Jaycie Thierry
Staff Writer
The University of La Verne’s 10th annual Lavernapalooza on May 2 came and went but the memories from that night will live on for many students.
A line for the event formed outside of the Pomona Fox Theater just before 6:30 p.m., and included both students from the University and others within the community who purchased terrace tickets through the Fox Theater.
The concert began with opener DŸLN, a DJ from Southern California, and followed by rap duo Rae Sremmurd as the headliner.
Students from the Campus Activities Board and ASULV hosted a reveal earlier in April where students gathered to find out who this year’s artists would be.
Freshman child development major Gizzel Sulca was nearly front row at the show and was able to reach just enough to get to Swae Lee, one member of Rae Sremmurd, who took her phone and shot a video from the stage.
“They definitely put on a show,” Sulca said. “It was so much fun. I haven’t been this hyped in so long and I don’t even listen to their music all that often.”
Sophomore kinesiology major Zane Munsinger said he spent weeks trying to convince his friends that Rae Sremmurd was going to put on a great concert and they did not disappoint.
“They came out and delivered a performance better than I could’ve predicted,” Munsinger said. “I’m sure they made a whole lot of new fans tonight, too.”
The pit was packed shoulder to shoulder with students hoping to get a good view of the show and freshman psychology major Delaney Rasner was one of the many.
Rasner went to the show alongside with about 13 other friends from the University making it a fun night even though, she said, the pit section was sweaty and hot.
“For it having been my first time at Lavernapalooza, I thought it was pretty awesome,” Rasner said. “I was like, maybe, at least a foot away from Swae Lee so that was probably the highlight of my night.”
Senior computer science and engineering major Toni Harrison called this Lavernapalooza, from beginning to end, the best one in the past three years she has attended.
“I’m glad I was able to end my year having fun with the people I’ve gotten closest to at La Verne,” Harrison said. “The best part of the show was when Swae Lee shouted me out and said I was shining like a sunflower. It definitely made my night.”
For the Campus Activities Board and ASULV students that put the event together each spring, senior public relations major and CAB co-chair Alexis Patterson said they felt the event was a success.
“This was a seven-month journey and to know that students enjoyed it makes everything that led up to this event so much more worth it,” Patterson said.
Lucky enough for Patterson and her other peers coordinating event, they were able to meet the artists after the show in a meet and greet.
Senior history major Ryan Hoffman described meeting Rae Sremmurd as an awesome experience.
“This was definitely the best Lavernapalooza I’ve been to and I loved the energy that Rae Sremmurd brought to the show,” Hoffman said. “Lavernapalooza 2019 was definitely an experience I won’t forget.”
Jaycie Thierry can be reached at jaycie.thierry@laverne.edu.
