Afrojack show provides festival-like atmosphere

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, along with MES Production and Consulting, caused a “State of Emergency” on campus last night for the Afrojack concert in the Memorial Stadium parking lot.

The makeshift stage in the gravel parking lot acted as a beacon of sorts for students as they followed the thumping bass to the source of the sound.

SAE President Jarrett Smith said the concert offered a unique experience for patrons.
“Up to this point, there haven’t been too many performances like this,” Smith said.
He said the fraternity wanted to do something new.

Even before Afrojack took the stage, opening acts R3HAB and Shermanology provided a rave-like atmosphere for the crowd of hundreds of people.

Bright colors could be seen from a distance as many patrons donned neon-colored tank tops, T-shirts, hats and headbands.

Under the beaming sunset, the crowd danced and sang to covers of electronic dance songs. Orange beach balls floated in the air as members of the crowd swatted them to keep them from hitting the ground.

As this was Afrojack’s first time performing on a college campus, senior and Event Director Mitch Schoeneman said the festive setting was a different energy and scenery for the three performers onstage.

Audience members said the environment of the Afrojack concert enhanced anticipation for the weekend races rather than detracted from it.

“(The concert) gets people pumped for the race, everyone’s so excited,” freshman Marcella Ettinger said. “It really brings us all together.”

Ettinger said she chose to attend the concert because she thought it would enhance her Little 500 experience.

“I think everybody, Greek and non-Greek, enjoys Little Five,” Ettinger said.
Freshman Laura Burnett agreed and said the party atmosphere of the concert succeeded in making the student body excited.

Afrojack took the stage and energized the crowd. Behind a wall of amplifiers, he opened with beats that vibrated and shook the ground of the parking lot.

“Bloomington, you’re dope,” he said between electronic tracks. “Are you guys ready to go all night? My plane doesn’t leave until 4 a.m., so we’re going to party all night.”
Although the concert at the Stadium ended at 10 p.m., there was an official IU Afrojack after-party at Dunnkirk.

Little 500 concerts generate energy that rivals a certain West Coast festival that had music lovers in the Midwest cursing their last few weeks of school.

Afrojack arrived in Bloomington straight from Coachella, but the minimal sleep caught on the plane did not seem to fatigue the DJ.

He kept the crowd jumping as the show progressed.

“If you weren’t here, you missed the best night of college,” Schoeneman said.