SCOPE Productions, the University of Iowa’s student organization that sets up concerts and other entertainment events, hosted Grammy nominated rapper Swae Lee, and local Iowa City producer Ahzia on Friday, October 6th. The performance was the latest rendition of the annual Homecoming show, set live on stage in the center of the Pentacrest, which acts as a climax to the week’s festivities. Greater university funding, and extensive planning allowed for the organization to bring in a world-famous name like Lee’s, who is working on his next album Human Nature.
People began staking their places on the Pentacrest lawn two hours before the concert’s set start time. Despite it being the first colder day of autumn, the event drew in hundreds to thousands of people filling in every space of grass, making it perhaps the largest attendance turn out for a SCOPE organized event.
After a tantalizing DJ set from Ahzia, Swae Lee walked out to a massive uproar from the audience. Throughout his set Lee was feeding off the immense, ecstatic radiation from the expansive crowd. Identifying this from launch, after his first song “No Type” Lee exclaimed how they were all already “off to a crazy start.” Lee proceeded to give a spirited performance with zealous eye-catching stunts, plenty of crowd interaction, and performances of major hits, like his collaboration on the track “Sunflower”.
KRUI had close-up stage access to the event, where we were able to grab photos of the set. Images are included below. All photo credits go to Alice Eberhart.
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