As reliable as freshmen marching through the Arch, A&O Blowout is back to brighten up Fall Quarter. The names that will be on everyone’s lips in the dining hall will be new, though: Blowout’s headliner, Lil Uzi Vert, and opener, MØ.
Lil Uzi Vert will take the stage at the Riviera Theatre on Oct. 13. Just 23 years old, the Philadelphia rapper may be the same age as a few Northwestern students but has accomplished stunning feats in the world of music. His newest mixtape, Luv is Rage, features collaborations from Wiz Khalifa and Young Thug (last year’s Blowout headliner) and his fashion sense is almost as renowned as his sound.
But first, there’s MØ. She’s a Danish pop singer-songwriter whose debut album landed in 2014. And though some Wildcats might not be able to pronounce her name yet, her Blowout set promises to be one to watch. She appeared on Major Lazer’s “Cold Water” and “Lean On,” and has gained major worldwide attention with her singles “Kamikaze” and “Final Song.”
As exciting as Blowout can be, one concern resonates throughout campus nearly every year – non-black students freely using the N-word when singing along to artists. A&O acknowledged this in its press release, noting that although some Lil Uzi Vert songs include the N-word, A&O “insists you omit this word from your vocabulary – both at our shows and in general.”
“A&O shows are for all students, and when non-black (not just white) students say the N-word, they alienate our black peers,” the press release continued.
A&O Blowout will be Oct. 13 at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre. Free shuttles will run to and from campus, and doors will open at 7:15 p.m. for an 8:15 p.m. show. Students can buy tickets for $10 at the Norris Box Office website.
As a fun extra, tickets will enter their buyers into a raffle for a Ski Trip ticket. Winners will be announced after MØ leaves the stage.
Editor's note: A previous version of this post misstated Lil Uzi Vert's age. He is 23 years old, not 20.