B.o.B and Far East Movement performed for students at the 2012 Fall Welcome Concert. Rap artist Mac Miller will headline this year’s Fall Welcome Concert on Aug. 19 at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Sam Rosenbaum)Rap artist Mac Miller will be the headlining act at ASU's Fall Welcome Concert. Previous artists have included B.O.B. and Gavin DeGraw.
Miller is the star of a popular MTV reality show called "Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family," and his latest solo album debuted in the top 200 for Billboard Rap.
Tickets became available for the concert on July 21. It will take place at Wells Fargo Arena on Aug. 19 to start off the school year.
According to the concert’s website, a special guest will join Miller, but that guest has yet to be named.
Students can reserve their tickets at the concert website.
Business management senior Loretta Sholler said she was ecstatic when she found out that Miller would be performing.
“I was thrilled to find out he was the opening act, because he is an extremely popular artist," she said. "I believe that he will not only increase the overall attendance, but he will also draw in more upperclassmen into attending the concert."
Sholler said she has listened to Miller but hasn’t seen him live in concert.
She said she thinks his act will attract a wider group of students than Fall Welcome Concerts in the past.
“I think past Fall Welcome Concert artists have been successful, but I believe that Mac Miller will attract various groups of students and will bring the ASU student body together to kick off the 2014-15 school year the right way,” Sholler said.
Justice studies junior Marissa Sandoval said she is excited for the concert.
“I was actually surprised but also very excited,” she said. "I was never really into his music until I went to his concert last summer with my younger sister.”
Sandoval said she hasn’t been to any other Fall Welcome concerts in the past but with Miller performing, she plans to attend this one.
“I honestly have not been to any of the other Fall Welcome concerts, but I know I would go see Mac perform again,” she said.
Additionally, Sandoval said Miller’s ability to energize a crowd will make him a popular act.
“I like energetic performers who really pump up the crowd,” she said. “Mac really did that on stage, so it’ll be interesting to see him perform at ASU.”
Not all students are excited about Miller's performance.
Management junior Rachel Dominy said she hadn't heard about the announcement and didn't think it would draw her to the concert.
"I've listened to maybe two of his songs before now," she said. "It's just not really my kind of music."
Dominy said she attended the Fall Welcome Concert in her freshman year and doesn't plan on attending this year.
"I think that Miller will be fine, but I don't really think I'll go," she said.
Reach the reporter at icbeck@asu.edu and follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21.
