On Thursday, popular American DJ duo The Chainsmokers gave University of Central Florida students a free performance at the CFE Arena.
The event, called KnightFest, was presented to UCF students by the Campus Activities Board (CAB). Hundreds poured in after doors opened at 7 p.m., and the arena soon filled with the sounds of EDM mixed with popular radio hits.
The Chainsmokers formed back in 2012 as an EDM DJ pair, consisting of two men (Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall). The duo both sing, as well as mix popular songs from the radio to create their own style of fun, upbeat, EDM hits. In December 2013, their first single "#Selfie" was a hit, and officially put the band on a map of who to look out for in the music industry.
Their latest hits include songs like "Let You Go," "Roses," and "Don't Let Me Down."
The duo apparently met on Chatroulette, according to an interview they did with TWELV Magazine. As their popularity continues to increase, the band plans on making more music of their own instead of just remixes of popular songs as they transition out of the club scene.
KnightFest is a fairly new tradition for UCF. It started in spring 2015 with a performance from Kid Ink and Hoodie Allen. Last year, tickets were sold for $5 each with a valid student ID, but this year CAB made them free for all UCF students.
The Campus Activities board has eight different committees responsible for putting on different events throughout the year for UCF students that cover many areas of interest such as cinema, comedy, concerts, fine arts, marketing, Mr./Miss UCF, speakers, and special events.
"Chainsmokers was awesome," said UCF senior Luke Davis. "It was a great opportunity for me and my friends to go see one of our generation''s best DJ's. Thanks to UCF for the free tickets and for a great show."
It is no doubt that with this stellar performance delivered by the Chainsmokers on Thursday that KnightFest will indeed become a popular tradition here at UCF if CAB continues to present artists like these. With their upbeat sound and make you want to get up and dance vibes, the Chainsmokers was the perfect band to present to UCF students, especially in the week following midterms.
"It was great to have a night out like this to enjoy with my friends," said UCF student Devan Harriott. "I had heard so many of their songs on the radio and didn't know they were by them, so it was awesome to get to hear their songs live and the best part was that it was all for free."
Other artists planning to hit the stage at CFE soon include Halsey, Ellie Goulding and even popular comedian Amy Schumer. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, the CFE box office and the UCF Student Union.