Since the start of the school year, the NYU Class of 2019 Facebook group has been filled with students posting selfies with celebrities, from the infamous recently graduated Sprouse twins to Blake Lively (the jealousy was very real). While I sat in my bed on my phone and wondered when I was going to meet my first celebrity in the city that never sleeps, little did I expect that my wishes would come true soon after.
On Tuesday September 29th, a London-based drum and bass band named Rudimental performed at Manhattan’s Webster Hall (conveniently located only a block away from NYU’s Founders and Third North residence halls). I had wanted to go for a while, but was debating whether or not to study for a quiz or attend the concert. I ended up buying a ticket during class a mere hour before the show, and it ended up being the best decision I’ve made in a while. I rushed out of my last class to my dorm, changed, and headed over to Webster Hall.
Not only was seeing Rudimental amazing, but Ed Sheeran also performed with them! I—as well as the rest of the audience—had no idea that Ed Sheeran would be present, and let me tell you, Ed was the best surprise guest any band could have had. The crowd went absolutely wild when he came out on stage; my ears were actually hurting at one point. He was there to perform their collaborative song “Bloodstream” (part of his latest album “X”) and Rudimental’s new single “Lay It On Me.” The concert was to celebrate Rudimental’s second album, “We The Generation”, which was released on October 2nd.
Ed Sheeran isn’t the only well-known artist that Rudimental has collaborated with in the past, the list includes: Emeli Sandé, Alex Clare, Childish Gambino, John Newman, and most recently—Will Heard (whom you might’ve heard on Kygo’s single “Nothing Left”). Although they are a relatively new band, they already have plenty of awards and nominations and have even gone Platinum in several countries. According to Spotify, they are most popular in London, followed by our very own New York City.
The concert was absolutely amazing, with many collaborative artists joining them. Not only is every member of the band extremely talented, but they put on an incredible live performance. It was hands down the most awesome experience I’ve had in New York so far, and it definitely satisfied the music junkie in me. I also finally got my wish of seeing a celebrity (even if I didn’t run into anyone on the street, it was still a surprise).
You never know what kind of experience you might end up having due to spontaneous decisions, so try buying a ticket for a concert the night of, and more often than not I bet you’ll end up enjoying yourself. And if you’ve been craving some new music with a fresh, funky sound, Rudimental is the perfect addition to your Spotify playlists.