Kehlani, D.R.A.M. headline DragonFly concert | The Triangle

Kehlani, D.R.A.M. headline DragonFly concert

Photograph by Lexi Shannon for The Triangle

With fall comes lots of things — classes, football and the final outdoor concerts of the year before the weather becomes unbearable. This year was no exception.

For the first time, Drexel University’s Campus Activities Board teamed up with the Dragon Concert Series to host DragonFly — a free outdoor concert event featuring some of the biggest names in music. Free to Drexel undergraduates, the concert took place Oct. 14 in Lot F on Drexel’s University City campus. Featuring headliners D.R.A.M and R&B sensation Kehlani, the show drew in a vast, bustling crowd.

In past years, CAB and DCS have teamed up to bring students Fall Fest and Winter Jam, and last year DCS brought students Winterfest — starring rapper Lil Uzi Vert. With the two teaming up, the powerhouse of masterminds planning the event did not disappoint. The openers included EDM chart-topper Seeb and Drexel’s very own Arno.

Drexel’s own local pride Arno opened for D.R.A.M. and Kehlani at DragonFly; she played many remixes of popular hits. (Photograph by Lexi Shannon for The Triangle)

As the sun began to set and the crowd started to file in, Arno took the stage to provide the jams to hype up the crowd while they anxiously awaited the night ahead of them. Playing remixes of current and old pop favorites, Arno’s music set the stage for the night.

EDM sensation Seeb took the stage next. Trust me, you know them. After their remix of Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill In Ibiza” went triple platinum and peaked at number one on Billboard’s Top 40, there’s no way you don’t know one of their tropical-infused masterpieces. The trio, which hails from Norway, sent their newest member Nick Strand to take the stage at DragonFly. Playing remixes of songs such as Coldplay’s “Hymn For the Weekend,” Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” and of course Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” there was never a dull moment during his set.

Chart-topping EDM producer Seeb put on a wild opening set, ensuring that the crowd of Drexel students were adequately amped up. (Photograph by Lexi Shannon for The Triangle)

Up next was D.R.A.M., who gained fame after going 5x platinum and landing number one on two different Billboard charts with his single “Broccoli feat. Lil Yachty.” His high energy radiated through the crowd with a set full of rap hits that had the whole crowd singing along. DCS is known to bring in rap artists to perform at their shows, so D.R.A.M. was a perfect fit for DragonFly, bringing in a huge crowd who screamed every lyric throughout his set.

Rapper D.R.A.M. put on an energetic and fun show at DragonFly; he is best known for his smash hit with Lil Yachty, “Broccoli.” (Photograph by Lexi Shannon for The Triangle)

As headliner Kehlani took to the stage with her fierce team of dancers supporting her, the crowd roared. The trio of females made a statement breaking out tunes from Kehlani’s sophomore album, “SweetSexySavage.” After being featured on the soundtracks to “The Fate of the Furious” and “Suicide Squad,” the 22-year-old California native rose to fame. With Kehlani’s energy, there was no way you couldn’t enjoy the show.

With upbeat songs, savage songs, love songs and all the inbetweens, Kehlani’s passion resonated with me and hopefully the other concert-goers. In between songs, Kehlani took the time to acknowledge the LGBTQ community, their strength and the power of each and every woman and individual in the crowd. The crowd remained energetic throughout the evening until Drexel’s first ever DragonFly came to a close.

R&B artist Kehlani headlined the first ever DragonFly concert Oct. 14 in Lot F on Drexel University’s campus. (Photograph by Lexi Shannon for The Triangle)