Headline act LMFAO set to rock Leavey stage
By Lauren Duffy
Party-ready electro hip-hop duo LMFAO is hitting the Leavey Center September 25 as the headliners for this year's Welcome Weekend concert, organized by the Activities Programming Board. LMFAO will be accompanied by three opening acts: The Cataracs and Dev, DJ Benzi, and Donnis, artists that have previously collaborated on club-ready, dance-friendly mixes in the past.
"I think it'll be one huge party," said senior Alex Young, director of the Activities Programming Board (APB). Young noted that this year's event will be the first time that a Welcome Weekend concert has had this many opening acts.
LMFAO is a wildly-dressed duo that consists of DJs/rappers Redfoo and SkyBlu, best known for their ubiquitous chart-topping singles "I'm in Miami Bitch" and "Shots." The Grammy-nominated electro-hop group is signed to Will.i.am's label the Will.i.am Music Group with Interscope Records.
They released their full-length album debut "Party Rock" in 2009. Their second studio album, "Don't Judge Me," is scheduled to be released later this year.Earlier this year, LMFAO was featured on French DJ David Guetta's international smash single "Gettin' Over You," a club track that also featured Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. The single ranked number one on the charts in multiple countries and the music video currently has over 38 million views on YouTube.
LMFAO has also gained prominence from their club remixes of other songs, including Kanye West's "Love Lockdown," Lady Gaga's "LoveGame" and Lil' Jon's "Outta Your Mind." The duo from Hollywood draws heavy influence from electronic artists like Daft Punk as well as from the sound of '90's Oakland rappers Digital Underground.
RedFoo and SkyBlu both come from a rich musical background; both artists are related to Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, the record label that represented legends including The Supremes, Jackson Five, and Smokey Robinson. Redfoo is the son and SkyBlu is the grandson of Gordy, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 for his legendary contributions to soul and R&B music.
LMFAO lives up to their goofy moniker by maintaining a sense of humor in their music videos, as well as through their outrageously bold style that the duo deems "new '80's." With neon eyeglasses and zebra striped pants, LMFAO are sure to bring their wildly brash sense of style to their upcoming show at Leavey.
"[LMFAO will] bring a lot of hype, especially with Welcome Weekend... [they perform] really fun songs that everyone can get into and sing along with," said Young. LMFAO's songs have been heavily featured in mainstream media recently, with LMFAO providing the opening themes for the E! series "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," as well as the runaway MTV hit "Jersey Shore."Opening performers The Cataracs and Dev, DJ Benzi, and Donnis are sure to take the LMFAO concert to the next level with upbeat performances of their dance-friendly tracks. Young, the director of APB, said that she has already received a lot of positive feedback from Santa Clara students about the choice in opening acts for the Welcome Weekend show.
The Cataracs and Dev are best known for their contributions to "Like a G6," a song by Far East Movement that peaked at No.16 on the Billboard charts. The Cataracs are a college-aged duo originally from Berkeley that draw influence from the Bay Area Hyphy scene as well as from current hip hop and pop.
DJ Benzi is a rising DJ in the club scene that has mixed the work of Kanye West and Lil Wayne, among others, and currently hosts a show on XM/Sirius Radio with Mike Posner. Benzi provides the perfect tunes for crazy dance parties by releasing his eagerly anticipated "Get Right Radio" mixes on his website. Donnis, another opener at the upcoming Leavey show, collaborated with Benzi on the track "Shawwty."
The concert is subsidized by the Welcome Weekend Committee, and APB was given additional funding to make the ticket prices less expensive for students, said Young. The Welcome Weekend show is available to Santa Clara students only, due to a request by the Welcome Weekend Committee. Santa Clara identification is required for entrance to the show.
APB is selling tickets to the show in Benson all week. Prices are $15 for floor and $12 for balcony; they accept both cash and flex. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 25.
Contact Lauren Duffy at leduffy@scu.edu or (408) 554-1918