The general student response to this year’s Homecoming concert performer was, “Who’s playing?”
This year’s Homecoming concert on Saturday, Oct 19 will feature B.o.B and Far East Movement. Tickets can be purchased for $20. Some students have expressed a lack of enthusiasm in regard to the upcoming concert.
B.o.B, whose real name is Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., achieved mainstream fame in 2010 with the songs “Nothin’ on You,” “Airplanes” and “Magic.” All three were in the Top 10 on The Billboard Hot 100, and “Nothin’ on You,” which featured Bruno Mars, reached No. 1.
Since then, he hasn’t had the same success.
Freshman university studies major Rachel Paul described him as “out of date.”
Fellow freshman and biology major Elizabeth Mammen agreed.
“It would have been nice to have someone more well-known,” Mammen said.
The Homecoming concert is organized and run by Temple’s Main Campus Program Board.
When choosing B.o.B and Far East Movement to play, executive board member Dion Lawson said the board considered factors like artist availability and cost.
Members said their biggest concern was picking someone everyone would like.
“We wanted to reach out to a diverse group of students, and we wanted an artist who branched out across genres,” Lawson said. “Of course we wanted major people, like Beyoncé, but realistically that just couldn’t happen.”
“He’s irrelevant,” junior finance major Sarika Manavalan said when asked about B.o.B. “I’m going to the Drake concert on the same night.”
She was not alone when it came to people being unhappy with the musical act. Despite the MCPB’s efforts, some students said they find the hip hop genre unappealing.
“I prefer DJ music,” freshman university studies major Derek Jaffe said.
Freshman psychology major John Hardie said he liked older music and therefore wasn’t surprised and can’t complain that he wasn’t a fan of who was chosen to play.
There were even a few students, like freshman film major Matt Keim, who said they have no clue who B.o.B is. Sophomore theater major Kimie Muroya was unsure whether B.o.B was a group or an artist.
“I honestly don’t know who they are,” Muroya said. “And $20 seems like a lot for broke college students.”
Ticket price is a major concern for some students who are contemplating going to the concert.
Freshman music therapy major Alyssa Milman said she’d heard of B.o.B but didn’t listen to him enough to pay.
Freshman biology major Harsh Patel hesitated when asked if he was going to attend the concert, but decided not to attend after discovering the price.
His roommate, freshman chemistry major Jake Himes, said, “$20? I thought it was free.”
One student, sophomore advertising major Thalia Simpson, considered the entire student population in her response. Even though she said she doesn’t love B.o.B, Simpson said she thinks “a lot of other people will like him.”
Some students said they enjoy B.o.B’s music but don’t consider themselves big fans. Those who planned to go to the concert said they were more interested in the social aspect of the event than the music.
“I like B.o.B, but [he’s] not my favorite,” junior advertising major Kyra Hierl said.
Freshman biochemistry major Tim Schisselbauer also said he liked B.o.B but was expecting someone more famous.
Julius Shepard-Morgan, a sophomore media studies and production major, was similarly apathetic. He said he was going to the concert, but when asked if he was a fan of B.o.B, he merely shrugged and said “somewhat.”
Out of the 20 students who were asked, only four said they planned on going.
Even with his reservations about the price, Himes had a more positive outlook than most.
“Regardless of who it is, a concert with all your friends is going to be fun,” Himes said.
Jamie Schoshinski can be reached at jamie.shoshinski@temple.edu.
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