It was 7 p.m. on Saturday.
A large tour bus hummed outside Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. It could be assumed the house on wheels belonged to the night’s headliner, rapper Young Dolph, the Black Student Cultural Programming Board’s choice for its annual Ohio University Sibs Weekend concert.
The crew set up the stage, and the openers helped with the soundcheck. Everything seemed to be working fine. The speakers were loud, and the bass was roaring.
It was about 7:30 p.m. when the first act, DJ EastSide-Soprano, started playing, and people slowly started rolling in. Some were excited. They chattered away, posing for pictures and taking selfies with their friends for Instagram and Snapchat. Did a concert really happen if it isn’t posted on social media?
Others were quiet. They took their seats and patiently waited for the show to start.
“I’m a big (Young) Dolph fan,” concertgoer Tyrell Carter said, making his way around the auditorium. “They give us a lot of space to jump around, so I’ll definitely be enjoying myself.”
Freshman Shadae Gant Christian and her older brother, OU alumnus Deandre Christian, sat in the balcony.
“I don’t personally know this young man,” Deandre Christian said, referring to Young Dolph. “We are just excited to spend time together.”
It was 8:35 p.m., and most people seemed to have taken their seats, but they wouldn’t be sitting long. DJ Bandcamp soon took the stage and started warming up the crowd.
“What’s up OU? It’s DJ Bandcamp!” he said.
He sent the sounds of an air horn and bass booming through the auditorium.
“Official DJ for Omarion.”
The auditorium shakes with the sound again.
“Official DJ for the Indiana Pacers.”
The walls are vibrating.
“Official DJ for Young Dolph Sibs Weekend concert at OU!”
The crowd goes wild.
DJ Bandcamp took a song request from the first person to follow him on Instagram, and the majority of the crowd started dancing, though some were still in their seats — at least until 9:22 p.m., when Young Dolph made his grand entrance.
The gigantic TV screen in the center of the stage opened up, and Young Dolph walked out from behind. He was wearing a grey denim jacket and jeans, a black turtleneck, gold chains and bracelets, and a scarf long enough to be considered a rug. The audience was roaring, and just about everyone was standing by then.
He had the crowd signing along with songs like “Preach,” “Break the Bank,” “On the River,” “100 Shots” and “Major,” his biggest hit off his latest album, Role Model.
Piles of $100 bills filled the screen behind him, followed by marijuana leaves, fancy cars and other luxuries from college students’ dream.
At 10:30 p.m., Young Dolph brought the concert to an abrupt end with the song “Get Paid,” but the audience seemed satisfied.
“Thought it was awesome,” concertgoer Sam Fjelstul said. “Only so many hits, but he sounds just like he does on his tracks.”
“If y’all didn’t come, y’all missing out,” concertgoer Dannie Wilks said as he danced his way out of the auditorium. “If y’all came, know what y’all seen!”
It was about 10:45 p.m., and the crew was cleaning up. They removed the camouflaged netting that was draped over the stage, took down the lights, moved the speakers and toe down the DJ stand.
The stragglers made their way out of the building while getting the last of their selfies, and the chatter slowly began to fade away.
