The Ludacris concert is scheduled to be held at Sacred Heart University on April 12. But are any Fairfield University students planning on attending?
At Fairfield University, students have the opportunity to attend Sacred Heart’s concert with Ludacris and American Hi-Fi at a discounted ticket price. But, at Fairfield, there is a mixed reaction from students on the FUSA’s choices of concerts this year for the student body.
Ludacris, a rising rap artist in the hip-hop world, does not seem to be attracting a mass audience from Fairfield. Some of the different reasons for students not attending the concert include location and music genre. It seems students would rather see a band play than a hip-hop star.
“I think the O.A.R. concert was great,” said Tom Hansbury ’04. “It was great to have everyone in the quad, and to have a band that everyone seemed to like.”
Travelling to Sacred Heart also seems to cause problems with the student body. Although it is only a ten-minute ride, some students will not attend the concert because of the location.
“I don’t want to see Ludacris, especially if it is at Sacred Heart because it is a hassle to get there,” said Nicole Schwartz ’04. “Maybe if it was here I would go because it would be so much easier and accessible.”
Fairfield gave tickets to Sacred Heart to sell to their students for the 112 concert last fall, and now SHU is returning the favor. Fairfield students can buy tickets to the concert for $18. The problem is that students seem to take issue with the choice of music for these concerts, and what, if anything, FUSA plans on doing this semester for their own students.
“FUSA needs to recognize what the students want to see and bring some good bands here,” said Valerie Achkhanian ’04.
Fairfield is in the midst of planning a small concert for Friday, April 26 according to FUSA President Joe Piagentini.
“We are looking to have a small concert with a local band in the quad on that Friday,” Piagentini said. “We also want to set up some games and have food there so more students will attend.”
Marissa Lanteri ’04, sophomore class president, said, “We had two great concerts in the fall which were sponsored by FUSA. Both were well attended and successful. This spring we are limited by our budget constraints but we are in the midst of planning more fabulous events for the near future.”
Students also feel that Fairfield has a great staging venue to attract big name bands. “Why can’t we have a concert in the Arena at Harbor Yard,” Colin Torrance ’04 said. “If we have the opportunity to use the building, then lets get some better bands here that students actually want to see.”
Last spring, Ben Harper performed on May Day, a concert which attracted very few students.
FUSA does not want to take a chance in wasting money again on a concert if no one is going to attend, according to Piagentini.
Even students from Sacred Heart are displeased with their own student activities department. Emily Grayson, ’04, a Sacred Heart student, has been disappointed with what her school has done in the past.
“Any activity at Sacred Heart is a joke,” Grayson said. “Whenever they try to put something together it always turns out bad because no one attends.”
Still, there are many students who are excited to see the Ludacris concert at Sacred Heart on April 12.
“To see Ludacris for this cheap I am definitely going,” Sean Tompkins ’03 said. “Where else can you get a deal this good? Certainly not Ticketmaster.”
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