Concert not so Fabolous: CUAB should have been more proactive in planning Homecoming and choosing performers

The selection of Fabolous for this year’s Homecoming concert leaves much to be desired.

While Fabolous does have some appeal, he is not worth the money that he is being paid.

CUAB President Amanda Kao would not say exactly how much that is, but confirmed it is about three-fourths of their $65,000 concert budget.

That figure comes out to about $48,000, about $22,000 less than what was paid last year for two groups that are more current and have broader appeal: The Avett Brothers and Gym Class Heroes.

In an online poll conducted by The Daily Tar Heel, about 40 percent of the 338 voters who had responded by Wednesday evening had never even heard of Fabolous.

If CUAB wants to justify spending nearly $50,000, much of which comes from student fees, it should do so on a concert or concert series that will appeal to the widest range of students.

The selection of this one musician also leaves a great number of students who don’t like his style of music without an enjoyable Homecoming concert.

The best way for CUAB to avoid this in the future would be to seek broader student input on its actions for such a large event.

Sophomore Vinny Tagliatela, a member of CUAB’s music and media committee, said the committee suggested Girl Talk and Kid Cudi, among others.

But after these artists declined, the Homecoming committee did not approach the music and media committee again, he said.

The rise in cost and fall in quality is also cause for concern. If it’s just a one-time mistake, then this year should be a lesson learned.

But if the price is indicative of a change in the music industry, maybe Homecoming organizers should look at alternate options.

N.C. State’s Homecoming act this year will be an event held by the popular Web site CollegeHumor.com, and Duke held a wide range of smaller-scale concerts covering genres such as jazz, blues, classical and world music, as well as a dance.

Regardless of the outcome of this year’s Homecoming, one thing remains clear: CUAB needs to work harder in the future to bring in the best show possible.