Homecoming Week is full of major on-campus events at UM and, for many students, the concert is the height of the excitement. For others, however, it’s full of disappointment.
On Friday, Ludacris performed at the BankUnited Center to primarily positive reviews. Many students who attended last year’s Homecoming concert were relieved that a repeat of the Lauryn Hill fiasco did not occur. While Ludacris’ performance was far from perfect, he put on a good show and it was a definite improvement from last year.
However, many students were not able to gauge this difference because they did not attend. Ludacris is the latest in a string of rap and hip hop shows on campus that hold little to no appeal for students that have no interest in that genre.
UM hosts several artists each year, and even less-publicized performances by smaller artists draw decent crowds. Matisyahu performed for a full house at the Fieldhouse, as did Tufts University’s acapella group, Beelzebubs, when they headlined at the Rathskeller.
There is a market for other genres of music at UM, and some students are ready for concerts that are more tailored to their interests. This desire for change was evident in a poll by The Miami Hurricane on Facebook targeted at the UM community. As of Sunday evening, 44 percent of the 207 votes thought that Hurricane Productions should consider “alternative/rock” performers for future concerts. Following in second with 26 percent was the “techno/dance/house” genre.
Our last few Homecoming concerts have had headliners that have not been entirely relevant, and rely heavily on name recognition and nostalgic appeal. Miami should not have a problem attracting different performers. Making the leap to a country artist may be a bit drastic, but there are many other available artists who will generate excitement in the student body and will be a welcome change from the same old hip hop performances.
Editorials represent the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.