The Campus Activity Board’s highly anticipated big concert is less than a month away. Grammy Award winning MC Lupe Fiasco will perform at Gustavus on April 17, 2010 and tickets are expected to sell out. Tickets are 13 dollars for students (one per student), 18 dollars for guests in advance, and 20 dollars at the door.

Senior Psychology major, Chair of the Concerts Committee and CAB Board Executive Kyle Goodfellow encouraged students to purchase tickets while they are still available.“This is a concert we’re putting on for Gustavus students first and foremost,” Goodfellow said.

“The tickets have been selling really fast,” Sophomore Biology major and Concert Committee member Kristin Olson said.

CAB sold tickets to Gustavus students only until March 10, at which point the tickets went on sale to the general public. During the student-only ticket availability, about 800-900 tickets were sold. Since March 10 when tickets went public, the total count went above 1,500.

CAB is planning to sell 3,000 tickets total based on the capacity of the venue, Lund Arena.

“We expect to sell out,” Goodfellow said.

Lupe Fiasco was chosen for the concert after a survey showed that most students wanted an artist in the hip-hop or rap genres.

Based in Chicago, Lupe Fiasco is one of the most decorated Midwest hip-hop artists of all time. Winner of the Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for his collaboration “Daydreamin” with Jill Scott on his debut album “Food and Liquor”, and nominated for seven other Grammy Awards, Lupe brings more to the hip-hop scene than many of his contemporaries.  Known for his philanthropy in addition to his music, the MC brings a highly empowered brand of music to the studio and the stage.

Lupe joined other celebrities on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of the “Summit on the Summit” effort to raise awareness for the billions of people in the world without a potable water source. His track “Resurrection” was recorded in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and encouraged donations for Haiti relief.

“It is definitely a unique kind of music. He has a broad range of influences,” Olson said.

The Concert Committee is still securing an opening act for the concert. Lupe’s touring partner B.o.B was unavailable for the show due to a previous engagement, so CAB is working on providing their own opener.

“We’re looking at local acts first,” said Goodfellow, referring to other Midwest based performers. Part of the process of securing an opening act is having the artist approved by the headliner, Lupe Fiasco. Currently, CAB has suggested an act to Lupe and is awaiting reply before releasing the artist’s name to the public.