MTV regular Jason Mraz is coming to the Mesa Amphitheatre Tuesday, thanks in part to ASU's Programming and Activities Board.
PAB President Andrew Moe said the concert has been in the planning stages for a while.
Gina Rossey, a representative for Mraz's opening act, Ryanhood, contacted Moe in June to set up a concert at ASU.
Mraz was already performing at UA in September and wanted to add another stop to his tour, Moe said.
"She [Rossey] wanted to hold concerts in two or three venues within the same vicinity," he said.
It's cheaper to book artists for multiple concerts within the same area, he added.
Moe said he is hoping the Mraz concert will lead to other artists stopping at ASU.
"We haven't established ourselves as a major tour spot," he said.
Journalism freshman Carley Lindsey likes the idea of PAB hosting more concerts.
"It would be nice to get more concerts, like Dave Matthews Band, Gavin DeGraw, and what about Tenacious D?" she said.
Because of budget limitations, Moe said PAB was not able to host Mraz on campus. Instead, PAB partnered with Lucky Man Productions to hold the concert at the amphitheatre. Lucky Man took charge of the venue and security.
Jessica Hill, PAB's concert director, said PAB spent $30,000 to buy 1,200 tickets from Lucky Man specifically for ASU students.
PAB is selling tickets for $20, compared to $25 from Lucky Man Productions, Hill said.
"Plus, they're saving on all of the additional fees that Ticketmaster always adds on," she added.
Tickets can be bought at Hoodlums, in the lower level of the Memorial Union.
The tickets went on sale Aug. 30.
As of Wednesday night, 200 tickets have sold, but Moe said many students wait until the last minute.
"Students tend to be procrastinators," he said. "But come Monday, I think a lot of students will be buying them."
Biology sophomore Megan Ekstrom said she was one of the first to buy tickets.
"I got them the day after they went on sale on campus," she said.
PAB is already planning the next concert. The Format will be coming to the ASU Arboretum Nov. 10.
Reach the reporter at kristi.eaton@asu.edu.
