Regina Spektor’s fellow Dillo Day performers remain a mystery, and Mayfest co-chairs Katie Halpern and Michael Gebhardt weren’t talking Wednesday.
While the co-chairs said they cannot yet announce the final lineup because of pending contracts, they did give eager students a few hints.
“Usually during the day we try and have bands, and it can be a little more low-key,” said Halpern, a Weinberg senior. “At night it tends to be more hip-hop, or … “
“Dance-oriented,” Weinberg junior Gebhardt said.
“Or it could be electronic,” Halpern said. “Something like that. It will definitely be suited to people’s nightly desires.”
At the beginning of the year, Gebhardt and Halpern discussed their vision for Dillo Day 2010, and the lineup has captured the right mood, she said.
“Dillo Day is celebratory and it should be euphoric. It should be absolute madness,” she said. “We’ve really booked some incredibly upbeat acts that people can dance to, that they can sing along to. We really couldn’t be happier.”
The official announcement will likely happen by the end of next week, Gebhardt said. The co-chairs have made progress this week and most of the lineup is finalized, he said.
The co-chairs did not respond to campus rumors suggesting the nighttime performer was originally rap artist Drake.
Students may look forward to fun Lakefill activities on Dillo Day, Halpern and Gephardt said.
“As recently as three or four years ago, Lakefill activities weren’t really a priority,” Halpern said. “These past couple years we’ve been realizing it’s really fun to have other things going on on the field like other music festivals often do.”
Mayfest plans to repeat last year’s popular activities, including henna and possibly hookah and plans to have a photo booth and snowcones, she said.
“We’ve been in talks about all sorts of different things like kites and hula hoops, and we’ve even thrown out the crazy idea of a petting zoo,” Halpern said. “But who knows if that will actually happen.”
Angela Lee said she was excited for the planned activities.
“It’ll be really nice to be able to enjoy the music and do something else at the same time,” the Medill freshman said.
If students want to order Dillo Day merchandise, they may do so through Mayfest’s online store, Gebhardt and Halpern said. Orders must be placed by May 14 to arrive in time for Dillo Day.
A variety of activities leading up to Dillo Day are listed on Mayfest’s website. At the Lakefill on May 10, there will be a bonfire at 9 p.m. with performances from a cappella groups and solo acts.
“Maybe people can work that into their pre-Keg festivities,” Halpern said.
Battle of the Bands will be at Tommy Nevin’s Pub on May 13 and 14. More than 25 bands applied, but four were selected to perform on each night, Halpern and Gebhardt said. Guest judges for the competition will be football coach Pat Fitzgerald and former “American Idol” competitor John Park, the co-chairs said.
“Ideally, we’d like to announce (the rest of the Dillo Day lineup) at Battle of the Bands,” Gebhardt said. “That’s typically how it’s been in years past. That’s obviously a big draw for crowds.”[email protected]
