Hip-hop artist ComMonday, a Chicago native, and American rock band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are in negotiations to perform at Northwestern for Dillo Day 2008, the Center for Student Involvement confirmed Wednesday.
Mayfest, the group organizing Dillo Day, has sent a contract to Common and will finalize the May 31 appearance when the contract is returned. They are “hoping to receive it some time this week,” said Judith Cooper, CSI assistant director.
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists is in talks with Dillo Day coordinators. While neither side has signed contracts, the performance is still a possibility, Cooper said. The band’s booking agent Mahmood Shaikh could not confirm an appearance yet.
Cooper emphasized that Mayfest is also negotiating with other bands for Dillo Day performances.
Wednesday afternoon, Common’s publicist, Greg Longstreet, and an assistant at the William Morris Agency where Common is represented, said the rapper is scheduled for the Dillo Day performance.
“I see the date in his calendar,” Longstreet said.
Common’s NU concert is close to being finalized, but Mayfest organizers are in the early stages of discussion with other groups to complete the five-band lineup. While Dillo Day is about a month away, Cooper said it is still early to be booking acts.
In the past, Mayfest organizers sometimes would include a deadline in contracts they’ve sent to bands with a final date to respond. The contract sent to Common did not include a response deadline, Cooper said.
Organizers announced in early March that Dillo Day would be changed from Memorial Day weekend to the following Saturday, May 31. Because many bands schedule concerts for the holiday weekend early on, pushing the day-long music festival back a week gives Mayfest organizers more big-name options, Cooper said.
To snag acts, Mayfest organizers usually look to see which bands, rappers and singers will be on tour in the Chicago area around the time of Dillo Day, Cooper added. When Motion City Soundtrack pulled out of the lineup a few days before Dillo Day last year, organizers were able to secure The Roots as a replacement.
Common was born in Chicago and began his career as an underground rapper in the early ’90s. His next album, “Invincible Summer,” will be released June 24.
The Grammy-winning rapper also has an acting career, with past films including “Smokin’ Aces” and “American Gangster.” His most recent film, “Street Kings,” also stars Keanu Reeves and is currently in theaters.
Veteran rocker Ted Leo and his eponymous band are known for mixing music styles. Their most recent album, “Living with the Living,” was released last year.
