The University of Nevada, Reno kicked off the 2021-22 school year with a bang—one that all students in attendance won’t forget. 

Bringing back the annual Welcome Week Concert after its cancellation last year was a great way for students to get re-accustomed to the college lifestyle after a long year online. 

Tickets were $20 and on sale “at the door of the event, the Lawlor box office” and at the Nevada Wolf Shop, according to the Associated Students of the University of Nevada.

Students were able to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of the event at the Joe Crowley Student Union to receive wristbands for priority entry into the concert. The concert also required all students in attendance to wear masks during the event. 

The event’s doors opened at 7 p.m. As students were entering, D-ABBA opened the event with his incredible DJing skills. 

The concert started at 8 p.m., and Sage the Gemini hit the stage with a bang. He played a mix of his old and new songs like “Gas Pedal”, “Red Nose”, “Now and Later” and even songs he’s been featured in like “Panoramic.” 

Sage the Gemini sings to UNR student crowd at concert in the Lawlor Events Center

Rachel Jackson/Nevada Sagebrush
Sage the Gemini performs for the students of the University of Nevada, Reno at the Lawlor Events Center at the annual Welcome Week Concert.

Sage the Gemini rocked the stage with his enthusiastic interaction with all the students in attendance.

However, the crowd really exploded when T-Pain hit the stage. 

The concert room was silent as his introduction video played for a few minutes, discussing all of his past hits and successes—including the fact that he originally developed Auto-Tune, the music device used to alter artists’ voices to enhance records and performances. 

Once the lights went on and T-Pain came out onto the stage, the student crowd went crazy. T-Pain played a wide range of his own songs as well as a handful of other well-known songs to sing along to. 

He played a lot of his popular songs such as “Bartender”, “Buy U a Drank”, “Up Down”, “Booty Wurk”, “5 O’Clock” and “All I Do Is Win.” 

In between each song set he played a few videos of other famous rappers hyping him up, such as Kanye West at the 2008 Black Entertainment Television Awards. 

UNR Students at Lawlor Event Center with camera lights in the air at Welcome Week Concert.

Rachel Jackson/Nevada Sagebrush
Students are pictured with camera lights in the crowd whilst T-Pain performs one of the ballads at the Welcome Week Concert.

T-Pain finished his performance off with songs such as “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, “I Don’t Want To Be” by Gavin DeGraw, and even the slow ballad “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. 

To say T-Pain’s performance was jaw-dropping is an understatement. His interaction with the crowd and performance skills were incredible. T-Pain continued to encourage the crowd throughout his performance and showed off his goofy dancing skills right along with his powerful, ethereal vocal skills, which definitely impressed the audience.

All of the performers and DJ’s at the Welcome Week Concert did a wonderful job and gave the students at the university a chance to enjoy a large in-person event. 

After their electrifying performance, many students would probably agree that T-Pain and Sage the Gemini are always welcome at the University of Nevada, Reno, home of the Wolf Pack. 

Jaedyn Young can be reached at jaedynyoung@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @xox_jaedyn.