Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

B.o.B., 3Oh!3 to headline Spring Concert 2011

Collegian File Photo

B.o.B. –  the Atlanta-based rapper who played at the Welcome Back Concert last year –  is returning to the University of Massachusetts to perform at the 2011 Spring Concert.

The concert will take place on Sunday, April 17 during Patriot’s Day weekend. The lineup was announced earlier tonight at the conclusion of the University Programming Council’s Battle of the Bands.

Joining B.o.B. is the Colorado electronic-rock duo 3Oh!3 and electronic music artist Derek Vincent Smith, who goes by the stage name Pretty Lights. Battle of the Bands winners Kids on a Hill will kick off the concert.

B.o.B is a man of many trades.  Rapping, singing, and producing, the 22-year-old artist hailing from Atlanta, GA certainly keeps himself busy.

Born Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr., B.o.B moved from his birthplace in North Carolina to Georgia at a very young age with his mother and pastor father.

Last year, B.o.B released his first album, “The Adventures of Bobby Ray,” his first major label release.  The album included such breakout singles as “Don’t Let Me Fall” and “Nothin’ on You.”

B.o.B is perhaps best known for the single “Airplanes,” which also features Paramore’s Hayley Williams.  The track was also featured on 2010’s “The Adventures of Bobby Ray.”

In December of last year, B.o.B was named iTunes’ “Best New Artist.” He was nominated for five Grammy awards at this year’s ceremony.

3 Oh! 3 is a new breed of electronica from Boulder, CO.  Their sound is a fusion of electronica, hip hop, rap and rock.

Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte make up the two-piece band, which formed in 2004.  The band is named after the Boulder area code.

The band hit it big with 2009’s “Want,” released on the Photo Finish records and their second studio album.  The album featured the raunchy yet hilarious “Don’t Trust Me” and “Starstrukk.”

Since their 2009 release, the band has worked with the likes of Ke$ha and Lil John.

Their latest album, “Streets of Gold,” was released early last year.

Pretty Lights has released three albums, with the latest coming in 2009. In addition, five EP’s have been released in the past two years and music can be downloaded with donation on PrettyLightsMusic.com.

According to their Facebook page, Kids on a Hill consists of nine students: Ben Falkoff (air guitar, air drums), Ben Silverman (drums, guitar, bass), Nick Pope (drums, guitar, bass, vocals), Craig Holland (bass, guitar), Chris Kazarian (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard), Alec Hutson (alto sax, keyboard), Greg Blair (tenor sax, keyboard), Nora Murphy (vocals, tambourine) and Madeleine Maggio (vocals).

The band’s genre according to their Facebook profile is a medley of “Jazz/Soul/Funk/Your Mind.”

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday March 22. Spring Concert is not free this year, as UMass students must pay $10 for a ticket. Five college students can purchase a ticket for $25 and general admission tickets can be bought for $40. Students must present their UCard at the Mullins Center Box Office to purchase a ticket. Only one ticket can be bought per student.

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    ellenMar 22, 2011 at 8:14 am

    Kids on a Hill however, are great, local and talented. They are worth profiling since they are all UMass students, they are all juniors and they met during their freshman year RAP in VanMeter, which speaks to the success and influence of the University’s housing policy!

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  • L

    LewMar 21, 2011 at 10:49 pm

    First of all, don’t get it twisted, B.o.B. performed at the Fine Arts Center, you spelled Adventures wrong, and his bio was written terribly. Collegian, step your game up and editor???? Do your job.

    Second of all, Umass is clearly showing how tight money is, when they charge you for the concert, but don’t show any return on having a good artist that is worth the money. No offense to all artists listed, but going to a concert for free featuring Lupe Fiasco, and Ludacris is much different than paying for B.o.B, who is exactly on the same level of success and recognition as the other 2 artists making this an unfair deal

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