ETSU students collectively welcomed Flo Rida to Freedom Hall on Sunday, October 29 for the highly anticipated fall SGA concert.

“This is not a performance, this is not a show,” Flo Rida said to the crowd. “ETSU, this is a party!”

This semester, the fall SGA concert was held at Freedom Hall Civic Center. Doors opened at 5:30 p.m. and the show started at 7 p.m.

Graham Barham performs “North of Hell.” (Will Rowland/East Tennessean).

Graham Barham, a rising country singer-songwriter, opened the show and entertained the crowd until 7:30 p.m.. Barham did not keep the crowd waiting; he took the stage right at 7 p.m. with a red solo cup in hand.

“ETSU, are y’all ready to get rowdy with me tonight?” Barham asked the crowd.

Barham’s setlist consisted of some of his recent hits like “North Of Hell,” “Break It In A Bar” and “Beer By My Bed”; he also performed a cover of Dan + Shay’s “Tequila.”

DOUBLECAMP, the indie-pop duo consisting of Joe Neary and Jordan Burmeister, followed Barham and took over the stage by 7:45 p.m.. They played their popular singles like “Confetti,” “All My Friends Are Strangers” and “Melancholy.” 

DOUBLECAMP guitarist Jordan Burmeister performs one of their hits. (Will Rowland/East Tennessean).

Neary and Burmeister also shared that they decided while still in the green room to switch it up for Sunday’s performance.

“[We said] let’s play something they know instead of all our own songs,” Neary prefaced before the duo broke out into a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.”

The crowd was electric by the time headlining artist Flo Rida took the stage; he came out just before 9 p.m. wearing an East Tennessee jersey and rhinestone glasses, and opened with his song “Right Round.” 

Throughout his performance, Flo Rida played some of his hit songs like “Good Girls on Vacation,” as well as songs he was featured in, like David Guetta’s “Where Them Girls At,” and Pitbull’s “Move Shake Drop.”

A highlight of the event was his performance of his debut single “Low”; Flo Rida opened the stage for women to come up and dance during the song, and the crowd did not disappoint as dozens of concertgoers flocked to the stage.

“What happens at ETSU stays at ETSU,” Flo Rida repeated throughout his entire performance.

Many concertgoers pointed out the sense of nostalgia that Flo Rida brings to the stage, and for some ETSU students, this is the reason he got their vote in the SGA concert poll.

“He’s got some good throwback hits,” said ETSU student Hannah Newport, who voted for Flo Rida. “I feel like that’s always fun.”

ETSU student Noland O’Keefe also gave Flo Rida his vote in the poll.

“He’s got some bangers, he’s got some good music,” O’Keefe said. “[He’s an] all-time classic artist for sure.”

Other ETSU students who did not give Flo Rida their vote still point out that he was a great choice to headline the fall SGA concert.

“Everybody knows his music, he’s an icon,” said concert-crew volunteer Katie Diaz-Tomas. “You can literally vibe to every single song even if you don’t like Flo Rida.”

ETSU’s SGA hosts concerts each semester and allows students to vote for the artists they want to see; this semester, 1,961 students voted in the poll. Of those, Flo Rida had 899 votes.

Carter Warden, Director of Student Activities and Organizations, shared via email that the semi-annual SGA concerts are designed to be stress-free events that allow students to put their studies aside and just have a good time with their friends.

“The most successful and fulfilled students are those who participate in organizations and activities outside the classroom,” Warden stated in an email. “Student events, no matter what size, offer a place for students to connect with others and experience a sense of comradery and family that is so important to overall student success.”

Past SGA concerts have brought popular artists like Jason Derulo, Yung Gravy and Miranda Lambert to Johnson City, and it is only a matter of time before ETSU students get to vote for the lineup of the next SGA concert in Spring 2024. 

For more information on SGA and its major events, visit: www.etsu.edu/sga/events.php

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