Because Grammy-nominated rapper B.o.B is already slated to perform at The Convo May 20, finding an opening act with an open schedule is proving difficult for the concert’s organizers.
Offers were extended to artists such as Matt and Kim, OK Go and Mike Posner, but scheduling conflicts for all three acts prevented them from accepting the gig, said Andrew Holzaepfel, associate director of Ohio University’s Campus Involvement Center and booking agent for the Performing Arts Series.
With between $25,000 and $35,000 to spend on an opening act (B.o.B’s contract is “in the $55,000 range”), money and level of interest are not so much a factor in securing an artist, Holzaepfel said.
“There’s a lot of people that would love to play here, Mike Posner being one of them,” he said. “Now that we’ve settled on May 20 as a date, it’s finding someone that’s not doing a radio program or not recording … and somebody that makes sense.”
Those organizing the concert — including OU’s Performing Arts Series, University Program Council, the Black Student Cultural Programming Board and the Campus Involvement Center — are now turning to a lengthy list of options to find an opener.
“We made list after list of artists in that (price) range,” said Emily Koenig, a senior studying creative writing and concerts co-chair for UPC. “As this week comes forward, there’s probably going to be offers put in. We really want to solidify someone by next week.”
B.o.B’s manager must approve every opening act that is considered, but “they’re definitely not super picky,” Koenig said. The rapper’s versatility in collaborating with different singers such as Bruno Mars, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Hayley Williams of Paramore has allowed the organizers to be more open to different genres. UPC and BSCPB also are looking into the possibility of enlisting local musicians as a warm-up act once an opener is decided.
But the overall goal, Koenig said, is to plan a show — the first to be held at The Convo since Michelle Branch and Jason Mraz in 2004 — that appeals to students as far away as Nelsonville and Parkersburg, W.Va.
“We liked the idea of being able to reach out to as many students as possible,” she said. “We know they’ve all been waiting so long to have a big artist come (to Athens). We just want to have everybody to be able to enjoy a concert in The Convo.”
al106606@ohiou.edu
@ThePostCulture
