Thousands of students gathered outside the Union yesterday to watch Matisyahu with special guest Brother Ali perform a unique style of Reggae and hip-hop.
Matisyahu, who infuses orthodox Judaism with hip-hop beats, headlined the Redfest fall music festival, sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of Utah. With a turnout of 6,000 students at last year’s Redfest concerts, Matisyahu, Brother Ali and Kalai had a tough act to follow. As of 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, the Union front desk had sold 5,000 tickets of the 8,000 estimated for the concert.
“We started off on the right foot,” said Amanda Mecham, director of the ASUU Presenter’s Office. “I really think the green theme message got across to the students8212;it’s something we want to continue.”
The ASUU promoted a green theme for Redfest this year, featuring environmentally conscious activities and vendors outside the Union during the day, including a recycling fashion show. The event ended with the Matisyahu concert, which received positive ratings from the crowd.
“He’s great,” said Dan Sweeney, a graduate student in mechanical engineering. “He’s really unique for sure.”
Sweeney was impressed with the entire Redfest event.
“It was really laid back,” he said. “Pretty liberal. It reminded me of Colorado, where I’m from.”
Brother Ali didn’t fare so well for some audience members.
“He’s not really my style,” said Jennifer North, a pre-psychology freshman.
Alex Stoker, a visitor to the U, was a little more opinionated.
“I think he’s awful,” Stoker said. “He just doesn’t fit a rapper’s style. You don’t see me trying to be someone I’m not. But who am I to judge?”
The concert, which drew a large crowd from the U and the public, took months of planning. The Presenter’s Office went through a long process to ensure the success of the concert.
ASUU paid Matisyahu a $40,000 artist fee for the concert. According to Student Body President Patrick Reimherr, this was a good deal. A few years ago ASUU tried to book Matisyahu, but his fee was near $100,000, he said.
Aside from the initial artist fee, the Presenter’s Office must also pay for things like policemen, outhouses and rental charges.
Although the board will not know the final numbers until next week, Brian Burton, programming adviser, estimates the entire cost of Redfest ranged between $80,000 and $90,000.
Tickets for the concert were $6 for students and $22 for the public, including service fees.
According to Reimherr, ASUU will not see a single dollar of profit from ticket sales. Revenue from the tickets will go back into the ASUU budget, but the cost of the concert is too high for the student government to make a profit.
The concert was preceded by a festival during the day, which featured live bands, T-shirt painting booths and several vendors.
The festival had a little something for everybody, with booths selling everything from jambe drums to local artwork. Redfest kept to its mantra of “going green” with two separate booths selling glass pipes.
For students who prefer longboarding for transportation, Kahuna Creations occupied a booth showcasing its patent-pending creation, the land paddle. For those boarders with an unstable inner ear, this six-foot poll made of mahogany wood helps create stability and balance for boarders. The “big stick” received quite a bit of attention as U students tried their hand at the unique version of long-boarding.
“There was a lot of build up for the green theme,” said Peter Christiansen, a graduate student in new media studies. “It’ll be interesting to see if it lives up to the promises or if it was all hype.”
Lennie MahlerMatisyahu performs in front of thousands of students Thursday night in the Union Free Speech Area. This year’s Redfest carries the theme “Redfest goes green,” kicking off Thursday. Redfest continues today with a student art gallery in the Union Student Lounge and a premiere screening of the snowboarding film “Double Decade” behind the Union.