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Concert headliner fails to show

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A headlining rap group failed to make it onstage and a concertgoer was ejected after an attempt to interrupt a flag-burning at a Greek-promoted Homecoming concert event at Memorial Union Theater Friday night.

The Madison-bound flight of Mobb Deep, one of two acts scheduled to perform at the concert, was delayed, leaving Dead Prez as the sole group to take the stage.

Mike Jackson, vice president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which promoted the event along with Chi Phi fraternity, said it remains unclear whether concertgoers might receive a refund.

“It was unfortunate that the headlining artist did not show,” Jackson said. “Nile Entertainment, the promotion group that we hired, is meeting tomorrow with Bruce Ehlinger, operations manager for Wisconsin Union Theater.”

In spite of the unplanned setback, Jackson said he believes the organizers of the concert achieved their chief objective — to host an event with diverse attendance.

“It was overall successful — a very diverse crowd, equally mixed with various cultures,” Jackson said.

At the same time, Jackson expressed disappointment that a confrontation erupted in the crowd, in which one student, who reportedly became upset when an onstage member of Dead Prez attempted to light an American flag on fire, was ejected from the performance by security personnel after grabbing the flag.

“Some people drank before they came to the event,” Jackson said.

Jennifer Epps, ASM diversity committee chair, said the man who grabbed the flag became violent and was wrestled to the ground by security.

“I was in the front row and the kid flipped out and knocked three women to the ground to get the flag,” Epps said. “He swung at a security guard, who proceeded to take him down to the ground.”

Epps said she believes Dead Prez does not cater to everyone.

“Dead Prez’s message is not felt by a lot of people,” Epps said. “They are coming from a particular perspective, and a lot of people of color or white folks don’t feel that.”