Homecoming acts will underwhelm
November 2, 2009
I honestly don’t think I could be less excited about this year’s Homecoming.
Sure, the alumni will have their fun, reuniting with their former classmates, knocking back enough Bud Light to convince themselves they’re back in college.
And it’s certain that the town will be a bustle, bringing much-needed money into our economy.
But as far as what I see being offered by this year’s festivities, I’m not just underwhelmed. I’m downright embarrassed.
And it’s not the underachieving football team that’s got me pulling out my hair. It’s the shoddy selections for the campus’ two Homecoming concerts.
No matter your feelings on Sunday’s performance, I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone on campus envisioned someone with a higher profile than Fabolous.
Apart from dabbling exclusively in rap cliches and utilizing some of the most vapid, cookie-cutter beats I’ve ever heard, he’s also just not cool. Even when he’s hit it big as he did with 2001’s hardly club-worthy “Make Me Better,” no one’s taken him seriously.
I’m pretty sure the only people who considered that song genuinely artistic were middle schoolers chewing candy straws at dances, hanging on every word to hear the expletives missed in the edit.
In fact, Fabolous is such a thoroughly uncool choice that it makes picking an unsuccessful American Idol contestant seem hip. At least former Clef Hanger Anoop Desai will be making a homecoming when he takes the stage Wednesday.
And what’s worse is we know what could have been. Endlessly fun mash-up master Girl Talk and emotionally charged Kanye West protege Kid Cudi declined invitations from the Carolina Union Activities Board.
It seems that relevant and respected entertainers don’t think Chapel Hill is worth the effort, even when tens of thousands of dollars are on the table.
UNC needs to do better. Selecting the Avett Brothers last year was a savvy move as the thrilling Concord outfit is now breaking it big, but we’re still lagging behind our in-state peers.
Duke has done great things with its on-campus concerts, netting Girl Talk, Lupe Fiasco, Ben Folds and Third Eye Blind in the last two years to play its Last Day of Classes celebration.
In 2006, Kanye West made an appearance at UNC-Wilmington.
Comparing UNC’s selections to these makes the school’s organizers look like they don’t even know how to turn on the radio.
It’s like watching this year’s Florida State football game. Even with every advantage — a packed home crowd, a huge lead — the Heels squandered the opportunity.
CUAB’s throwing away its chances too, and if things don’t change, they’re going to continue to get blown out by the competition down the road.
It’s a good thing the Victory Bell isn’t given to the school with the best concerts. If that were the case it would be tolling proudly in Durham right now.
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Get your facts straight
I have to agree with "Do your Homework". I too noticed the lack of fact verification in the article. Please do not make stuff up just to make your argument sound more valid.
DTH gets what they deserve...
Dearest DTH,
I hope that you read your reader comments and now understand how completely unfair you have been to CUAB and the Homecoming Concert choices over the past week. First of all, CAA AND CUAB made the Homecoming Concert choices. Why the constant CUAB battering? The Homecoming choices were well done considering the circumstances and just because they don't fall into the categories that YOU want to go see. Please don't speak for the UNC student body as a whole. One editorial is fine. You are entitled to your own opinion... but this is overkill! And when you do decide to form your opinion, please make sure it is based on fact. Last week the editorial about the Homecoming Concert being "Not so Fabolous" mentioned the disappointment in only one Homecoming Concert while the front page announced Anoop being the second concert. Please check your facts before tearing down an organization that works hard day in and day out to put the students of UNC first. Your constant battering and statements without all of the facts UNDERWHELM me.
This article is so...mean.
This article is so...mean. It sounds like it was written by a Duke student. I was unable to attend the homecoming concert, but my roommate and her friends went and said they had an absolute blast, and that Fab was really good with the crowd. Here's the thing - if you approach a situation with a positive attitude, you're more likely to have a good time. Maybe you should try that.
You also referred to UNC's two homecoming concert selections as "shoddy." Are you kidding me? Way to support a recent UNC grad who has reached his dream. I'm in awe of how condescending, pretentious, unappreciative, and downright rude this article is.
rude.
Thanks so much for calling Anoop Desai, a well-liked UNC alumnus, an uncool Idol loser.
What is your problem? I hope he doesn't read this! And if he does, he should know that there are PLENTY of people who are thrilled about his concert. In fact, there was a line outside of Memorial today waiting to buy tickets for his performance. But you wouldn't know that because you were probably sulking around the DTH office thinking of other ways to bash our fantastic school, its programs, and its respected alumni.
10 Things We Hate About the DTH
10 Things We Hate About the DTH (at least today):
1) General ignorance
2) The way you misquote any and all students to fit the context of your articles
3) The way you contradict your views with every other article
4) The way you generalize the musical preferences of the entire campus
5) The way you fail at writing things that makes sense most of the time
6) Your lack of unity as a publication
7) The way you assume everyone agrees with your opinions and likes what you like
8) The way you didn't review the Homecoming concert because you didn't like the idea of it, another inconsistency with the way you write your reviews
9) The way you're forgetting what Homecoming is all about
10) But most of all, we hate the way we hate you, because it makes us question our sense of school pride and what it means to be a Tar Heel.
Do your homework!
Before you attempt to defame the artist and make him "uncool," do your homework. "Make Me Better" didn't debut in 2001, try 2007. And last I checked Fabolous' new album "Loso's Way" debuted at #1 on the Billboard, selling 99,000 copies in its first week. Relevant enough for you?
