A night to reMemba: Welcome Back Concert caters to EDM community
The 2019 Welcome Back Concert was organized by APPS and featured Memba and Supertask, who performed at Legends on Thursday, Aug. 22.
August 26, 2019
Bodies writhed and heads bopped. Hula hoops and ribbon fans flew. Scarf wearers, sparkly faces and colorful patterns filled the crowd. A diverse crowd of students, locals and groupies came out to APPS’ Welcome Back Concert at Legends on Thursday to absorb Supertask and Memba’s beats.
Sophomore political science major Rose Vang said she was excited for a new experience.
“It’s my last semester with two of my really, really good friends, and I’ve never actually gone to a concert here at App, so here we are,” Vang said.
Vang said she mostly listens to Hmong music, and going to an EDM concert is out of her comfort zone.
Supertask, an electronic music producer based in Oregon, warmed up the crowd with slow EDM for an hour.
Supertask’s style blends “heavy and calm, engaging and introspective, danceable and meditative,” according to its Facebook page.
Around 9:30 p.m., Memba, a duo based in Brooklyn, electrified the audience with upbeat EDM.
Ishaan Chaudhary and Will Curry bring “diversity together in unexpected ways,” according to their Facebook page. Curry and Chaudhary’s mixes incorporate rhythms and world music.
After their set, the charismatic Curry and Chaudhary greeted fans who stuck around until the end.
Senior political science major and APPS’ club shows coordinator Holland McLean said APPS hadn’t brought an EDM act to campus in a few years, and they wanted to cater to the EDM community this time.
“We actually wanted to be a lot more strategic and intentional with the bands that we brought, rather than just catering to what we know will sell out,” McLean said.
McLean said APPS is trying to avoid repeating the same genre of music and promote more diversity.
“(It’s about) making your crowds look different, and making your crowds feel a different way,” McLean said.
McLean said she was excited APPS could book Memba and Supertask because they drew people from cities like Asheville and Nashville, Tennessee.
Lula Watts, a fire performer and belly dancer from Asheville, came to support Supertask. Supertask left town for his slot in Charlotte right after he finished, and his groupies, including Watts, were close behind.
