FallFest welcomes WVU students to campus with performances from Yung Gravy, Shaboozey and COIN

(Editor’s note: WVUToday will distribute a Media Advisory Monday (Aug. 19) with details about FallFest credentials for media members planning to cover the event. See the full Welcome Week schedule.)

FallFest has been welcoming students to West Virginia University for 28 years, a Welcome Week tradition that will continue during this year’s concert Tuesday (Aug. 20) at the Evansdale Fields with performances by Yung Gravy, Shaboozey and COIN.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for FallFest and FoodFest. COIN will take the stage at 6 p.m. The free show is open to WVU students with valid student IDs.

Yung Gravy uses his own special recipe to bring originality and positivity to make his one-of-a-kind impact on the rap genre. He flexes his passion for soul music and oldies in his production, sampling a wide range of musical styles dating from the 1940s to the present day. Nostalgic and often jubilant melodies paired with heavy trap drums form the usual canvas for his signature baritone voice — reminiscent of Barry White. Showcasing effortless flows and endlessly quotable lyrics, Yung Gravy paints something truly unique while clearly having a good time doing so.

Gravy has transformed from SoundCloud stalwart to platinum powerhouse. To date, his accolades include three platinum and four gold singles as well as 10 sold out tours of North America, Europe and Australia. He has collaborated with his self-proclaimed musical heroes, including Lil Wayne, Chief Keef, Juicy J, T-Pain and the late Young Dolph. Gravy became the soundtrack, and unofficial second mascot, of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and was given an honorary Stanley Cup ring. He starred in a worldwide commercial campaign with Martha Stewart, and weeks later performed at the Video Music Awards and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” He also partnered with Samsung and Jimmy John’s for campaigns.

Tallying six billion streams and selling five million units thus far, he’s notched four entries on the Billboard 200, two in the Top 30 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart, and two on the Top 20 of the Top Album Sales Chart. For all the swagger and style he exhibited upon his arrival, he’s managed to become even smoother since his introduction in 2016. After streams in the billions, packed venues and “side missions” with Martha Stewart, his tastiest chart-topping platinum-certified Billboard Hot 100 Top 30 single “Betty (Get Money),” Gravy joins the ever-growing list of artists pivoting to country music with the release this month of his fourth full-length solo album, “Serving Country.” His set is schedule to begin at 9 p.m.

Rising multifaceted artist Shaboozey is sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the fifth week in a row with his smash single “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” The song’s success has launched him into mainstream stardom. Born to parents of Nigerian descent and raised in the small town of Woodbridge, Virginia, Shaboozey grew up on an eclectic mix of music encompassing everything from classic hip-hop and R&B, to country and blues icons like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks and Lead Belly, to master lyricists, such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. These influences led him to carve his own lane in the alternative country and hip-hop space.

A true crossover artist, Shaboozey began his epic 2024 run in March with two standout features on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” — the only artist with multiple appearances on the album. His latest body of work, the critically acclaimed masterpiece “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going,” debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200 and was praised in The New York Times for “bring[ing] hip-hop grit to country.” With the meteoric rise of “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey and Beyoncé became the first Black artists to score back-to-back leaders in the Billboard Hot Country Songs’ 66-year history. True to his Virginia roots, Shaboozey aims to continue the region’s long-standing tradition of prolific creativity, this time by expanding the scope of contemporary hip-hop and introducing modern Americana to a global audience. His set is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

COIN members Ryan Winnen, Chase Lawrence and Joe Memmel started their musical journey while students at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Their new album “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore,” set to drop Sept. 13, is led by their single “Strawberry Jam,” which addresses overcoming fear in the pursuit of pure honesty. Recorded live at RCA Studio A in Nashville, with producer Gabe Simon (Noah Kahan, Lana Del Rey), this new song reveals the trio in their most vulnerable state, while continuing to push the boundaries of alternative pop without straying from their trademark dynamic energy.

Since the band’s 2016 breakthrough single, “Talk Too Much,” COIN has collected more than a billion total streams, a No. 1 single on the AAA U.S. radio charts, and widespread acclaim from outlets such as Billboard, Teen Vogue and Elton John himself. COIN has captivated fans at major festivals such as Reading and Leeds, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Shaky Knees and The Governors Ball, in addition to a sold-out 26-city headline tour across North America with more than 50,000 tickets sold. COIN will open the show at 6 p.m.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. There are three gates — Gate A is located at the Rec Center Tennis Courts, Gate B is located at the Towers PRT station exit and Gate C is located on Kittie Blakemore Drive, formerly Rec Center Drive, between the Student Rec Center and the Student Health and Education Building.

WVU student IDs will be swiped at the gates. Students with valid WVU student IDs are permitted one guest age 17 and older. Students with guests may enter any gate. Guest tickets are not required, but guests should be prepared to show proof of age.

All attendees must pass through metal detectors before entering the event and the clear bag policy will be enforced. Only bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or pvc and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” in size; small clutch bags (approximately the size of a hand, with or without a handle/strap and no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”); or plastic storage bags (one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag, Ziplock bag or similar) will be permitted.

Buses will run continuously between the Mountainlair and the Braxton Tower portico from 4 p.m. until one hour after the concert concludes. The PRT will also run until one hour after the concert ends.

If you are using Uber, Lyft or a taxi for transportation, dropoff and pickup will be at the intersection of Morrill Way and Kittie Blakemore Drive, formerly Rec Center Drive, near Short Term Lot ST-1. Free parking will be available beginning at 4 p.m. in Short Term Lot ST-9 across from the Art Museum and in Short Term Lot ST-1 off Patteson Drive.

This is an alcohol-free event. Concert-goers should note that no smoking will be permitted in accordance with the Tobacco and Smoke Free Campus policy. Weapons, glow sticks, selfie sticks, professional cameras, video and audio recording, coolers, and hard containers are also prohibited.

Find a complete list of event guidelines and restrictions.

FallFest is a rain-or-shine event and is produced by WVU Arts and Entertainment. For additional event information, call 304-293-SHOW (7469) or visit events.wvu.edu.

Stay connected with the latest event updates on Facebook, X and Instagram by following @wvuevents.

-WVU A&E-

ksg/8/16/24

MEDIA CONTACT: Kristie Stewart-Gale
Marketing and Advertising Manager
WVU Arts and Entertainment
304-293-8221; Kristie.Stewart-Gale@mail.wvu.edu

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