Amidst the weather, classes and the extensive line-up, thousands attended the 2005 Yardfest, "School Spirit: Back to the Basics." The two-day event was highlighted by Friday's performances and hosts Antonio "the Cuban cigar smoker" of 93.9 fm WKYS and Angie Ange .
The day started off with local acts such as Howard University Student's Elliott "Broadway Mills" Brown, Derick "Blaze" Bowers, and A. Pinks.
In the mix of local artists, Vizion Performance Team performed a well-received routine to a mix of songs.
"I enjoyed performing with Vizion. It was unfortunate that it was raining, and at the time we were out there, there wasn't as big a turn out as we had hoped. However, we had a lot of fun. The crowd was hype, and we were able to feed off their energy," said junior mathematics major Cherryn Wilder.
The line-up boasted many acts from the "Dirty South," with Atlanta artists such as Jazze Pha, Cee-lo, and Dem Franchize Boys.
"It felt like home again, because compared to other Yardfests, this one had way more southern artists, and I think they brought more energy to the show," said junior finance major, Justin Horhn.
Local and more famous artists were blended throughout the seven-hour showcase of music along with the more popular artists, like Juelz Santana and Remy Ma. Veterans like the Three 6 Mafia, Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan were intertwined with virtual newcomers to the game like Chopper Young City, T-Pain, and Chamillionaire.
At 7 p.m., two hours past the expected end of the event, hundreds were still waiting on the yard for the concert's headliner, Young Jeezy. Horhn, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, liked the overall show, but especially the performance by Young Jeezy.
"It was by far the best Yardfest performance I've been to, and it was definitely worth the long wait to see him," said Horhn.
From an alumni perspective, the day proved to be very fulfilling.
"I think it seemed to be more organized than it had been in previous years. The coordinators definitely need to be commended for putting it together in such an orderly fashion," said 2003 graduate, Russell Drake. "I've been to 8 Howard homecomings. I've seen all type of artists from Jay-Z to LL Cool J to Ludacris performing on that stage. I think it was pretty cool that they gave some exposure to local acts, the marching band, and the members of the football team," Drake said.
To some members of the audience, the weather wasn't a major issue as the day progressed.
"I would have liked it better if it wasn't raining," said freshman Architecture major, Eric Smith.
Even through the rain and harsh winds, he still enjoyed the day.
"I wasn't really expecting too much-just people on the yard, good music, and good food. But overall, it was nice," Smith said.
Junior broadcast journalism major, LaShondra Booker echoed Horhn's sentiment.
"Even though it was raining, people were still out there. All you could see was a sea of umbrellas. For those who stayed, it was great. I expect even greater things from next year's Homecoming Steering Committee."
Posted By:
Monday, October 24th 2005 at 10:38AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
