The Activities Council of Bradley University made a quick comeback after the headlining performer, LMFAO’s DJ Redfoo, cancelled his April 23 performance.
Still looking to delivering a party feel, Girl Talk, a DJ, will be performing at the Spring Concert on April 24 along with opening acts Breathe Carolina and The Ready Set.
“Finding a replacement act was not nearly as difficult as even I anticipated,” said Director of Student Activities Michelle Whited. “April is such a big touring month, especially on college campuses. But very quickly our agent came up with a list of 10-12 artists and ACBU came up with about four artists that would have gone well on campus.”
Girl Talk is an artist who creates mash-ups using a variety of songs from different genres and styles.
“I love Girl Talk, but I’ve heard mixed reviews,” said Montel Hardy, one of the Spring Concert coordinators. “Those who know Girl Talk love it and will go and those who don’t, don’t want to go.”
Junior learning behavior specialist major Kelsea Sollberger said she was planning to go to see LMFAO but because of the mash-up style of music isn’t planning to attend Girl Talk’s performance.
“I have never heard of them,” she said. “I looked them up and it’s not my type of music. I was going to go to LMFAO, if I had heard of [Girl Talk] before I probably would go.”
Senior Theatre Arts major Liz Tanner also said she has not heard of Girl Talk before.
“I’m not going,” she said. “Its not my type of music. If I wanted to go to a concert I want to hear a band performing, not just an artist taking art and manipulating it.”
Although campus has mixed feelings, Whited said she thinks the buzz on campus has been positive and there are advantages to hosting Girl Talk.
“A DJ will play music everyone will know,” she said, “You’re not locked into one genre of music. [Girl Talk will] help create a party and that’s what ACBU wanted to do. For students who want to let loose before finals start it’s perfect.”
Senior Ben Elkin said he agreed with Whited and the concert will be a party.
“It’s going to be the most fun show ACBU is putting on this year,” he said. “It’s going to be perfect for a summer night, I’d recommend everyone to go.”
To help create a party atmosphere, ACBU will incorporate something new to the Renaissance Coliseum: a general admission pit. To comply with the fire code, the floor of the arena will be available for only 1,220 general admission tickets. ACBU hopes that by providing a general admission pit they can avoid the safety issues associated with students rushing to the stage and pushed aside chairs.
“From a safety standpoint, it is a good idea and it will work with the type of concert it is,” Whited said. “College students typically don’t sit during concerts anyway. They go to jump and dance around.”
To ensure the general admission pit runs smoothly, and is something that can be repeated at later concerts, non-Bradley students will not be allowed to purchase general admission tickets. If Bradley students purchase a general admission ticket for a non-Bradley student, the visiting student will not be allowed on the floor the night of the concert.
Because there will be a general admission pit, a flight system will be in place in order to reward students who are first in line to purchase tickets. A flight system means students who purchase tickets first will have the earliest opportunity to enter the arena the night of the show. Whited said, as tickets are purchased, ticket holders will be assigned a time for entry to the coliseum.
“Based on history of past concerts, students have lined up outside the arena [before concerts],” she said. “If they line up the day of the show, they will miss class. We are taking the responsibility to make sure students don’t skip class and that those who purchased their tickets first get to enter the arena first.”
Tickets for the concert go on sale at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 26 at the renaissance coliseum box office. Tickets for Bradley students will cost $10 each and faculty and staff tickets will cost $20. Students may purchase up to 10 tickets per student ID. Public tickets for $30 each will go on sale at 10 a.m. on April 2nd.
