Some are questioning whether the Last Day of Classes really saved the best for last.
Preceding Wednesday's LDOC celebration, many students were still hopeful of a possible surprise artist at the end of the concert. Following semester-long rumors, some students stayed past the end of the show to chant and stay to try to catch a glimpse. Hopeful concertgoers were turned away by security after 11 p.m., however. The only change in the lineup that occurred was the removal of sophomore Spencer Brown, known as Spencer Bruno, due to other artists going past their set times.
Despite the time restrictions and some students' disappointment with the lineup, LDOC committee co-chairs Evan Reilly, a sophomore, and Kenny Johnson, a junior, were overall pleased with the event and general feedback.
“We have received positive feedback from both students and administrators about the entire event,” Johnson wrote in an email Friday.
Most of the artists were relatively unknown to some students, which may have led to low expectations and rumors of a possible surprise artist. LDOC used the tagline “Best for Last” to promote the event, starting a flurry of rumors centered on the possibility of a surprise artist like Bruce Springsteen making an appearance. Further evidence that Springsteen was scheduled to perform in Raleigh the next day added to some people's speculation.
“I didn’t know any of the artists beforehand so [I] had pretty low expectations for the concert," senior Blair Ganson said. "This led me to think Bruce Springsteen was going to show up at the end.”
Reilly wrote in an email Friday that the LDOC committee chose the "Best for Last" theme to promote the day as a celebration of the final day of class and everyone's hard work throughout the year.
"We wanted to reinforce this message," Reilly said. "It was not intended to deceive anyone about the lineup or surprise performers.”
Once the clock struck 11 p.m., and noise regulations prevented Dillon Francis from finishing his set, “we want Bruce” chants filled the quad. Security was forced to step in and let the crowd know that the concert was over. A few ardent students refused to leave and after 20 minutes of waiting in silence finally decided to give up.
Many students saw the positive outcome of bringing fairly unknown artists to LDOC, however, and some noted that they were introduced to groups they had not previously known.
“Overall, this year's LDOC was not as good as years past. Although, I thought Youngblood Hawke put on a great show," said senior Bryn Hilton in an email Sunday.
LDOC, however encompasses more than just the concerts, and some students took note of the many activities throughout the day. Freshman Matthew Plaut said he did not know what to expect from the day, other than the presence of drunk people on the Main Quadrangle, but was pleasantly surprised.
"LDOC met my expectations and turned out to be an incredibly fun day that I spent with my friends," Plaut wrote in an email Saturday. "The concert was a bit of a letdown, but I still had a great time.”
Daytime LDOC activities included bouncy castles, silent discos and massages in front of the chapel, making the concert only one part of a day-long celebration.
“LDOC this year for me was more about the atmosphere and spending time with my friends than the music," Ganson said.
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