OPINION: Not for Five Bucks

By Copy Chief Kerry Sheats

How much does it cost to piss you off? For me, it’s five bucks. By now, nearly everyone knows that T-Pain will perform at Mason Day on April 23. You also probably know that this concert will set you back a whopping $5. It is my understanding that the reason this concert is not free—unlike the Mason Day performances in the past—is because the event will take place in the Patriot Center. To top it off, one can only purchase the standard two tickets per student ID at the discounted rate.

There are those who say, “But it’s only $5—and you get a $5 discount on concessions!” But really, what can a $5 discount off of concessions at the Patriot Center get you—a cup of ice? Maybe a handful or two of popcorn.

But these people have a point—the concert will only cost you a five-spot. However, it is the principle of the matter that has me up in arms. Mason Day is supposed to be our day. Everything is supposed to be free. I don’t even really care for T-Pain. But honestly, I can’t imagine why more people aren’t irritated by this. The biggest draw for Mason Day is that it’s free.

With the Mason Days of yesteryear, one could roam from band to band, only listening to the one or two songs that they knew. Instead of staying by one band for their entire set, one could hear a song, go get cotton candy, go listen to a different band play a song or two, and then come back. But with this concert taking place in the Patriot Center, people will be forced to sit through songs that may not be their favorites, or songs they didn’t want to listen to in the first place. “Buy You a Drank,” anyone? In the past, non-Mason students could attend Mason Day and see free shows. The bands were pretty well-known, and who doesn’t love a free concert?

Now, if local high school students or friends of current Mason students want to come to Mason Day, they’ll have to shell out $20 to see T-Pain. And I don’t think that they even get a $5 discount on their nachos.

And can someone please tell me why T-Pain is the “artist” coming to Mason Day? Didn’t he come in October with T.I. Weren’t the tickets $40 a pop? I’m pretty sure that the people who shelled out their money for that are pretty pissed off that they can now see him for $5—they also probably don’t want to see him again.

After all, how many times can one hear his auto-tuned voice live? Has anyone ever heard his real voice? I sure as hell haven’t.

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t care for T-Pain. I’m not even sure why he’s all that famous. But the idea of shelling out money on Mason Day—the day that is supposed to be entirely free—really gets under my skin. Mason Day is free. The events are free. Food is free. But T-Pain? Not free.