’ve “done” college pretty well. I’ve let it broaden my horizons enough to have had some cool new experiences, but not enough to a point of becoming unrecognizable, either physically or interpersonally, when I visit home. I’ve also made a few mistakes — minor ones, but big enough that maybe I would have done things slightly differently if I had the opportunity.

I would like to impart whatever wisdom I have gained onto you, freshman student reading this article: I have a few tips for you to make the most of your freshman year so you have a profitable first couple semesters that set you up for success and fun in the future.

This may seem like bad advice at first, but if you get a couple of bad grades, don’t worry about it. Obviously, it doesn’t hurt to do well in school, but if you’re up until 4 a.m. every night studying until there is no moisture left in your eyes, will the gratifying feeling of that A-graded paper be more satisfying than a combination of a B-paper, adequate sleep and time for social activity? That’s for you to decide, but I don’t think so.

This second piece of advice may be for a minority of people, but if you’re an introvert like myself, it can be easy to see your new peers as scum you want nothing to do with. I mean, why would they waste their time with pointless pursuits like chasing girls, seeing who can get alcohol poisoning the fastest and learning how to ride a longboard, when they could sit in their dorms and play N64 or listen to brooding indie music on their headphones?

Because they’re trying to have fun, that’s why. Maybe they’re going about it slightly wrong, but they have the right idea. Even if you can’t shake your sense of superiority over your peers, why not try to join in on some of the fun? The people in your residence hall may not be like you, but isn’t college — and life in general, really — about having new experiences? Associating with people different from yourself is one of the best ways to grow, so get off that uncomfortable desk chair once in a while and maybe tag along when somebody asks if you want to go to the rope swing by the river in town.

The first year of college can be a scary time. It’s important to figure out early on what you want out of the experience so you can live your life accordingly. Classes are important and socially it’s easy to stay within your comfort zone, but now is the best opportunity you will ever have to change the way you think about some things for the better, so don’t waste it.

 Derrick Rossignol is a fourth-year journalism student and the Editor in Chief of The Maine Campus

University of Maine history professor Nathan Godfried had his left leg amputated after a “freak accident” in Passadumkeag on Sunday afternoon, according to police.

Godfried was riding his bicycle on Route 2 when an eight-foot lawnmower blade being towed on a trailer struck his leg. UMaine’s history department chairman Richard Judd told the Bangor Daily News that Godfried’s leg has been amputated since the accident. An Eastern Maine Medical Center confirmed that Godfried is listed in fair condition.

Police say the blade fell from its upright position without the driver’s knowledge and struck Godfried’s leg as the vehicle was attempting to pass. The blade almost severed Godfried’s leg, according to police.

No charges will be filed in connection to the crash, according to Penobscot County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Fitch.

“The driver used the factory-installed device, which is made to secure the blade,” Fitch told the Bangor Daily News. “There’s no criminal intent or reckless conduct on [the driver’s] behalf that created this situation.”

Godfried has been teaching history classes at UMaine for 17 years. He is married to fellow history professor Elizabeth McKillen.

While the previous day of the KahBang Music Festival was defined by rock and pop performances by acts like Dr. Dog, Lights and Junior Astronomers, the final day of the KahBang Music Festival was highlighted by emerging hip-hop performers Earl Sweatshirt and Hopsin.

Sweatshirt, who the night before performed on the NBC’s talk-show “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” played on the Main Stage, along with fellow Odd Future hip-hop collective member Taco Bennett, who served as his DJ.

After comically bantering off-stage with Bennett about a technical issue, Sweatshirt took the stage and began his 30-minute set. He asked the audience if he could play some material from his upcoming album “Doris,” scheduled for release on Aug. 20. For a new song called “Molasses,” he instructed the crowd to sing along to the lyric, “I’ll f— the freckles off your face, b—-,” a request to which the audience happily obliged.

California rapper Hopsin performed earlier in the evening and put great emphasis on involving the crowd in his performance. At several points, he crowd-surfed, once having the fans hold him upright above their heads, using them as an extended stage.

Hopsin also held a freestyle rap-off with three audience members, giving them a short period of time to rap over a beat and impress the crowd. The winner of the contest was Maine rapper Spose, who performed as part of the festival earlier in the day.

Along with Spose, highlights of other performers who played on either the Pepsi Free Stage, the Dance Stage or the Discovery Stage included Oberhofer, an indie rock band from New York, Lucius, an indie pop band also of New York, and Herra Terra, an electronic band from Massachusetts.

The Weeks gave their performance that was rescheduled from Friday due to weather and were thankful to the crowd for standing on the muddy ground and watching them perform.

“You guys didn’t have to come stand in the mud today and I appreciate that,” lead singer  Cyle Barnes said. “I’m not standing in the mud; you’re braver than I am.”

While performing their song “Slave to the South,” Barnes smiled and shook his head as he realized the irony of the song’s lyrics, singing, “I’ve been raising my hands, I’ve been praying for rain / And I screamed at them skies but the drops never came.”

Unlike Friday, Saturday’s weather was free of rain, with clear skies and temperatures in the mid-to-high 70’s.

In its fifth year, this summer’s KahBang Music and Arts Festival put a greater focus on free entertainment and up-and-coming bands, as opposed to the big-name headlining acts of years passed.

“We bring all these lesser known but really amazing bands here for a reason,” KahBang creative director Joshua Gass told the Bangor Daily News. “Putting on a festival where half your audience shows up for the last three hours of the night isn’t the point. We don’t like it when no one is there to see most of the bands. We worked this year to change that, so the first thing we did was restructure it so that the majority of the festival is free.”

Although a festival pass was required to gain access to the Main Stage and the Dance Stage, the Pepsi Free Stage, the Discovery Stage, the Film Tent, late night music showcases and access to vendors were all available for free.

Inclement weather plagued the opening day of the fifth KahBang Music Festival, but while rain prevented Mississippi rock band The Weeks from performing, Canadian indie pop musician Lights and Pennsylvania indie rock band Dr. Dog adapted, altering their plans and closing out the evening in memorable fashion.

As the Main Stage was being set for Lights’ performance, the excess of rain lead to the equipment being packed back up and an announcement that Lights would perform a set of acoustic songs, followed by a performance by Dr. Dog in the Dance Stage, a tented stage that played host to DJ’s and electronic acts throughout the day.

“So we’re just going to do this, acoustic style, and I’m going to play you guys these songs, get really romantic. It’s going to be nice,” Lights, real name Lights Bokan, said before beginning her performance. Lights bantered with the crowd, talking with an audience member about how he works in a record store like she used to and saying how she bought the jacket she was wearing at a Bangor thrift shop earlier in the day.

Songs performed by Lights included “Toes” and the title track from her most recent album, “Siberia.” She also played U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which she described as one of the first songs that made her fall in love with music.

Near the end of her set, Lights expressed that the weather didn’t spoil her first visit to Maine, saying, “Even though we couldn’t play our whole set and it wasn’t sunny or whatever, this was still a nice first time in Maine.”

When Lights was finished, the crowd migrated to the Dance Stage and filled the tent to see headlining act Dr. Dog. The band’s high energy performance excited the wet but eager audience as they played songs including “Lonesome” and “That Old Black Hole” from their most recent album, 2012’s “Be The Void,” as well as older cuts, like “Shame, Shame.”

Like other acts who performed throughout the day, Dr. Dog thanked the crowd for putting up with the rain and staying to watch them perform.

The Weeks confirmed on Twitter that their performance has been rescheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on the Main Stage.

More info and a full schedule of events can be found on KahBang’s website. Check back on the Maine Campus throughout the weekend for more coverage of KahBang.