Get on ‘Trak’ with ESU’s Fall Concert

BY BASIR ALI

SC Contributing Writer

Over the past few years, East Stroudsburg University has had pop, indie pop, and hip-hop artists perform for the fall and spring concerts. Now it’s time to add electronic dance music (EDM) to the mix.

It’s official; ESU’s fall concert performer will be A-Trak, a well known DJ. He will perform on campus October 23rd at the Mattioli Recreation Center.

A-Trak is a Canadian native DJ based out of New York City. According to jambase.com, a website that provides information on music artist, Alain Macklovitch (A-Trak) began his career as a DJ at the age of thirteen following his father’s footsteps.

Two years later, in 1997, he won the DMC World DJ Championship making him the youngest and first Canadian to win that title.

Since then, he has won multiple awards for his skills on the turntables: ITF World Championship in 1999 and 2000, Vestax World Extravaganza in 1999, and DMC Team Championship with Miami DJ Craze.

A-Trak has toured all around the world entertaining thousands of people of different nations with his style of hip-hop, dancehall, and other various types of music. He’s been to Japan, Australia, China, Iceland, South Africa and Hawaii. He has even been on tour with the popular hip hop artist, Kanye West, serving as his tour DJ. A-Trak was able to travel to 40 cities in North America with Kanye West.

Daniel Pagan, a student at ESU, is the new concert chair of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and is the person who set this upcoming event in motion.

When asked about what made him choose A-Trak, he replied, “EDM is a growing music genre and it’s going to keep growing exponentially as the years go by. Our middle agent Adam suggested that we book A-Trak because he’s a popular artist and has sold out many places. I also ran the idea with my committee and received positive feedback.” said Pagan.

With the concert being less than a month away, Pagan said, “the concert will have a good turn out because many college students are into EDM. I wanted to start promoting in the beginning of September, but the contract was being held, which meant it wasn’t signed right away, and promoting without a contract being signed is out of the question.”

Unlike the majority of the concerts that have taken place during the last few years, this

one will be on campus instead of at the Sherman Theater.

“The concert was originally set to be at the Sherman Theater on Main Street, but due to the recent incident at Barstool Blackout that involved multiple drug overdoses, our [ESU] Student Activates Association decided that it would be best and safer to have it on campus at the REC,” Pagan said.

When asked about the change of venue, Special Events chair of CAB Tyler Hernandez said, “The popular band, F.U.N, has performed at the REC last year and it was successful, so I think that this concert will turn out good.”

“What’s different about this concert from the others is that this one has a theme. Halloween is coming early, and it is going be a Halloween bash. We will encourage students to dress in their costumes and have a good time. You don’t want to miss it.” Pagan said.

The doors will open at 7 PM and the show will start at 8 PM. LG (Lyrical Genius), who opened for A$AP Rocky last year, will open again for this concert.

Tickets are fifteen dollars for ESU students and twenty-two dollars for non-students. Tickets can be purchased on the third floor of the University Center and on ticketmaster.com

Email Basir at:

bali@live.esu.edu