Hundreds Attend Outdoor Concert

  • - Kayla Morran (left) at the outdoor roller rink.

  • - Gina Vallecorsa (left) and Emily Suckling.

  • - Scott Cox.

  • - Gabby Barrett delights the crowd.

  • - Bonnie Flynn (in white) belts out lyrics.

  • - It was a good night!

 

It was a beautiful night for a concert at Cal U on May 2.

Hundreds of people from campus and the community came to the Convocation Center courtyard to hear "American Idol" star Gabby Barrett and "The Voice" star Chris Jamison perform a free outdoor concert. They also enjoyed games and an outdoor roller-skating rink that was set up on the basketball courts.

"We came to see Gabby," said Larry Kent, of California, Pa. "We promised our granddaughter that if she performed close by enough and the price was right, we'd go."

"She's an inspiration," his granddaughter Sheila Nixon, 14, said. "I like that she grew up around here, went off and became successful and is back again."

Noel Skorvan, who earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Cal U in 195 and 1998, brought her daughter Ava. Noel's friends, Heather and Joe Costantino '06, brought daughter Makenley.

"I knew her before she got famous," Heather said, noting that Barrett used to perform at schools in the area, "and I remember seeing her at light-up night in Monongahela."

Sophomore Fatouma Keita, a communication disorders major and member of the African Student Association, enjoyed the roller rink. "I haven't skated in awhile," she said, "but I went hard at it! This is a very nice community event. It brings everyone together."

"I live right there," said sophomore communication studies major and Vulcan football player Breon Green, pointing to Residence Hall E as his teammates played cornhole. "So this was easy to get to, it was a nice day, and it was a good break before the end of the semester."