The LDOC committee is putting the final touches on the grand finale of the school year.
Club act Hyper Crush will join the existing LDOC concert lineup, the committee announced Wednesday in an email to the student body, which also included a number of logistical details for the festivities scheduled.
Hyper Crush will replace The Cataracs, the duo that canceled its performance earlier this month due to a conflict with an award show at which they are nominated for “Pop Song of the Year.”
LDOC Committee co-Chair Lindsay Tomson, a junior, said the committee chose Hyper Crush because its musical style is similar to that of The Cataracs.
“We chose Hyper Crush because [they] really filled the space that The Cataracs left,” Tomson said. “We think they will be an adequate replacement.”
Hyper Crush will join rap artist Ludacris, electro-pop artist Dev and R&B crooner Rudy Currence.
Like many students interviewed for this story, freshman Lexi Antunez was not familiar with Hyper Crush before the announcement. She said she understood the difficult position the committee was in, however, given the limited time to find a replacement.
“I’ve never heard of them, I don’t know what kind of music they play,” Antunez said. “I mean it was last minute—I don’t think you can blame them, they filled the spot.”
A wristband policy, which was first instituted last year, was extended by the committee. The security policy restricts the event to members of the Duke community by asking them to check-in with their DukeCards in advance of the concert.
Tomson said the wristband policy significantly reduced the damages sustained by the University during the event last year.
“It’s our celebration, so it really maintains the integrity of the event as a purely Duke event,” Tomson said. “There is more accountability among the guests to treat campus respectfully.”
The policy is a part of a larger effort to increase security during the event this year. Sophomore Alex Shapanka, the committee’s chief financial officer, said the group significantly increased its security budget due to crowds expected as a result of the this year’s high-profile performers.
“We doubled the amount of money we’re spending on security [over what] we did last year, Shapanka said. “It was general consensus that increased security would be better.”
Shapanka said it is against the committee’s policy to disclose specific budget figures but noted that unlike last year the event is debt-free. Last year, the artists cost $68,000, The Chronicle previously reported, but Shapanka said he could not provide an estimate for artist costs this year.
The committee has also instituted new policies regarding bags and seating. Bags are not allowed in the concert area, and students cannot bring couches or futons onto the Main West Quadrangle because it is a big hassle for maintenance, Tomson said.
In addition to the concert, the committee will also host a Grease sing-along and a Red Bull Chariot Race—in which teams of three will race around the Blue Zone in homemade chariots.
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