Homecoming blends comedy, music, poetry

The annual tradition of homecoming, a reconvening of alumni as well as a surging of school spirit, began Monday, Feb. 22 and culminates Friday, Feb. 26, coinciding with AASU’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. The week’s varied activities hope to rekindle nostalgia for some, with lively graduate reunions and to instill in others a great fervor for their university, with sporting events and social soirees.

In true homecoming fashion, the festivities begin ceremoniously with the crowning of the homecoming court, in which the king and queen will be announced. The event, which is a preface to weekend's festivities, takes place in the Alumni Arena at 8 p.m. and features free food and games.

Following in procession, the highly anticipated AASU Music Ensemble Showcase Concert plans to inspire both the appreciative listener and enterprising musician on Feb. 23. The concert is a cumulative performance of talented students in AASU’s AMT music program, and a concert touting the endeavors of the fine arts department.

In a more intimate musical venture, Gina Loring, the top ranking female poet of 2002 and a pupil of such artists as Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch, takes center stage on the Feb. 24. Loring performs her unique and endearing spoken word poetry in the MCC Daily Perk at 8 p.m., during an evening of striking equilibrium in poetry and music. The event is preceded by the AASU women’s basketball game versus UNC Pembroke in the Alumni Arena, a game that is supporting breast cancer awareness.

Returning for three additional showings, the hit musical comedy “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” makes its final stride during homecoming week, from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27.

Fresh from his recent performance on “The Jay Leno Show,” comedian Dan Ahdoot takes to the stage on the Feb. 26 in the Fine Arts Auditorium. Ahdoot, who is one of the most frequently booked college acts in the country, has written for Comedy Central’s “Crank Yankers” and has opened for such comedians as Lewis Black and Patton Oswalt.

“I make an effort to not pull any punches. I think that honesty really resonates with college students. It’s edgy, but not crude,” Ahdoot said regarding his 300+ college performances.

As for Ahdoot’s own college experience, he attended John Hopkins University, graduating with honors in pre-med, but as he said, “I just think I would make an OK doctor, and a much better comedian.”

When asked if he feels the need to tailor his act to different regions of the country, Ahdoot said, “I tend to leave the Jewish jokes north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

It is, however, Ahdoot’s Jewish-Iranian heritage that remains a key theme to his comedic sensibility.

“For a lot of people I’m the first Jewish or Iranian person they’ve ever encountered, and so it’s important that they know I’m just a normal person,” he said.

The final night of the 2010 homecoming week ends with a bang as hip-hop collaborative Dope Sandwich aims their collective musical force toward an explosive live show, acting as the highlight of the Homecoming Tailgate Party.

The Savannah-based group is a veritable community of artists and is composed of emcees Zone-D, Basik Lee, Blue Collar, Righteous, Mr. Brown and Knife, as well as DJ Valis, DJ Wordlife and the Chief Rockaz Breakin’ Crew.

“We’ve performed at colleges before, most recently at the University of Florida. When you do these college shows, the energy in the audience really just speaks for itself,” Basik Lee said. “We don’t try to expect anything going into a show, we really just try to focus on being ready to give a great performance. Our mindset is to just put everything on blast.”

“You’ll see us interact with the crowds a lot,” DJ Valis said. “We really try to draw them into the whole experience.”

Ending a week of exciting events, the Homecoming Dance in the Student Recreation Center starting at 9:30 p.m. will pull the curtain on AASU’s 2010 Homecoming Week.