Furthermore, by your standards, Kid Cudi is even more "uncool" than Fabolous. He only has two singles - one of which, two established rappers had to star on to make it radio-worthy.
In the future it would behoove you to refrain from talking about things of which you have ZERO knowledge. ::cough:: Hip-Hop ::cough::
I understand you're disappointed but homecoming is about celebrating our university and showing school spirit. Maybe you should have attended the concert with an open mind, then written an INFORMED article based on personal experience, not speculation. After all, wouldn't that have been the Carolina Way?
Oh my gosh!
Excellent reference, UNCstudent! I love 10 things I Hate About You...I wonder if Mr. Lawrence is secretly a fan as well
Movie Homage?? I think so.
Did the DTH writer really use "underwhelm" in the title? Is this a homage to the famous line from 10 Things I Hate About You?
From IMDb:
Chastity: I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?
Bianca: I think you can in Europe.
FABOLOUS was Fabulous...Get over it!
I am really disappointed in the way this year's Homecoming acts, and the hard work put in by the people who have brought them here, have been misrepresented. First off it is almost sickening to read how we are constantly compared to Duke and State with our concerts. Let's do the research people, UNC does its best to include many concert acts throughout the entire year and we are being compared to just one or two that have occurred at the other schools in the state. Why even say these are our rivalry schools if you can't even support the home team?!
And will somebody please do there research on Kid Cudi! Yes, the offer was turned down, but if you knew anything about the entertainment world you would know that Kid Cudi decided to go on tour with Lady Gaga. So no organization should get the blame for that mishap, you can all thank Kanye West for that!
Finally, it should really be stressed that there is more than just one organization picking the Homecoming acts. It's obvious that CUAB's name has gotten the bad end of the stick but they have been working hard on these events with the CAA since the spring, let's cut them some slack. If you think it is so easy to find the top names in music under a tight budget then please step your game up!
Do your homework
-Fabolous first album debuted at #4 on Billboard 200
-From his second album the song "Can't Let You Go" #4 on Hot 100 on Billboard chart.
-His third album debuted at #6 on Billboard 200
-His fourth studio album, From Nothin' to Somethin took the number one spot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts for the first time in his career and it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
-"Make Me Better," spent 14 weeks at number one on the Hot Rap Track Billboard Chart.
-His latest album "Loso's Way" debuted at #1 on Billboard 200
And his current single inlcudes "Throw it in the Bag" which has been on the charts for several weeks now.
The Internet can be a very useful tool, when you actually use it. Your ignorance disappoints me.
please stop your complaining
Thank you tarheelcat and absurd for your comments; I absolutely agree that the DTH needs to stop complaining and acting as if the entire campus is outraged by the prospect of a popular hip hop artist coming.
I think that the DTH has spent far too much time whining (whilst contradicting themselves) in the past week. Just because a few writers don't like Fabolous doesn't mean that roughly 900 students didn't go crazy last night in Memorial Hall for him! because that is absolutely what happened. But no one would know that because the paper failed to even review the concert AT ALL.
Avett Bros.
One second you write a review declaring the Avetts' new album a 'major' bore, the next they're a savvy move? You're contradicting yourself and just looking for an outlet to complain.
What UNC needs
I'm pretty sure what UNC needs is someone from the DTH to help plan the Homecoming concerts for next year.
You guys should probably go ahead and request that for next year's Homecoming, so that if there is One person upset with the outcome, you can still complain and wallow, but at least you'll be able to wallow in your criticisms with the clean understanding that you helped with the planning process and contributed all of your clever, hip ideas that are undoubtedly incredible.
As for comparisons, have you no memory!? Both Lupe Fiasco AND Ben Folds played here 2007. And to be honest, I think a lot of students would be surprised if student planners approached Kanye West at this point. I feel like you're shooting blanks, my DTH friend, with another failed comparison to another school's events.
CUAB has brought an endless list of "relevant and respected" entertainers to UNC. This is true no matter how many times you fail at comparisons with other schools or how many articles you write that sound like a child's angry journal entry about how sad you're going to be this week because one Homecoming concert was uncool and not your favorite. There should be a place to designate where tears fell as the last hope died at the thought it could have been someone really cool like the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Furthermore, I can't believe you're seriously still talking about Girl Talk and Kid Cudi. Stop trying to make Girl Talk/ Kid Cudi happen for Homecoming-- it's not going to happen.
no
If you are going to try to compare UNC and Duke, you should consider the fact that UNC continually brings high quality shows to campus. One or two shows are not representative of the diverse range of talented artists CUAB has hosted. Just last year, CUAB brought both Ben Folds Five and the Gym Class Heroes BEFORE Duke brought them for their LDoC. Among others, CUAB also hosted Andrew Bird, the Cool Kids, the Avett Brothers and a diverse array of up-and-coming national and local bands such as The Love Language, Lenka, Ted Leo, and Lost in the Trees. If you want to go back to 2006, CUAB has also hosted John Legend, Iron and Wine, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots, Chrisette Michele, Sufjan Stevens, Jose Gonzalez, and numerous others. It is unrealistic to think that every show is going to please everyone. However, it is apparent that CUAB continually brings a diverse range of acts that complement the diverse musical taste on campus.