During a mandatory student leader session Monday morning, A&O Productions Chairman Barry McCardel’s phone started buzzing. And buzzing. And buzzing.
At the President’s Convocation, University President Morton Schapiro had just announced the lineup for A&O’s Fall Blowout show on Oct. 15: Snoop Dogg and Kid Cudi.
Though Schapiro had made the announcement about a week earlier than the group planned, Elsa Stahura, co-chair of promotions and public relations, said Schapiro had just accomplished some very effective advertising.
“We’re very thankful to President Schapiro,” she said, laughing. “We were pleasantly surprised that he was as excited about this as we are.”
Schapiro has said he hopes to use events like the fall concert to unify the community.
“We need to be more proactive in creating those kinds of community events,” he told The Daily in May.
Weinberg freshman Jason Bryman said Schapiro prefaced the announcement by saying, “‘It’s my goal to get you guys together as much as possible.'”
And after the announcement?
“Everyone went crazy,” Bryman said. “I’m very, very excited. I was shocked.”
Snoop Dogg and Kid Cudi were chosen after a poll last winter showed strong student interest in Kid Cudi, said Allison Zuzelo, director of concerts. She said the group has heard Snoop’s shows are more of an “experience” than a concert.
“We thought it was cool to put someone who’s up-and-coming with someone who’s an icon,” she said.
The group has been working all summer to plan the event after the Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee allocated additional funds for a fall concert in May. Last year, the administration held a similar fall concert featuring John Legend in honor of Schapiro’s inauguration.
This year, the fall concert funds will essentially pay for the event’s venue at Welsh-Ryan Arena, while money allocated to A&O from the Student Activities Fund will cover the rest.
“That means so many more students can come,” McCardel said. “It’s great having a unifying experience up front, which is one of the reasons why the University saw fit to fund the event.”
A&O is also working with the Athletics Department to plan an event promoting the basketball team to coincide with ‘Midnight Madness.’
Tickets for the concert, which are $15 for undergraduates and $20 for graduate students, will go on sale Oct. 1 through the Norris Box Office. Students may purchase four tickets per WildCARD. WildCARDs will be checked at the door.
McCardel said A&O has worked hard to improve the online system after problems in the past and though he has learned not to speculate about ticket sales after multiple sell-outs last year, he’s optimistic that the concert will be popular.
“Hopefully, it’s the start of a great tradition,” he said.
