The Daily Gamecock

Only Wanna Be With USC, Darius Rucker performs for students at Colonial Life Arena

Darius Rucker’s long-awaited concert was held Wednesday night in Colonial Life Arena amid severe weather and flash floods. Despite the hazardous conditions, about 10,000 people came out to see Rucker and a host of surprise guests.

Patrick Davis and the Midnight Choir opened for Rucker. Davis, the lead vocals for the all-South Carolina native band, infused southern rock, gospel and a deep love for the Palmetto State into a 45-minute performance that concluded with a truly iconic performance of his original song, “I’m Just a Big Ole Cock,” an ode to USC.

After Davis, the hype video for Williams-Brice, “Under a Carolina Sky,” played over the arena, followed by football highlights and an original rap dedicated to Columbia and its football team and featuring Gamecock greats like Marcus Lattimore, Steve Tannehill and DeVonte Holloman.

After the audience was thoroughly excited, University President Harris Pastides sauntered onto the football turf-adorned staged hoisting the Women’s Basketball Championship trophy above his head. Coach Frank Martin and Coach Dawn Staley, who wore the championship net around her neck like fine jewelry, joined him.

Next in the Gamecock parade, the marching band played USC fight songs and welcomed the football team on stage, led by Coach Will Muschamp.

Finally, after an exhausting 10 minutes of Gamecock Athletics celebration, Rucker took the stage. Wearing a Final Four hat and Gamecock T-shirt, Rucker kicked off his set with a few of his popular solo hits like “Radio” and “Southern State of Mind.”

“Here I am, people,” Rucker declared, before kicking off into an hour-long set that spanned his career with the Blowfish to his forthcoming album. Rucker broke up his songs with gushings of pride for the Gamecocks and memories of the campus and Five Points (where he got the inspiration for “Let Her Cry”) and even invited more guests on to the stage — Hootie and The Blowfish member Mark Bryan and Gamecock great Connor Shaw.

Although the turnout was huge, many students were unable to make it due to the flash flooding that affected the Whaley/Olympia areas of Columbia and many more. But for those that attended, no one seemed upset that the show had gone on.

“I’m really glad that they didn’t cancel because the worst weather was earlier today,” graduate student Jeffrey McMicken said.

Rucker himself sent out an apology to fans missing the show. “I’m so sorry,” he said repeatedly. Rucker did look on the positive side and noted that the cancellation of afternoon classes allowed for an “awesome pregame."

Apocalyptic weather aside, the night was filled with lots of music, lots of Gamecock pride and a Keith Urban lookalike that kicked the whole night off with an electric guitar rendition of The National Anthem — it was a night to remember.


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