With torrential rainfall pouring down and increasing tension in Boston April 19, Elon University students needed a distraction — and for some, that was the 2013 Spring Show, with headliners DJ 3LAU and rap artist Big Sean.
The show opened with Justin Blau, better known as his stage name, 3LAU. The Las Vegas resident emerged on the stage dressed in a plain T-shirt and jeans. His attire was relaxed, in sharp contrast with his aggressive and energetic music.
“[Before shows, I] sleep and drink Red Bull,” 3LAU said. “I usually work on my set on the plane ride wherever we’re going. I usually work on what I’m going to play that day. It usually takes an hour to two hours a day to get ready.”
But this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill show for 3LAU. His good friend from high school, Archie Rufty, is a junior at Elon.
“It’s been awesome knowing him for so long and seeing his transition in music,” Rufty said. “In high school, he played guitar and wrote songs and once he got to college, he shifted to DJing.”
Performing shows with old friends in the audience is nothing new for 3LAU.
“At most places I go, I feel like I know someone,” 3LAU said. “It’s always fun to be with the people who were there before it all started, because it still doesn’t feel very real. It almost reminds you where you came from.”
Once he was on campus, 3LAU said he was ready to perform for the Elon audience. Dance music may be lesser known, but it is easy for an audience member with any amount of knowledge on the genre to truly enjoy it, he said.
“[Dance music is] just constant energy,” 3LAU said. “So my goal with any crowd is for them to walk away saying, ‘Wow, I just went crazy for an hour. I can’t believe it just happened.’ I love playing college shows because it opens a lot of kids up to what dance music is. Most people don’t know it yet. It’s getting a lot bigger but it’s still developing.”
3LAU’s explanation almost exactly described the atmosphere of the gym during his set. While the crowd began to trickle in at 8 p.m., onlookers bobbed their heads to the beat, keeping an ear out for increasing tempos in his songs.
As the attendee numbers increased and Big Sean’s show time grew nearer, the audience went crazy with 3LAU, who jumped and sang passionately with his own tracks. By the time Big Sean was headed on stage, 3LAU had primed the audience to where they needed to be — excited and ready for an exciting night.
Big Sean walked on stage with the swagger of a confident performer, encouraged by the enthusiastic screams of the crowd. Based on their reaction, Big Sean was far from a disappointment. He performed major hits, like his singles “My Last” and “Dance (A$$).” He also performed his parts from songs on which he collaborated with others, such as Kanye West’s “Mercy” and “Clique.”
Big Sean was a physical performer. While closely monitored by a burly bodyguard, Big Sean used the entire stage to his advantage, climbing on speakers and on set pieces to interact with the crowd. Big Sean even gave personal clothing to his fans in the crowd.
The audience’s mood as the concert ended seemed to be of pure satisfaction. The two artists, who both relied heavily on pounding beats and fast tempos, performed a show for audience members that left many humming songs as they left. Big Sean was unavailable for a post-show interview, the feel of the room seemed to match exactly what 3LAU wanted from the evening.
As for the artists’ upcoming endeavors, 3LAU and Big Sean have a lot to look forward to. While he could not divulge much, 3LAU said he and his manager merged with a bigger management company, one that includes big-name dance music artists like deadmau5 and Calvin Harris. Big Sean’s sophomore album, “Hall of Fame,” will be released in June.