UC Davis has not typically had a reputation for being an entertainment capital, but thanks to the 2010-2011 ASUCD Entertainment Council, it might become just that.
Only a third of the way through the academic year, the EC has already demonstrated great improvement over past years, restoring faith that the student-run group can provide worthwhile entertainment for the student body of UC Davis.
In September, the new Entertainment Council staff said its goal for the year was to bring more mainstream acts to campus. They couldn’t have picked a better goal.
Past years have seen a slew of indie artists – last year’s highlights included Band of Horses, Passion Pit and Super Mash Bros. – with a few big names (Jason Mraz and Death Cab For Cutie performed at Freeborn Hall in 2008). Though some students are familiar with these lesser-known performers, most aren’t. In order to stay relevant to the entire student population of Davis, the EC has recognized it must book A-list artists that everyone knows.
So far, the Entertainment Council has made good on its promise. This Sunday, 30 Seconds to Mars (whose lead singer is actor Jared Leto) will perform at Freeborn, followed the next week by hip-hop artist RJD2, whose music has been featured in movies, commercials and television shows such as “Mad Men”.
Both events boast over 1,100 attendees on Facebook. The Entertainment Council has also booked Snoop Dogg, in his “Get Wet” tour, for Valentine’s Day. Student-price tickets for the show sold out the first day they went on sale.
Additionally, the Entertainment Council has not allowed the quality of shows to affect the quantity. Because bigger acts are more expensive to host, the EC has teamed up with other organizations, such as Electronic Music for Change and MYX, in order to bring more acts to Davis without depleting its budget. The result has been a consistently busy schedule of concerts, movie screenings and dance events, demonstrating that the EC is managing its budget wisely to optimize its offerings to students.
The Entertainment Council is off to an impressive start, but the year is not over yet. It should use its current momentum to continue booking popular acts and solidify its place as one of the more successful councils in recent memory.
