As music blared over students dancing to the beat Saturday night, the lineup for this year’s Volapalooza concert was made public.
Briefly interrupting the Vol Night Long festivities, which included free food, arcade games and laser tag, students were given the chance to guess this year’s musical guests as samples from artists Bad Suns, Cold War Kids and Lupe Fiasco were played for the night’s crowd.
Unlike last year’s performance in Thompson-Boling Arena, this year’s Volapalooza will be held in World’s Fair Park. Kristen Bright, junior in marketing and member of the Volapalooza Event Planners, hopes the change in venue will bring new life to the concert series.
“This year is more of a festival theme. We kind of wanted to set it apart,” Bright explained.
Whereas 2014’s lineup featured Tennessee locals The Dirty Guv’nahs and The Delta Saints, Bright sees this year’s lineup as a more illustrious option for students wishing to attend.
“We brought a lot of really, really good artists, not just one smaller artist,” Kristen said.
For Sara Lamb, sophomore in public relations and member of the Volapalooza Event Planners, the addition of Lupe Fiasco to the list promises to bring a fair share of enjoyment.
“I’m a huge fan. He just dropped a sick album, and I am so stoked to have him here,” Lamb explained, noting the artist’s greatest appeal can be found in his honest approach to hip-hop. “I really like how he preaches in his rap about social issues, and not just the usual ‘getting money.'”
Seth Watkins, junior in human resource management, sees this year’s event as offering a more varied assortment of music than in years past.
“I think this one’s different because it gives something for everyone,” Watkins said. “There’s a little bit of hip-hop, there’s also a little bit of alternative rock that could really bring a lot of different groups together.”
Volapalooza will be held Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. Tickets are free for opted-in students and go on sale March 3.