As the sweet taste of summer slowly slips into the season, and spring break submerges beneath layers of deserted schoolwork, students at California State University, Long Beach have a second chance to revel in the respite – this time with some soul and R&B mixed in.
Grammy-winning pop star and R&B lothario Miguel will be performing in concert at the Walter Pyramid on Friday amongst curious CSULB students and starving fans alike like Linda Phan, hungry to see a headliner come to campus.
The last big-name in the 5,000 seat arena was Ludacris in 2008.
“CSULB is finally doing something,” Phan, a sophomore healthcare administration major at CSULB, said. “I’m actually going, I’m pretty excited.”
Setting up the concert serves as a promise kept. Funding for major events began in a spring 2014 campaign when CSULB students passed the Associated Students Inc. Fee Referendum.
“The ASI Programming Board was in charge of booking and developing this concert,” Imani Cooper, ASI Chief Programming Officer at CSULB, said. “We have been working tirelessly and are pleased with the response.”
A student survey comprised from a list of top artists led ASI to choose Miguel when deciding on a performer. His popularity among students, along with his Grammy win and chart-topping singles made him an ideal contender as headliner, Cooper said.
Some students were less enthused with the musical genre that was chosen.
“I was hoping for a band,” Vu Nguyen, a junior finance major at CSULB, said. “I’m more into alternative rock bands like Imagine Dragons or Of Monsters and Men. I don’t really know who Miguel is.”
The 26 year-old California bred singer has been the face of the new R&B takeover with the likes of other big names in its genre including the Weeknd and Jhene Aiko. The combination of mellow synth-based indie sounds and contemporary hip-hop beats, along with its roots of blues and soul defines his style, which is often referred to as “indie R&B.”
Miguel’s debut album “All I want Is You” unveiled his smooth vocals and seductive style to the world with the release of singles like “Sure Thing” and “Quickie.” His unique collaborations with artists like Mariah Carey and Kendrick Lamar has also brought enormous recognition to his music name and style.
Although the campus has held a number of smaller concerts in the past year, the demand for bigger concerts has encouraged ASI to work towards hosting more large events on campus, Cooper Said.
“I heard Ludacris came before,” Dilen Uludogan, a junior exchange-student from Germany and philosophy major at CSULB, said. “It’s really interesting because in Germany we can’t bring all the huge stars to our university, it’s almost impossible so I’m really looking forward to seeing Miguel.”
The price of the event ranges at $10 for general seating for CSULB students, $20 for faculty and staff and $60 for general admission of 18 and over. General admission, faculty and staff tickets will go on sale Tuesday through Friday.