By Helena Hunt, Lariat A&L Editor
10,000 glow sticks, 100 beach balls and one DJ will paint Fountain Mall neon when producer Elephante takes the main stage of this year’s Diadeloso.
Elephante is an up-and-coming electronic dance music producer out of Los Angeles, who has moved from remixes of John Mayer and Calvin Harris to producing original songs like “Age of Innocence.” Elephante makes big beats and anthemic, pop-influenced dance tracks that get people moving. He will play at 7 p.m. next Tuesday on Fountain Mall after a yet-to-be-determined opening act.
“We want people to know it’s not going to be the same swaying in the crowd kind of thing,” said Dallas senior Drew Alleman, the Baylor Chamber of Commerce chair for Diadeloso. “It’s going to be crazy.”
For those who prefer to sway instead of bounce with their music, chamber and Student Activities have made a new addition to the Diadeloso festivities. Nochedeloso, held at 5 p.m. the Monday before Diadeloso, will bring country artist Michael Ray to the Fountain Mall stage at 7 p.m. after an old-fashioned cook-out.
Ray’s single “Kiss You in the Morning” has reached No. 1 on Country Airplay. According to his label, Warner Music Nashville, Ray’s music blends the rawness and pathos of retro country with the energetic sound of contemporary performers like Luke Bryan and Garth Brooks.
At 9 p.m. Monday after Ray’s concert, students can flock to McLane Stadium for a screening of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to get ready for more Diadeloso festivities the next day.
“Since we’re bringing in this other event, Nochedeloso, it’s like we have a small music festival. We have an artist in a laidback environment Monday night with the movie. That’s going to lead into such an upbeat and engaging night on Tuesday,” said Fort Collins, Colo., junior Elizabeth Sherman, a chamber general assistant for Diadeloso. “To me, it’s amplifying what Dia is and making it even bigger and more exciting.”
This year’s neon and dance-themed Diadeloso was inspired by a special anniversary for Baylor.
“This is actually the 20th anniversary of the first dance at Dia, so we were thinking, ‘What are people going out and dancing to in this day and age?’” said Plano senior Aaron Burchfield, a chamber general assistant for Diadeloso. “DJs tend to be that kind of thing.”
Burchfield said he has already seen Elephante live, and now he looks forward to experiencing more of the sweat and the beat drops that make the producer’s sets so exciting.
Alleman said this year’s Diadeloso was designed to give students what they wanted, whether that’s frenetic dance beats or steady country. Chamber has polled the student body on some other Diadeloso mainstays, and what the students asked for chamber will provide. Camel rides, a foam- and bubble wrap-infused Fun Run, food trucks and a live sloth will all be present at this year’s festival.
“At the end of the day, we want to do it for the students,” Sherman said. “We want it to be something everyone can come out and enjoy. They can have a good lunch at the food trucks, have a ride on a camel and then go to this big concert at the end of the night.”
