Vandal Entertainment returns to hip-hop after failed 2014 Finals Fest
A year after Grouplove failed to win the hearts of the University of Idaho student body, Vandal Entertainment is returning to a genre it believes will sell tickets.
Chance The Rapper, a 21-year-old independent hip-hop artist from Chicago, will grace the stage May 5 as the headlining act for Finals Fest.
“When we thought about what we wanted, we knew it had to be a rap/hip-hop artist,” said Vandal Entertainment Board Chair Lauren Pinney. “We know students want rap. Last year, we can all agree, was the wrong demographic.”
Vandal Entertainment | Courtesy
Tickets go on sale today and prices are set at $15 for students and $30 for the general public. Pinney said Vandal Entertainment will sell a limited number of tickets at a discounted price — $10 for students and $25 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online through the UI ticket office, but students will need to pick up their tickets and show their Vandal ID to get the student price. General admission tickets can be mailed.
Pinney said Chance The Rapper was Vandal Entertainment’s first choice in artist for the 2015 Finals Fest.
“We’re so confident with him as an artist this year that we have no concerns about the ticket prices or that the event is on a Tuesday,” Pinney said.
Pinney said after an unsuccessful Finals Fest last year, board members had to be careful with their budget and make sure they were getting an artist students would pay to see.
The Vandal Entertainment Board faced some pressure from students with high expectations after Macklemore performed for a jam-packed Kibbie Dome two years ago. The concert was free due to the timing of contracts and Macklemore’s quick rise in popularity in 2013, a factor that made the event the largest in Finals Fest history.
Last year’s Grouplove concert was not as popular among students, and after tickets failed to sell, Vandal Entertainment made the decision to give tickets away for free. The decision meant this year’s board had a tight budget and less flexibility when it came to finding an artist they thought students would enjoy.
“We struggled trying to meet in the middle and find something that people want and that we don’t have to sell a huge ticket for,” Pinney said. “I continue to be surprised that we got (Chance) for the price that we did. I think students will really enjoy it.”
Pinney said there will be an opening act, but the performer has not yet been chosen. The 2015 Finals Fest is sponsored by Sprint and the Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union. Pinney said they are still looking for additional sponsors.
“We’re just really excited for the show this year, and we think students will enjoy it,” Pinney said. “We don’t anticipate any issues and we’re confident students will buy tickets because they’ve told us they’re willing to pay if we get the right artist and we think we did that this year.”
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]