ASUCD’s entertainment unit hopes to bring more big names to campus.
Upon walking into the headquarters of Entertainment Council, located in the basement of Freeborn Hall, the walls of the small office tell it all. Lining the wall from floor to ceiling are music posters and event promos accumulated over the years. While it may seem reminiscent of an angsty teen’s bedroom, the posters tell a story, documenting all the artists, bands and performers that have made their way to the UC Davis campus over the years.
It all started in 1979, with a goal to bring the best possible entertainment content to the cultural scene of the UC Davis student body. Now, nearly 40 years later, the ASUCD EC has managed to bring the likes of Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Porter Robinson and Vampire Weekend directly to the Davis campus. But how do they do it?
In recent years, EC has worked largely with big event promoters, such as Live Nation and Another Planet Entertainment, to bring students the artists they want to see. This past fall, EC put out an empty survey to the student body, asking what kind of artists and bands that students would hope to see on campus in the future. After determining which artists were in greatest demand, EC worked with APE to make the wishes of Davis students a reality.
“I hope that with our growing connection with Another Planet Entertainment we’ll get more and more big shows like the ones we’re having in the spring,” said EC assistant director and third-year genetics major Katie Lewis. “Hopefully, if the student body continues to be interested in these bigger artists, then our connection with APE will continue to grow.”
But booking and hosting massive concerts isn’t all that EC does. They also hold several showings and advanced screenings of films, such as the upcoming feature of “Game Night” at Varsity Theater on Feb. 14. In the past, EC has also brought advanced viewings of movies including “The Social Network,” “Big Hero 6” and, most recently, “Justice League.” In addition, EC holds quarterly open mic nights in the ASUCD Coffee House for Davis students to perform and showcase their talents.
“We’re the only organization on campus that gives students access to different forms of entertainment throughout the year,” said EC promotions coordinator and third-year managerial economics major Emmy Hughes. “I especially enjoy the open mic nights because we get to see burgeoning talents on campus that might not have another outlet to perform or be heard anywhere else.”
This spring, Entertainment Council will also be hosting its annual event, Lawntopia, a free outdoor concert for the student body. Lawntopia, spearheaded by EC director Liz O’Neill, has brought artists such as Elephante, Mako and Sydewaze to UC Davis in past years.
“I think my favorite part of it all is getting to see the events come together,” said O’Neill, a third-year managerial economics and psychology double major. “It takes a lot of work and months of planning to do it, and once the day comes it’s really quite rewarding.”
O’Neill also said she hopes to soon see a fee referendum on a future ASUCD ballot in order for EC to receive funding to put on more student shows. The director hopes that, with more financial stability, EC will one day be able to bring a festival event to the Davis campus, similar to that of UCSD’s Sun God Festival or UCSB’s Extravaganza.
As for upcoming shows, alt-J and BØRNS are to perform at the ARC Pavillion on Apr. 23, while R&B artist Khalid will be making a stop in Davis on May 7. For more information, visit EC’s website and Facebook page.
Written by: Sydney Odman — arts@theaggie.org
