Diplo Returns for Big Show 20th Anniversary Virtual Concert
CSUN’s Big Show 2020 was fully virtual for its 20th anniversary as Grammy award-winning DJs Diplo and A-Trak performed some of the most popular songs of the last decade.
Diplo, a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with Kanye West, Shakira and Beyoncé, settled loosely between his turntables, in front of a dynamic animated background. He played a setlist featuring his hits “On My Mind” and “Win Win.”
A-Trak, a Montreal-based DJ who has toured with Kanye West and worked with rapper Common, opened this year’s show behind his turntables in an indoor studio. His mix included his hit songs “Barbara Streisand” and “Smiley Face,” with seamless scratching and spinning in between tracks.
This was Diplo’s second time performing for Matadors at the Big Show. He initially performed in front of the CSUN Library with Big Sean 2012.
Since its beginnings in 2000 as a carnival-like get together for Matadors with local, up-and-coming performers, the Big Show, organized by Associated Students Productions, has become a highly anticipated, exclusive annual event featuring some of the top artists in music. The list of featured performers at previous Big Shows include hitmakers such as LMFAO, Ludacris, Common, Ne-Yo, Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, DJ Afrojack, Tyga, Lupe Fiasco, Dillon Francis, and A$AP Ferg and DJ Mustard.
Kira Paczkowski, senior program coordinator for AS Productions, said she thought the virtual show went well.
“We hope students enjoyed the show,” said Paczkowski. “All of us in AS Productions do this because we want to provide students with memorable student life at CSUN and give them a great experience. We had a great authentication system where we made the show only accessible to CSUN through CSUN emails, which made Big Show a truly a unique experience for the university”
Both DJs participated in Q&A sessions with students, moderated by Naurice Minor, a producer from CSUN AS Productions. On being able to continue the legacy of the Big Show and having a virtual face-to-face interview with two high profile musicians, Minor called the experience “pretty amazing.”
“AS remains the primary advocate for students at CSUN,” said Minor. “I would hope that students would feel and see that we are doing our part in keeping school spirit up, and trying to keep students engaged in this distanced learning environment we’ve found ourselves in.”