On April 20, this year’s annual Grand Kerfuffle concert was held at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. A slew of performers hit the stage, including Bleachers and Omar Apollo, and there was plenty of fun to be had from anywhere in the stadium. As someone that was in the student pit, I’d say that I got a little more fun than I bargained for.

The energy from the crowd, especially during the Bleachers’ performance, was something that I haven’t seen matched in my years of concert-going. I’m excited to see what the ASUU has to offer when the celebration comes around next year.

The Openers

Many of the people attending the concert came to see the Bleachers or Omar Apollo, I’d be remiss not to mention the openers for setting the mood for the rest of the night. The first act of the night was singer Nicole McLean, leading with good vibes and an easygoing attitude. Her song “no stress” encourage me to kick back and allow the music to take me.

Next up was Teddy Obot and his chill, lo-fi-type beats. There wasn’t a particular song that stood out to me, but what did was Obot’s earnest, grounded personality that laced each song he performed.

The openers ended with a bang with pop artist Camille Trust and her powerful voice and stage presence. Her passionate performance of one of the most popular songs from her most recent album, “Florida,” acted as the perfect segue between her and the next act of the night: Bleachers.

Bleachers

By far, this was the rowdiest performance of the night. Not just because of the incredible stage presence and audience interaction that band leader Jack Antonoff provided, but also because of how rabid the fans got. With fan-favorite songs played, like “Rollercoaster” and “I Wanna Get Better,” people in the pit section of the stadium partied to their heart’s content, and to be fair, so did Antonoff.

He said it best himself: “Salt Lake City always goes so hard!”

Omar Apollo

Last but not least, the night finally concluded with pop star Omar Apollo. This was the only artist that I was familiar with that night, and luckily I didn’t have to fight for my life during his performance. From the get-go, the tone was far different than Bleachers, beginning with his seductive and groovy song “Killing Me.” In fact, for the majority of the night, Apollo was flirting with his fans in the front row.

Armed with an angelic voice that was actually surprisingly better in person than on record, he sang hits like “Tamagotchi,” “Evergreen” and “Invincible” to create an unforgettable performance.

It’s incredible to me that I was able to attend this event as a U student for no money at all. With a set list this strong and seeing all the other students so passionate, I can’t wait to see what the ASUU brings to the table for next year’s Grand Kerfuffle.

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@thezachus