On April 12, Manhattan got a little taste of stardom as Nick Jonas held a concert sponsored by the Kansas State Union Program Council, all made possible by the College Entertainment Fund.

“As entertainment committee chair,” KSU senior in biology Basil El-Shaarawi  — who was in charge of bringing the Jonas concert to Manhattan — said, “we are given a certain amount [of Student Government Association money] to spend on bringing in multiple acts to K-State.”

Due to a contract signed with Jonas’ management, Shaarawi could not disclose any detailed information on the budget spent on getting Jonas here. He did, however, imply that based on the ticket sales, which had about 2,000 tickets sold by April 10, the UPC was expecting to break even from the concert.  

Bringing Jonas to K-State was actually a choice made between Jonas and his management. According to Shaarawi, they looked into the concerts Jonas was setting up, and submitted K-State as a location.

“…and Jonas picked us,” Shaarawi said.

The Mentor attempted to contact Jonas and his management, but, again, due to a restrictive contract, was denied access. Press was also strictly forbidden at the concert; according to Shaarawi, K-State was only allowed to take photographs for three minutes during the entire concert.

Despite press restrictions, the Jonas concert was given rave reviews by attendees and the artist is said to have been extremely nice to UPC staff throughout his time in Manhattan.

“I’m a part of the UPC… so I had the opportunity of meeting Nick Jonas,” Laken Horton, K-state junior in mass communications, said. “He was just really, really nice. I got to take a picture with him, which I will post to my Instagram.”