On Monday night, just six hours after posting a flyer announcing prominent hip hop, rap and R&B artists Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s arrival to Davis, ASUCD Entertainment Council’s link buzzed with 556 likes and 238 shares on Facebook — a record for the site.
Along with Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Entertainment Council has Steve Aoki, Datsik and The Shins (in association with the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center of the Performing Arts) lined up for, arguably, the most anticipated winter and spring season line-up for quite some time. Conceivably, this might just be the time for Davis to officially shake off its once-seemingly permanent reputation of being an exclusively small town with few outlets for entertainment.
“The university boasts of its diverse community and we want to do our best to provide something that everyone will like,” said Timothy Chin, assistant director at Entertainment Council and senior technocultural studies major. “We know we have a long way to go in that regard and we are always looking for feedback, artist suggestions and student involvement.”
From The Shins’ American indie rock sound, to Steve Aoki and Datsik electro-house Deadmeat tour, to Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s hip hop style, Chin hopes that Entertainment council will begin attracting students with varying taste in music genres with an eclectic programming selection.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar are scheduled to perform at the UC Davis Pavilion, which has a capacity of nearly 8,000. Tickets go on sale Thursday and are sure to attract a large-encompassing demographic all over the region of Sacramento and Davis.
“I’m definitely going to the concert, as long as the tickets don’t sell out before I can get my hands on them,” said Elizabeth Vieyra, a first-year international relations major.
Additionally, tickets for indie pop band Florence and the Machine will go on sale Friday. The concert is presented by the Mondavi Center.
As concerts in the past, like Tiësto or 30 Seconds to Mars, Drake’s appearance is presented through collaborations between Entertainment Council and live-event promoters like Live Nation or JMax Productions.
According to Henry Chatfield, Entertainment Council’s director, these collaborations have made it easier to access and attract large names in the industry to come perform in Davis.
“This year we took that one step further and I think our winter and spring programming really reflects that,” Chatfield said. “We want to be an efficient and reliable connection between the students and promoters, which really benefits everyone.”
In the case of The Shins, Wilco and Florence and the Machine, Another Planet Entertainment teamed up with the Mondavi’s Aggie Arts (and Entertainment Council for The Shins) to present the scheduled live performances.
Entertainment Council and the Mondavi Center will continue expanding their events and bookings. Visit ec.ucdavis.edu (Entertainment Council) and mondaviarts.org (Mondavi Center) for updates and details on potential and scheduled performers.
Concerts scheduled to date (in order of appearance):
Wilco
Feb. 1, 8 p.m.
Jackson Hall (Mondavi Center)
Sold Out
Mondavi Aggie Arts is giving away two tickets to the sold out show. Visit their Aggie Arts Facebook page for details on how to enter the competition and win tickets.
Drake
March 7
UC Davis Pavilion
$49.75 upper level student pre-sale discount (limited) | $79.75 Lower level general admission | $59.75 upper level general admission
Tickets are available for purchase starting tomorrow from Freeborn Box office (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). One ticket per student ID (maximum of 2 tickets with proof of second ID). Cash only.
Steve Aoki/Datsik
March 14, 6:30 p.m.
Freeborn Hall
$20 limited student presale tickets | $25 general admission
Tickets are available at Freeborn Box office and deadmeattour.com/tour-dates.
Florence and the Machine
April 18, 7:30 p.m.
Jackson Hall (Mondavi Center)
$42.50
Tickets are available at the Mondavi Ticket booth starting Friday (10 a.m.) or now on ticketmaster.com. Sales are limited to four per transaction.
The Shins
April 23, 8 p.m.
Jackson Hall (Mondavi Center)
$35 general admission
Tickets are available at the Mondavi Ticket booth or ticketmaster.com.
UYEN CAO can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
