01 Oct Live Music is Mental Health: Why You Should Attend Fall Concert 2026
For generations, audiences have gathered to see their favorite artists perform live, from intimate sets and stadium tours to large-scale music festivals. Beyond entertainment, live music can connect people across ages and backgrounds, creating a shared experience that brings audiences together.
This year, Cal State Fullerton Associated Students Inc. is hosting its second annual Fall Concert on Oct. 3. Funded by the ASI Student Wellness Initiative (ASWI), Fall Concert brings wellness and fun to the center stage for college students.
Live Music Evokes Strong Feelings in Listeners
In a study published in PNAS, live music can stimulate listeners’ brains more strongly than recorded music, making them more attuned to their emotions through greater emotional processing.
According to ScienceDirect, experiences such as feeling the bass of live music or dancing with friends can trigger positive emotional responses while reducing biological stress. Live music can also affect hormones associated with the body’s stress response, including cortisol, and research published in Psychology of Music has linked live music engagement to higher levels of reported well-being.
ASI’s Fall Concert leans into these experiences.
“Wellness does not always have to look like a formal program or workshop,” said ASI Board of Directors Treasurer Manaswini Surusomayajula.“Creating opportunities for students to socialize, enjoy music and take a break from their academic routine can also contribute to a well-rounded campus experience.”
With a focus on student wellness, top headliners and a music festival atmosphere, Fall Concert is the start of a new campus tradition.
What to Expect from Fall Concert 2026
This year’s musical lineup includes a diverse roster of DJs and performers, including The Dare, Between Friends, Kalan.FrFr and Grentperez.
“Fall Concert offers a destressing environment, a chance to connect with other students, meet new people and experience new environments. It’s wellness you can take home,” said Aundrea Nunez, ASI Student Programs and Engagement (SPE) coordinator.
From massage tents and wellness resources to photo opportunities, food vendors and Poppi vendors, students can get the music festival experience they know and love.
The Dare, formally known as Turtlenecked, is a producer, musician and DJ. He is best known for his single “Girls” and working with prominent artists like Charli xcx and PinkPantheress. His music style is associated with the modern indie sleaze movement and the electroclash music scene.
Between Friends is a duo of performing siblings, Brandon and Savannah Hudson. Their most recent 2025 album, “WOW!”, is dreamy alternative pop, while their overall sound can be described as distinct alt-pop. They have previously supported Conan Gray on part of his Europe tour, “Found Heaven On Tour,” and Olivia Rodrigo at BST Hyde Park in 2025.
Kalan.FrFr is an American singer and rapper based in Los Angeles. He has collaborated with many hip-hop and R&B artists including Kendrick Lamar, Tyga and Dom Kennedy. His most recent EP features YG and G Herbo in his unique hip-hop sound.
Grentperez is a Filipino Australian singer and songwriter, known for his indie and soft pop sound. His most recent EP, “g00se,” features five tracks that emulate his signature chill, soft sound fans know and love.
“We’re most excited about the diversity of this event. Kalan.FrFr has a big fanbase on campus, duos are becoming more popular on campus, so that’s where Between Friends comes in,” said SPE Student Programmer Sofia Ayala. “The Dare has collaborated with a lot of big artists like Charli xcx, and Grentperez has a large Asian community fanbase who are excited to see him on campus.”
A Look Back at CSUF Music History
Live music has been central to ASI programs since its founding in 1976.
“When I was going to school here, there weren’t as many entertainment options, so there was more traction around the bands that came to campus. The Becker Amphitheater was a big thing,” said ASI Design and Production Manager Mike Greenlee. “Music culture was different back then, so people came to listen to up-and-coming bands live. Back in the ’90s, bands relied heavily on the college scene, performing at student unions and campus venues. ASIs were investing in bringing in these artists who weren’t necessarily headliners yet, but were up-and-coming and gaining momentum.”
From previous guests like Oingo Boingo, No Doubt and Rage Against the Machine to LMFAO, Leon Thomas and more, CSUF has been a creative hub for new artists and big musical names.
“There’s a real rich culture around live performances and entertainment in the city that we live in,” said ASI SPE Director Austin Ysais. “If you go onto the sixth floor of the State College parking lot, you can see the Matterhorn. That’s how close we are to one of the meccas of family entertainment. I think because we’re so close to that, it’s natural for us to do these concerts and performances amongst the academics of campus.”
Students Connect with Each Another at ASI Live Events
ASI’s SPE team continues to make live musical events a central theme to students’ experience through events like Concert at the Becker, Jazz at the Becker, Spring Concert and now, Fall Concert.
“We invest in bringing a certain level of talent to our fall and spring concerts, and I think ASI does a good job of finding artists who are on the rise,” said Greenlee. “We see it all the time; they might be performing on a smaller stage at a festival like Coachella, then they come here, and a month or two later, you’re seeing them everywhere. They’re on your phone, performing at bigger festivals or being featured alongside other major artists.”
For many students, opportunities to connect can be especially important at the start of a new school year. Nearly two-thirds, or 64.7%, of college students reported feeling lonely, according to a 2024 report from Active Minds and TimelyCare. Live events can give students a shared space to meet peers with similar interests and experience music together.
“Music brings students community connection; it is much more than seeing the artist perform. Listening to live music brings people together and reduces stress,” said Greenlee.
Research published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin describes a phenomenon called “collective effervescence,” or the sense of connection people can experience when sharing powerful emotions as a group. Concertgoers in the study described those feelings as deeply meaningful, with their effects sometimes lasting for weeks.
“There is something different about experiencing music with other people in the same space. I enjoy how these events bring people together. You may go in simply to watch the performance, but you often end up talking to people, making memories, and enjoying the experience together,” said Surusomayajula.
ASWI: A Mission Dedicated to Student Wellness
Beyond supporting the second Fall Concert, ASWI is also expanding student resources through additional scholarship funding and new wellness spaces like the recently opened Zen Den.
ASWI was created to support all students’ needs, including mental, physical and emotional well-being.
“ASWI is important because mental health really matters for all students, and if students don’t take care of their mental health, their academics can plummet. It’s important for us as ASI to make sure that students are okay, academically and mentally,” said Amy Westen, Board of Director representative for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Fall Concert allows ASWI to reach students in a fun and approachable way.
“Even if students don’t know the artists, this is the chance to learn new music, new programs and resources and experience great vibes and energy,” said ASI SPE Student Programmer Anthony Thomas. “You get the number of artists in a single lineup for only 20 dollars!”
For students balancing classes, work and the demands of college life, supporting their well-being can also mean making time for experiences they enjoy. This fall, that might mean stepping away from the routine, finding a spot in the crowd and experiencing the energy of live music at Fall Concert.