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What artist describes the classic DePauw culture? MKTO will be performing Friday, April 17th in the Neal Fieldhouse as part of the Spring Block Party.
In addition to The Little 500 Street Sprints on Friday, April 17th, the Student Union Board will host their Spring Block Party, which will consist of a free performance by “Classic” singer MKTO, food trucks, and a DJ.
Although the Student Union Board was unable to secure funding for the event last year, when it came time for them to meet with the DePauw Allocations Board first semester, the Union Board members argued for the necessary funds in order to bring back the bash.
“We made the argument to the Allocations Board that we needed to not only have enough funds to cover the costs of the party itself, but also for the concert,” said senior Janel Corney.
The purpose of the Spring Block Party and concert is to bring students together while providing the community with an artist that represents the spirit of the Street Sprints.
“It's always great to have a big venue where all the students can gather together that isn’t just another fraternity party,” said junior Drew Warner.
Although members of the board were able to secure funds for the party and concert first semester, it was not until last week that the board was able to finalize the concert and confirm the artist.
“We have been having a big struggle with confirming artists and finalizing contracts, that’s why we haven’t been able to announce the artist thus far,” said Corney.
The board decided to keep planning the event in secret until they were able to confirm with the artist. While this may frustrate students, Erin Mann pointed out the benefit of planning in confidentiality.
“I definitely think that the Union Board has done a great job making sure that they don't release information before everything is solidified,” said Mann. “Releasing information too soon can be detrimental to the overall event because things can change in the blink of an eye and no one wants to disappoint the student body.”
Members of the Union Board met every week this semester to plan for the Spring Block Party. In the meetings, they looked at past concerts to see which ones were more successful than others, and to determine what kind of atmosphere they wanted to provide on the eve of the Little 500 Bike Race.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 8:00 p.m. MKTO’s performance will last roughly one to two hours. The concert is open to the DePauw and Greencastle communities.