Students now know who will be coming to Vanderbilt for Commodore Quake, but not all are thrilled with the lineup.
The Music Group announced Wednesday that rapper Pitbull will open for headliner OAR at the annual Homecoming concert on Oct. 15.
For the first time in recent years, students were able to have some input in the selection of the performers, an opportunity senior and co-chair of the Music Group Scott Krenitski really wanted to give to undergraduates. In an online survey sent to undergraduates in June, students were asked to select from several options one artist for a headliner and another as an opening act.
But some students found the survey to be misleading.
“Just overall, I’m disappointed because the names on the summer poll were better than what we actually got,” said sophomore Kevin Wymer.
On the survey, options for headliner included acts like the Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Maroon 5, while potential opening acts were Drake, Lady Gaga and the Zach Brown Band. OAR was an option, but as a possible opening act, and Pitbull was not on the survey at all.
Dwayne Elliot, director of student campus events and adviser for the Music Group, said the poll was intended to be a tool to gauge students’ general music preferences and to see what types of acts were most popular.
“The initial e-mail was a bit premature,” said senior Owen Canavan, co-chair for the Music Group. “It was solely meant to narrow options down.”
“We wouldn’t have sent it out if we didn’t know it was an option at the time,” he said.
Once the results came in, Krenitski said the group began to extend offers to the most popular artists that were affordably priced. “With the exception of artists we can’t afford and those that are available, I can guarantee you we are going to try and get that artist,” he said.
Krenitski added that the process is not that simple, though. Once the Music Group makes a decision on which acts to ask, they extend an offer through their third-party booking agency, Mac Presents. Then it’s in the artist’s hands.
“Sometimes they accept the lower price, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes they don’t get back to us for a month and we have to move on to the next opportunity,” he said. “It takes a lot longer because we’re kind of at the mercy of the artists to respond. It’s a long process, and it’s a frustrating one.”
Students had mixed reactions to the outcome of the months-long process, and several found the combination of the two acts to be unusual.
“I was happy with OAR, but I was hoping they would come up with someone better for the opening,” said senior Will Milliken.
“I think it’s a good combination. OAR is spectacular,” said freshman Jake Brady. “They are different musicians, but all in all, it will be a good show.”
Junior Nathan Lo said even with the poll, the Music Group’s selections don’t represent the student body well. “I feel the school gets bands that seem popular instead of getting a quality band that people actually enjoy watching,” he said.
Overall, both Krenitski and Elliot said they were excited for the lineup. Even though OAR was listed on the survey as a choice for the opening act, Krenitski said he thinks the band works better as a headliner.
“We think they’re name is big enough to be a headliner,” he said. “They have the pull, they have the draw. People have voted them as a headliner in the past.”
Elliot said he couldn’t release the results of the poll, but said, “The second highest (voted) act is playing at Quake.”
Steven Kung contributed reporting to this article.
