Last year, I kept a log detailing the long and difficult process of booking Dillo Day 2010, with the hopes of sharing the information with the Northwestern community. This infographic and my preface that accompanies it is designed to give you an idea of how Mayfest approaches Dillo Day booking. This graphic will not show you prices, nor will it show you every individual artist we inquired about, but it will give you an idea of the obstacles we face while booking and how we ultimately come to our decisions.
The graphic itself:
- First off, the names on the graphic are only a small portion of artists we look into. These are artists who were “available,” affordable and desirable for the date after our first inquiry. On concerts committee, we learn fast that “availability” is a fickle mistress.
- For those of you that have had multiple Dillo Days, you’re probably aware of the formula we use to help mold our lineup: large hip-hop, large band, smaller hip-hop, small (sometimes another large) band and electronic. The graphic is not organized by genre, but you can see multiple artists that fit into a previously mentioned variable.
Here are some frequently asked questions Mayfest receives every year.
- How do you go about booking? Booking generally starts after Mayfest applications have been released to the student body, and the concerts committee has assembled, which happens around December. My committee, which this year consists of seven students total, spends months contacting agents and working out contracts. This lasts until about May. In my three years on the concerts committee, booking has not been completed before May. Last year, Rhymefest, was confirmed on May 18th, 11 days before Dillo.
- Why do you announce the lineup so late? We wait until the very last minute to announce our lineup, not because we love keeping big, juicy secrets, but because we are legally not allowed to announce our roster without receiving completed contracts executed by the artist’s respective agency and Northwestern’s legal department. This is an arduous process, and it can take months after confirming an artist before we see finished contracts. Also, keep in mind Drake was “confirmed” last year before he cancelled his Dillo Day performance only a month before the date. It’s important to wait for artists to be contractually obliged before we confirm them to the public, or else we could get into some pretty sticky situations.
- Why didn’t you get [insert band name]? There are many reasons why acts don’t make it to Dillo Day. Although we won’t list them on the flowchart, bands may decline to play for reasons concerning money, a previously existing tour schedule, a personal conflict or because they just don’t want to play. Sometimes we’ll get our first choice, sometimes our eighth. Either way, we always end up happy.
- What’s the deal with throwback artists [Nelly, Third Eye Blind]? Generally, the more relevant an artist, the more expensive, plus the more likely they’re booked for one of the many other music festivals on Memorial Day weekend. Mayfest has been a proponent of getting throwback artists not simply because they’re cheaper, but also because they’ve proven to be crowd favorites. Students seem to really enjoy singing the songs they grew up with on Dillo Day.
Now I’ll list a series of acts that will probably never play Dillo Day. This is not because we wouldn’t want them to. It’s because they cost a lot of money. Some of these might sound obvious, but I have reason to mention them anyway. Pardon me if dreams are crushed: Radiohead, Coldplay, Britney Spears, M.I.A, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Daft Punk, Jay-Z or Beyoncé.
Mayfest works all year to produce the best Dillo Day possible for you guys, and we’re incredibly pumped for Dillo 2K11. We’ll see you on the Lakefill!