DJ and record producer Kaskade will headline this year’s Block Party on April 27, University Union officials announced Monday. Indie-rock band Cold War Kids will precede the electronic music expert. The show’s opening act will be announced at a later date.

Historically the largest concert of the year, Block Party will be held in the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University with music starting at 6:30 p.m. Nearly 12,000 tickets will be available for purchase.

‘We’re bringing the first-ever electronic headliner in the history of the Carrier Dome,’ said Kenny Consor, director of UU Concerts. ‘We also have an amazing rock act, the first really big band that we’ve brought in a while.’

Tickets for full-time SU and State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry students go on sale March 28 at 10 a.m. online via Ticketmaster for $15. Students can purchase up to four tickets; additional Ticketmaster charges may apply. Tickets to the general public will be available March 30 for $30. Students can buy tickets in person at the Schine Student Center and Dome box offices March 30.

The layout of the Dome for the concert will be ‘something we’ve never done before,’ Consor said, and a slight variation from that of Rock the Dome. Dome officials will release further information in the coming weeks.

This year’s announcement comes slightly later in the semester than in past years, but Consor said there is no specific reason for the delay. 

Kaskade began his career in 2003, having since produced seven albums. His last three have attained spots on the Billboard 200, with 2011’s ‘Fire and Ice’ peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Dance chart. The DJ has collaborated with electronic giants Skrillex and Deadmau5, while remixing music by Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Madonna. The DJ Times dubbed Kaskade ‘America’s Best DJ of 2011.’

The electronic music genre was ranked second on the annual concert survey after hip-hop and rap, said Kelly Benini, assistant director of UU Concerts. The survey is distributed by UU to all students via email.

‘Kaskade is considered by many to be the best electronic artist in the country and one of the best in the world, and he’s coming to our campus,’ Consor said.

Since 2004, southern California-based Cold War Kids has created three albums and eight EPs. The band’s single ‘Hang Me Up to Dry’ drew exposure and generated buzz within the alternative music sphere. The band’s most recent album ‘Mine is Yours’ peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Alternative chart, and Rolling Stone magazine ranked ‘Coffee Spoon’ as the 16th best song of 2010.

Benini said the decision to bring Cold War Kids stemmed from student feedback.

‘We listened to students who said, ‘We’d like to see a big rock act on a bigger stage,’ so we’re doing that,’ Benini said. ‘We’re going to draw appeal from students who have been underserved this year.’

Block Party’s artist selection and show setup should draw in varied members of the SU community, Consor said, and he is excited to see the campus response.

‘This is a very diverse concert, a diverse lineup,’ Consor said. ‘It’s going to make a lot of students happy. It will be an incredible live show.’

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How do you feel about this year’s Block Party lineup? All SU and SUNY-ESF students are invited to participate in the official survey. You can provide your feedback here. 

Published on March 26, 2012 at 12:00 pm