Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Spring Concert Headliners Draw Mixed Reactions

The Georgetown Program Board announced the Spring Kick-Off Concert lineup on Friday, and while some students are likely to excitedly enter McDonough Arena on April 9, others said they were disappointed that Georgetown did not score a major headliner.

Kevin Rudolf tops the list of performers and will be accompanied by Dev and the Cataracs, Jason Smith, Shwayze and Cisco Adler.

“I kind of remember seeing them on the list, and I kind of remember voting for them last,” Tom Sturma (COL ’14) said. “I didn’t recognize the name, but Dev sounded like a cool [person].”

Rudolf is known for his singles “Let It Rock,” “Welcome to the World,” and “I Made It (Cash Money Heroes),” which peaked at No. 5, No. 58 and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, respectively. Dev and the Cataracs topped the chart in the fall with their feature in Far East Movement’s “Like a G6.”

“I’m excited for the concert, but I wish a more famous band was playing,” Jen Purks (COL ’14) said.

However, other students said they are thrilled by the upcoming visit of Rudolf and the rest of the performers.

“They’re just a really fun group to listen to,” Eric Bulakites (COL ’13) said. “I think there’ll be a lot of excitement and a lot of dancing. I imagine that most of my friends are going, so I expect that it will super fun.”

Student reactions to the announcements of past concerts have also been varied, although the artists have been generally more well known.

“The past ones you had … big names,” Nitesh Rana (COL ’08, MED ’13) said. “[This year’s artists] are still big names, but not at the same level as in the past.”

Headliners at the Spring Kick-Off in past years have included T-Pain in 2009 and Third Eye Blind in 2010. Both years, rapper Lupe Fiasco beat out the chosen performing artists in the poll put to Georgetown students. He was only contracted, however, for the revival of the fall concert sponsored by the Senior Class Committee, GPB, What’s After Dark and The Corp Philanthropy Committee last semester.

Rana suggested that GPB try to secure more renowned hip-hop and currently chart-topping artists in order to boost student attendance.

“Stuff that is really popular right now would be more interesting,” he said, but he also expressed doubt that the university could afford such artists.

The acts were selected after students were polled on their preferences earlier this semester. The initial candidates were provided by a middle agent and determined based on GPB’s price range and the artists’ availability.

“There’s not a set-in-stone list. [It is] more generating ideas and getting input from the student body,” GPB Concerts Chair Amelia Whitehead (SFS ’14) said.

GPB originally contracted a different headlining artist, who cancelled unexpectedly and whose name cannot be revealed due to contract laws. Much of the event’s lineup remains unchanged, however, and Whitehead was able to quickly secure another performer.

Kat Outlaw (COL ’13) said that Georgetown’s Spring Kick-Off performers were not as strong as those headlining at other universities.

“I feel like, as one of the more prestigious schools, we should have a better Spring Kick-Off,” she said.

Outlaw said that when comparing the spring concert to University of Pennsylvania’s Spring Fling, which will feature Lupe Fiasco, Flo Rida and Ratatat this year and attracts students from schools outside Philadelphia, Georgetown falls short.

Whitehead said that she expected student reactions to be mixed.

“I know a lot of people like to complain about the artists,” she said.

Whitehead remains optimistic for a high turnout, however, citing the success of last spring’s concert.

“I’m happy with the choices we’ve made,” she said.

The concert will be part of Spring Fest, a new campus-wide festival being planned for the same weekend, according to Whitehead.

“We’re trying to constantly revamp what we’re doing with the concert,” she said.

The festival, which will run Thursday through Sunday, will include laser tag, a movie on Copley Lawn, a Battle of the Bands and a carnival.

“We’re working really hard to make this into a really fun weekend for everybody,” Whitehead said.

Whitehead emphasized the importance of student participation in the execution of the festival, and GPB began recruitment on Monday. Outlaw agreed that the festival was a good idea and might have the potential to become a tradition.

“Honestly, last year as a freshman, I completely missed it,” Outlaw said. “It completely passed me by. … It’s not an event people spend all year looking forward to, like Georgetown Day.”

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