Here at Duke, LDOC (short for “Last Day of Classes”) is by-and-large the most hotly anticipated day of the year. While the impending doom of finals week is still just around the corner, LDOC provides us Duke undergrads with a way to (temporarily) forget about our studying woes and commemorate the end of another year. This year, our day of glory is appropriately titled “LDOCalypse” (it is 2012, after all), and the concert line-up is sure to impress. Here’s a closer look at the artists that will take the stage on April 25, LDOC ’12:
In a sense, Justin Blau is a lot like your typical college student. A junior at Washington University in St. Louis, the 21-year-old finance major spent last summer interning on Wall Street. Of course, Blau is far from your typical college junior; while he may be a student by day, he is a mash-up artist with the alias DJ 3lau by night, and he is quickly ascending the ranks in the music industry. His high-energy, heart-pounding mash-ups have sent his popularity skyrocketing within the past year. In fact, just this month alone he is slated to perform with the likes of Afrojack, Alesso, Passion Pit, T-Pain, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. 3lau’s music has also earned him a number of celebrity fans and followers, including Paris Hilton and LMFAO. Scheduled to open on LDOC, 3lau is guaranteed to get your heart pumping at this year’s concert.
To check out DJ 3lau’s music and to download some of his tracks for free (free!) check out his website here.
Described by LDOC co-chairs Nate French and Jacob Robinson as both “a throwback” and an “internationally renowned DJ,” Jonas Erik Altberg, (more commonly known as Basshunter), exploded onto the music scene in April 2006 after releasing his worldwide dance hit “Boten Anna.” Originally from Halmstad, Sweden, Basshunter began work as a DJ in the late ‘90s, when he began producing his own music. It was not until 2006, after he had already released two albums, that Basshunter signed a contract with Extensive Music/Warner Music. Since then, Basshunter has released three albums, with a fourth due to be released this summer. Basshunter has even tried his luck at reality television, appearing on the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2010 (he finished in fourth place). As this year’s second LDOC act, Basshunter’s numerous number one singles and Eurodance melodies will complement 3lau’s high-energy mash-ups and keep the crowd amped up into the third act.
To listen to some of Basshunter’s number one hits, check out his website here.
Ben Haggerty, more commonly known as Macklemore, is a hip-hop artist who grew up on the west coast in Seattle, Washington. Macklemore entered the music industry in 2000, and started to gain popularity on the west coast hip hop scene. In 2008, he teamed up with DJ and music producer Ryan Lewis, and the two have been collaborating ever since. Macklemore is well-known for his “socially conscious” music, as his songs often concern issues such as race, drug use and abuse. Last fall, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis went on tour in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and North America, performing at twenty-seven venues in the United States alone. While the tour wrapped up in December, Macklmore shows no signs of slowing down; he has announced that he will release a new album some time this year.
To check out the music of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, take a look at their website here.
The fourth and final act—this year’s headliner—is none other than B.o.B. Born in Winston-Salem, NC, but raised in Georgia, B.o.B (real name Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr.) knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue music. In 2006, when he was just eighteen, he was signed by Atlantic Records. In 2007 he released his first single, “Haterz Everywhere,” which gave him legitimacy in the hip-hop scene. But it was not until early 2010 that he achieved mainstream success with his mixtape May 25thand his first album The Adventures of Bobby Ray, released on April 27, 2010 (initially scheduled to be released on May 25, 2010—hence, the name of the mixtape). B.o.B has collaborated with countless other high-profile music artists, including T.I., Bruno Mars, Lupe Fiasco, and Hayley Williams of Paramore. In addition, B.o.B. is scheduled to release his sophomore album Strange Clouds on May 1, 2012, which is also rumored to feature T.I., Nelly, Big K.R.I.T., André 3000, OneRepublic, and Lil Wayne. Furthermore, B.o.B has announced that he and T.I. are planning to release a collaborative album, titled The Man and the Martian, sometime in the future. Clearly, B.o.B has some big moves on deck, and us Dukies are truly lucky to have such a high-profile performer headlining LDOCalypse, 2012.
Listen to some of B.o.B’s newest hits from Strange Clouds here, or check out one his biggest hits Airplanes here!
Image Sources:
3lau: http://electrichive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/blay.jpg
Basshunter: http://media.tiscali.co.uk/images/feeds/pa/celebrity-big-brother/profile-dj-basshunter-0.jpg
Macklemore X Ryan Lewis: http://www.2dopeboyz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/macktop.jpg
B.o.B: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/7/28/1280312488224/Bobby-Ray-Simmons-Jr-aka–006.jpg