Excitement to party with DJ Diesel/Shaq builds as Roaring Loud approaches
Students are eager to party with DJ Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal) for the Roaring Loud concert on April 8. The event will be held, rain or shine.
Administration wanted to go big to celebrate its fifth year since schools in Hammond and Westville merged to create PNW. They settled on a concert by 7’1”, 324-pound Shaquille O’Neal.
“He appeals to lots of different age groups and he just loves to have a good time,” said Colin Fewer, dean of students. “We had talked about other artists but once people started looking at the videos of his events, everyone started nodding their heads.”
O’Neal, performing as his alter ego DJ Diesel, will headline Roaring Loud. The name is a play on the world’s largest hip-hop festival, Rolling Loud.
Current students, faculty and staff are allotted one ticket, which provides free entry for the ticket holder and a guest, who does not have to be enrolled at PNW.
Students were able to request tickets and get free swag on March 1 at the Roaring Loud Launch Party in Hammond’s Student Union & Library Concourse. Those who could not attend may reserve their tickets at the Roaring Loud web page on the PNW website.
Students are excited about the event.
“I got a text that informed me about the concert and I was like, ‘Shaq? I gotta go,’” said Abigail Velchek, a Social Work major. “Shaquille O’Neal is a funny guy and I like electronic music, so naturally I was pretty excited about it.”
The concert is also raising questions about when students may see something exciting at the Westville campus.
“It is a very cool event with a person of interest,” said Matthew Slana, a sophomore studying Biology. “It’d be nice to see some love for the Westville campus in that regard.”
Students should keep an eye out for announcements concerning an official start time and a warm-up act preceding Shaq’s performance.
Roaring Loud will take place in the south parking lot of the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building, across from Lawshe Hall on April 8, rain or shine. All concert attendees must be 18 or older and must present an ID. Campus COVID policy will apply.
For more information or to reserve your tickets online, visit the Roaring Loud webpage on PNW’s website.