Country singer to cost around $40k
Country star Chris Young will rock the Carolina Coliseum April 14 in Carolina Productions’ spring concert.
While Concerts Coordinator Adam Mayer couldn’t confirm a price tag, he said it may be around $40,000.
“That’s what we’re working with, but we’re still in the works with the budget,” he said.
Recent concerts have ranged in price from $20,000 to $50,000, with Young the Giant costing the former last spring and Josh Turner, another popular country artist, costing the latter in October 2011. Fall’s concert, which featured Switchfoot, cost $31,000.
Mayer said student demand for another country concert a year and a half after the Josh Turner concert was evident in online polls Carolina Productions conducted.
“Everyone really, really loved Josh Turner,” Mayer said. “It blew us out of the water when we chose that. We like to choose diverse styles, and after back-to-back rock concerts, we thought it was time for another country show. The polls reflected that.”
While Mayer was unsure of the exact numbers, he said more than 30 percent of respondents said they would prefer a country concert and that the genre receiving the second most votes was about 10 percentage points behind country.
“If USC wants country, we’ll give them country,” Mayer said.
While Carolina Productions sided with a country artist, Young’s competition for the spring concert didn’t consist of similar acts.
Hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar and indie rock band Imagine Dragons were also seriously considered for the spot, but Carolina Productions was unable to book them due to scheduling and price issues.
“We were working close with [Imagine Dragons], but their availability dropped down,” Mayer said. “They’re going to Europe in the beginning of April, which is when we wanted them to play, and going to Europe to tour was too good of an opportunity for them to pass up.”
The deal with Kendrick Lamar didn’t work out because his artist fee increased significantly due to his rising popularity, Mayer said.
“He’s just too expensive for us now,” Mayer said.
Student response has been mostly positive so far, Mayer said.
“Even if they don’t know him by name, once I tell them the names of a few of his songs, people recognize it and get excited,” he said.
Interest in Carolina Productions’ concert committee has also risen since the announcement, according to Mayer.
The Chris Lane Band, another country act, will open for Young. Tickets will be available starting March 25. Students can get tickets free with their CarolinaCard at the Russell House Information Desk.