Fans await Nelly performance

By Laura Pelner
Campus Editor

More than 5,800 people will be on campus tonight to see an unprecedented Purdue event — a hip-hop concert.

Laura Clavio, production and sales assistant for Purdue Convocations, said there are only 231 tickets left for the Nelly show, which begins at 7:30 tonight in the Elliott Hall of Music.

Clavio said she wouldn't be surprised if the show sold out.

"Everybody's been excited about the fact that we are bringing in this show," Clavio said. "I think the ticket sales speak for themselves."

Ashaki Meyers, executive assistant at Universal Music, says the show is going to be excellent. "It's going to be a great performance. They do an excellent show; I think everybody will like it," she said.

Meyers also expects the show to sell out by tonight. She says it's great that Nelly gets to be the first musical artist to introduce rap and hip hop to Purdue.

Mellisa Glaser, a member of the Student Concert Committee, said the committee always tries to get a variety of shows, and that even though this is the first hip hop show, it sold well. "It filled better than any of our other shows, so I guess everyone's excited about it," she said.

Many students think this concert shows Purdue's attempt to promote different types of music. Jennifer Baker, a junior in the School of Management, said it shows Purdue is trying to become a more diverse campus. She said she's never been to a rap concert before, but she is a Nelly fan.

"I think there will probably be a lot of crowd participation," said Baker. "I think people will be really involved and excited to be there."

Glaser, a senior in the Schools of Engineering, also said she thought the concert would be lively. "I think it's going to be really fun. I think, hopefully, there will be a lot of energy and everyone will be standing up."

Jam Productions, the Student Concert Committee and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity are bringing Nelly to Purdue. Antwian Avant, the president of Phi Beta Sigma, said he's a big hip-hop fan and he's pleased that his organization played a part in sponsoring Nelly.

"I think it will be a lot of fun," said Avant, a junior in the School of Technology. "I think the atmosphere will be good because this is the first hip-hop artist Purdue is bringing."

He said this concert shows Purdue is trying to broaden its horizons.

Along with Nelly, the concert will feature a few opening acts. Sticky Fingas and Alley Life will definitely perform, and Ms. Toy, Royce D.A. 59 and Toya may be there as well.

There is also an unconfirmed rumor that after the concert Nelly or someone from his group may be at the Boiler Room, 306 West State Street. Clavio said she knows that a private party rented the upstairs of the Boiler Room for the time after the show. "I don't know if Nelly's involved with it at all. Their management didn't know anything about it," she said. "(The management) said a private individual was going to put on a Nelly-after-party. But as to Nelly being there, I don't know."

Clint Coys, a bartender at the Boiler Room, said, "We just know we have to have a full staff."

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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