Rock lovers, punk skaters and class ditchers were among the hundreds huddled on Hayden Lawn Wednesday to watch The Ataris perform a free show.
Steve Wiley, co-owner of Hoodlums, sponsored the show and estimated between 800 and 1,000 people watched the performance.
"It was a fantastic turnout," Wiley said. "And the crowd behaved well, so we can do more things like this [in the future]."
The Ataris released "So Long Astoria," their first album for Columbia Records, on Tuesday.
The Ataris frontman Kris Roe - who moved from Indiana to Los Angeles to form the band - said Arizona has always been an interesting venue for the band, and showed off his tattoo of the Arizona flag on his left forearm.
"Arizona was one of our first out-of-state followings," Roe said. "We have a really soft spot in our hearts for this place."
Roe said he got the tattoo not only because of the band support in Arizona, but because of other experiences he's had in the state.
"I've almost died here seven times," Roe said.
Roe said he had been in two car crashes, was hit by a semi-truck and had passed out from heat exhaustion after one Arizona show. But Roe said he still enjoys performing in the area.
"Outdoor shows are my least favorite to play, but at a free show on a college campus, we're going to gain new fans," Roe said.
Fans packed in tightly to listen to The Ataris perform songs like "Teenage Riot" and "Boxcar," as well as the latest release from the new album, "In This Diary."
Some fans waited until 2:30 p.m. to get CDs and posters signed by band members - more than an hour after the band left the stage.
Other hardcore fans, like Rich Schilling, a high school sophomore from Cave Creek, skipped class and drove 20 miles to come videotape the live show.
"A lot of the people had never heard of them," Schilling said. "Punk is taking over,"
Columbia Records representatives contacted Hoodlums about organizing a show near the release date of the band's new album, Wiley said.
"We were all over that. The Ataris have always sold well for us at Hoodlums," Wiley said. "People know what we're capable of here.
"They see a great opportunity to put their band in front of a large amount of people," Wiley added.
Photography sophomore Nate Evangelista said he stopped to watch the show even though he doesn't consider himself a punk rock fan.
"They were definitely a great live band," Evangelista said. "By the end of the show the energy of the music was into the crowd."
Wiley said he was happy with the turnout of the past free shows on campus, although they have had different genres of music.
"The ASU music listening community is best in the world," Wiley said. "They are totally diverse. We sell everything."
Reach the reporter at benjamin.honingford@asu.edu.
