In 140 characters or less, Student Entertainment Events officials clued students in to Art Attack’s headliner five days before the announcement that B.o.B will headline this year’s 29th annual concert with special guest hip-hop group The Dean’s List on May 4.
B.o.B’s second album, Strange Clouds, is scheduled to be released May 1 – just three days shy of his performance at Byrd Stadium – and SEE officials said this year’s focus was finding a popular artist many students have on their playlists. The Dean’s List is an up-and-coming group from Boston that combines audio clips, guitar riffs and rap to create a unique sound, and their singles “Dear Professor,” “Burn It All” and “Light Up The Sky” have garnered thousands of hits on YouTube.
“From what we’ve seen, students are excited to have one of the most current and fresh artists around right now,” said SEE Concerts Director Amina Goheer. “It really just worked in our favor that B.o.B will be coming to our university three days after the release of his second album. I personally think B.o.B is the absolute best choice for what we had to work with.”
In previous years, SEE has hosted Weezer, Ben Folds, Ludacris and Nelly. Last year some students said they were disappointed with SEE’s Art Attack choice, saying Nelly was outdated and listening to him made them flashback to their middle school and high school years.
In response to last year’s backlash, SEE officials said they opted for more recent artists; B.o.B’s recent single “So Good” currently holds the No. 27 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
SEE officials said B.o.B was chosen based on his availability and student responses to a survey the group sent out in early March. Other choices included Flo Rida, Akon and Gavin DeGraw.
“I like B.o.B,” said sophomore psychology major Tiffany Coates. “He’s so much more relevant than Nelly.”
In their official statement, SEE officials said this year’s lineup is expected to “bring a variation of hip-hop, rap and a touch of pop music.”
Despite SEE’s efforts to choose younger artists, however, several students said they were disappointed the organization didn’t choose a different music genre.
“But since they had a rapper last year, I think people were hoping they would have someone more alternative this year,” freshman journalism major Mia Simon. “I’m still buying a ticket, though,” said Simon.
Tickets will cost $8 with a valid student ID and $25 for the general public and will be on sale starting April 5 online at www.umdtickets.com or at the Hoff Ticket Office in Stamp Student Union.
blasey@umdbk.com
