Blackbear sells out spring concert

Rapper and R&B artist Blackbear performed a sold-out show at the Fieldhouse Arena on Thursday, April 4 for the annual spring concert, arranged by Campus Activities Board.

DJ Andre Power began the concert by playing popular songs to warm concertgoers up before Blackbear’s performance, which event organizer Kalie Tomlinson said students enjoyed. 

“It was his first time in Michigan,” Tomlinson said of Power. “He was telling me afterward that he had so much fun and he can’t wait to come back.”

Blackbear’s set was accompanied by a light show and a video screen behind him, which circulated between his logo and other images. His performance was interaction-heavy, often speaking to the crowd. While his set included both older favorites that students knew and newer tracks, he also played his most recently released song, “HATE MY GUTS,” which came out March 29. 

This concert marks the highest attendance for the spring concert in years, according to Tomlinson, with 4,000 in the arena. She said that the crowd, volunteers and Blackbear had a “great time.”

“Everything went so smoothly…I honestly don’t have any complaints about anything,” Tomlinson said.

Blackbear’s upcoming album, ANONYMOUS, will be released Friday, April 19. The Campus Activities Board’s next event will be ExtravaGRANDza, which runs from April 15-19 to celebrate the end of the semester.

A cappella group Euphoria to perform

For their end-of-semester showcase, GVSU’s Euphoria will hold an a cappella performance in the Grand River Room in Kirkhof Center on Friday, April 12 at 8:30 p.m. The award-winning co-ed group will be joined by Michigan State University’s State of Fifths. Admission is free and refreshments will be available.

GV alum to return for Arts at Noon performance

As the final performance in the Arts at Noon series, GVSU alumnus Joshua Dreyer will return to perform with music professor Greg Secor. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, Dreyer received his Master’s degree from University of Tennessee and has since performed in ensembles around west Michigan, including the Grand Rapids Symphony, Opera Grand Rapids and the Battle Creek Symphony. Secor and Dreyer will perform a percussion duo in the Cook-DeWitt Center on Wednesday, April 10 at noon.