After much anticipation, the official 2015 Last Day of Classes line-up has been announced.
Headlined by rap artist T-Pain, the event will be opened by American indie pop band Misterwives and feature hip-hop singer Jeremih as well as Spencer Bruno, a Duke junior and DJ whose stage name is Spencer Brown. The announcement comes two days after the committee said it would reveal the line-up—but instead released a fake-out video that pushed the announcement to Thursday.
“I think it’s a great balance,” said LDOC committee co-chair David Soled, a sophomore. “Just hearing a combination of music everyone has grown up around and songs by these brand new artists will get the entire crowd going crazy.”
Soled added that the committee took the information from the surveys to heart in making their decision.
“Rap was by far the top preference,” he said. “That’s why our two main artists are rap and hip-hop performers.”
Soled and co-chair Anton Saleh, also a sophomore, emphasized how T-Pain brings hits everyone knows and loves, providing songs people will be able to sing along to. Jeremih will bring a different type of energy, Saleh said, and will get students excited.
This year’s committee was smaller than last year, but more diverse, including students from both the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the Pratt School of Engineering, Soled noted—adding that unlike in the past, all voices seemed to be represented.
“Everyone is ecstatic about this year’s line-up,” he said.
Saleh emphasized that this year’s committee was also more organized, as the line-up was released several weeks earlier than last year.
“We were very much on the ball,” Saleh said. "We had a very strong direction from the beginning and we stuck with it."
Every artist in the line-up is releasing an album within the next 2 months, Soled said, adding that Misterwives’ upcoming album is set to be a hit.
“Who doesn’t know 'Reflections' at this point?” Saleh asked. “We think they’re the perfect daytime opener. Their atmosphere and energy is perfect for what LDOC means.”
Saleh added that Brown brings the electronic dance music aspects the committee is always looking for.
There will be some changes to the event itself including stage alterations, noted Soled.
“People on the committee are passionate about adding new dimensions, “ he said. “There’s going to be more of an interactive stage presence. “
One of the biggest challenges in planning the event, however, is the committee’s limited budget, Soled said. He added that students in past years seem to think it is unlimited.
“We do feel like this year we did the best we could with it and used it to the best of our ability to make sure everyone was happy.”
Saleh noted, however, that another main challenge is the selection of the artists themselves.
“It’s always a challenge to figure out what artists really work best for the school,” he said. “Internally we do a lot of work and people don’t really see that—but we also don’t expect them to."
Saleh added that the committee is thrilled and hopes the student body is just as excited.
“We are bringing in young talent and some names everybody loves,” he said. “I think we covered the board here.”
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