The University Union (UU) Plaza will host Citizen Cope for a solo acoustic concert during UU Hour today as one of Concerts in the Plaza’s larger events of the school year.
Business administration senior Jacki Iwanski, who books performers for Concerts in the Plaza, said her approach to booking this year was to work around the dates when artists were playing in Los Angeles or San Francisco.
“It’s kind of the halfway point,” Iwanski said. “I knew he was touring in the area, so he’s basically stopping on the way down to L.A.”
In a survey distributed by Associated Students Inc. (ASI) earlier in the school year, Citizen Cope was one of the most requested artists, Iwanski said. She said she’s received nothing but positive feedback from students who are very excited for the concert.
Iwanski said booking can be tricky with a shrinking budget, but her goal was to find two bigger names for spring quarter, when the weather is nice.
“When the weather is great in fall and spring, we try to get two or three bigger names,” she said. “Zion I was great, and I think we’ll get a similar turnout for (today).”
Usually, Iwanski said, reggae artists are a big hit on campus. But she also likes to get a variety throughout the year.
Students around campus have expressed excitement for the concert throughout the week. Graphic communication freshman Tess Hannel said she didn’t even believe it was true.
“I saw his name on a poster by Starbucks one day and I thought it was a mistake,” she said. “It’s crazy to see big names coming through Cal Poly.”
Iwanski said with the multi-activity center in the new Recreation Center, it will be easier to host big names on campus in the future. The new center will allow for larger audiences and give ASI the capability of charging students for tickets, so more widely-known artists will be easier to acquire.
Citizen Cope’s music is described as “stripped down,” and his songs have been featured on TV shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Gossip Girl.”
“I first started listening (to Citizen Cope) my freshman year of high school,” Hannel said. “I’ve been kind of in love with him ever since.”
Hannel said she was drawn to Citizen Cope’s music because it’s different, but she couldn’t quite describe it. Neither could Clarence Greenwood — the man behind the music.
“I don’t usually describe my music,” he said. “I tell people they really have to listen to it.”
Greenwood said he’s looking forward to the concert, despite the sneezing fits that come with his spring allergies.
“I’ve been to San Luis Obispo once,” he said. “But it was a really long time ago. I’m looking forward to coming back.”
College tours, Greenwood said, always have a strange dynamic. With regular concerts, people pay to attend and they generally know his music. But today, he could be playing to an audience full of people who have never heard his music.
“You’re never going to please everyone,” he said. “Even if you bring in the most mainstream artist, someone’s going to hate it.”
Greenwood said he ultimately would like to expose people to a new genre of music.
“Most people who come to concerts already have a relationship with the record,” he said. “But every show is a new opportunity to gain some new fans.”
Citizen Cope’s current tour, for which all performances are solo acoustic sets, is selling out dates across the nation and across the world. Greenwood said he’s taken his time on this tour and is playing multiple dates in the same city.
“I did five shows in Seattle, five in New York and now I have three nights in L.A.,” he said. “I like it so much better than being in a different place every night.”
Citizen Cope’s Santa Monica tour dates are all sold out.
After the tour, Greenwood and the rest of Citizen Cope are getting to work on a new album, and are looking to do a full tour next July.
But he said he couldn’t pick whether he liked solo acoustic tours or tours with the whole band better.
“They’re so different,” he said. “And I love them both.”
Greenwood will be on stage at 11 a.m. today for a performance Iwanski said she expects to bring in a large audience.
“I’m ditching class for this,” Hannel said. “I’m really excited.”