Tyler Leahy
Staff Writer
With Sti-Yu-Ka week in full swing, the annual spring concert makes its return this Saturday, April 26. The performing line-up is headlined by Twenty One Pilots, who will be supported by opening acts Hunter Hunted, NONONO, and White Panda.
Tickets are still available for advanced sale this week at the price of $2 for students, faculty and staff. The cost is $5 for guests. Tickets will be available for $10 on Saturday evening when the doors open at 6 p.m. The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Grumbles from the student body about this year’s line-up have been more than noticeable. While the artists showcased this year are not as well-known as those chosen in the past, the key to a successful event remains the quality of the live show that will be put on.
“People are going to complain about the show, but I wish they would give the artists a chance. I have a feeling they will be pleasantly surprised,” remarked Chloe Norris, a member of the SC Backstage board that acted as the planning committee for the event.
The board faced an adverse challenge this year, as the cost of landing a big-name headliner has elevated to a new level of outrageous expense. To land a popular artist this year, it would have come with a high ticket price for students.
The unexpected difficulty in meeting student requests for a well-known performer led SC Backstage to honor the most important student needs. Survey responses conveyed a desire for keeping attendance to the spring concert at a low cost. Many students also voiced a desire for something other than a rap artist to follow Lupe Fiasco, who took the stage at Blake Arena last April.
In assembling the cast of acts for this year, the board was able to offer a variety of musical genres while keeping out-of-pocket expenses for students to a minimum.
Both Twenty One Pilots and White Panda have been praised for their exuberant live shows. Despite student unfamiliarity with the two most anticipated artists, a quality concert can be expected; both acts have garnered critical acclaim for their entertainment value on recent tours.
Twenty One Pilots boast a unique brand of indie pop that is an amalgamation of alternative and hip-hop influences, with a healthy dose of consciousness social commentary.
In the appearance by White Panda, students will have the opportunity to hear tunes they are more familiar with. Much of White Panda’s work consists of high-energy mash-ups and remixes of popular hits by other artists.
With lesser-known acts NONONO and Hunter Hunted, students will have the opportunity to hear a wide range of electro-dance-pop sounds.
“SC Backstage really wanted the show to be about the music and the experience rather than the name of the performer,” Norris explained. “We really just want people to come out and have a great time.”
If students are willing to trust that they can enjoy a concert by artists they may not know well, the concert promises to be a success due to a variety of artists who perform exceptionally well live.