Grammy-nominated R&B singer Mario told a packed auditorium at Ohio University Saturday night that after suffering through a blizzard back home, he was ready to put on a show in Athens - and he didn't disappoint.
Energy was high for the Sibs Weekend concert at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, headlined by Mario and featuring performances by J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Corey Bapes and 3RDegree. More than 1,600 people attended the event, said Alicia Boards, assistant director of Multicultural Programs and adviser for the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, which sponsored the event.
I definitely had fun. The energy was great
said Cole, who is best known for being the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation record label.
Originally from North Carolina, he last performed in Ohio as Jay-Z's opening act. Now a co-headliner, Cole saw the trip to Athens as a way to expand his fan base.
There were a lot of people that were familiar with me but there was also a lot of people that wasn't. I think my personal feeling
is that some of those people left impressed
Cole said. That's an important part of building a fan base
not just going somewhere where everybody loves you.
Khalifa found a lot of love in Athens, with fans in Pittsburgh gear scattered through the audience as tribute to the steel city rapper.
Show was great
energy was good
they knew the words
said Khalifa, who, wearing a Pittsburgh gold chain and showing off his tattooed body, performed songs from his newest album, Deal or No Deal, as well as older hits like Say Yeah. Everywhere
we always feel like there's a little Pittsburgh corner
but it was more like a Pittsburgh circle today
