Annual student concert catches hot artists before they blow up
Let the show begin!
The Dialog has learned that Ty Dolla $ign will headline the Student Association’s annual GBC Fest concert on Sept. 13 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre.
You may know Dolla $ign from his hit singles Paranoid, Or Nah, and Blasé. He’s also “a big writer in the music industry,” according to Neil Cumberbatch, senior coordinator of events and marketing for the Student Association, which also funds The Dialog.
“We have Ty Dolla $ign as our headliner, along with all the local acts,” explains Alex Stewart, the SA’s director of campus life, “and the (other) performers are a secret, I don’t want to give too much away. Expect a lot of local talent.”
Vulture Magazine describes Ty Dolla $ign as an artist whose work has dominated hip hop this summer. He received his first taste of being number one on the Billboard Hot 100 this past June, rapping in Post Malone’s single, Psycho, which he also wrote.
But that’s not all. He has been featured in All Mine, Wouldn’t Leave, and Violent Crimes, three of seven songs in Kanye West’s new album Ye.
Last year, Post Malone headlined GBC Fest. He went on to release his single, Rockstar this year which also reached number one on the Billboard 100.
“It’s exciting knowing that we got Post Malone last year, for example, just before he blew up,” Cumberbatch says. Another artist who has appeared at GBC Fest and broke into the music industry was Alessia Cara.
“We try to look for artists that are just about to break,” said Cumberbatch, who is hoping to see a similar trend with Ty Dolla $ign.
The Phoenix Concert Theatre is located near St. James Campus at 410 Sherbourne Street, and the concert is slated to run from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets for GBC Fest will be available as of Sept. 4. For more information on how to get tickets see the SA website at studentassociation.ca.
Other events to attend include the annual boat cruise taking place toward the end of September, and the monthly Maple Leafs, and Raptors game nights. The game nights will be happening in the King’s Lounge at St. James campus.
“I’m looking forward to when DeMar DeRozan returns to Toronto with the Spurs to play the Raptors, and who knows, we might even have tickets for students to go for that game,” said Cumberbatch.
