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Dosage, Ratatat, Flo Rida, and Lupe Fiasco put on a show at Franklin Field for Spring Fling 2011. Despite rapidly plummeting temperatures, the sold out crowd of 8500 shoot the stadium well into the night. Credit: Pete Lodato

Despite Friday night’s chilly weather, Penn students flocked to Franklin Field to see Ratatat, Flo Rida and Lupe Fiasco perform at this year’s Spring Fling concert.

The concert sold out over a record 21 days. College junior Shana Rusonis, the Social Planning and Events Committee Concerts co-director, attributed the sale of all 8,500 tickets to either the popularity of the lineup or this year’s new assigned seating.

SPEC instituted a new seating arrangement to improve security at this year’s concert. Seats in Franklin Field were divided into seven sections as well as the floor.

However, many students said they were not restricted by the arrangement.

Engineering freshman Shivali Khetan, who bought a ticket for section EE, felt that students were not confined to their assigned section.

“It ended up not mattering where you sat — there was no seat enforcement,” she said.

College freshman Serena Shi agreed, explaining that “there weren’t discrete lines.”

“I didn’t know what the beginning of what section was and where the end of another was. We just went wherever we could see the stage,” she added.

Many students enjoyed this year’s lineup, which ranged from electronic music to rap and hip hop.

College junior Karla Molina said, “This one was probably the best” out of the three Fling concerts she has attended.

“It was freezing, but it didn’t even matter because it was so good,” she added.

Molina said she was not familiar with Fiasco’s music before the concert, “but now he’s converted me.”

Khetan also cited Fiasco as her favorite act, explaining that even though she had seen him in concert before, his performance of his new album was “unbelievable.”

In between songs, Fiasco addressed topics ranging from depression to politics. Flo Rida engaged his audience by throwing his personal items to the audience. He gave out signed towels, handed out roses and invited women from the audience up on stage to dance with him.

In the next few weeks, SPEC will send out its annual survey to students, which solicits feedback about this year’s concert. Rusonis said SPEC Concerts will use student responses in planning next year’s Fling concert.

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