Students voice concerns about Spring Fest

Student Association President Ernesto Alvarado and his entertainment team have been hard at work for months planning this year's Spring Fest. However, despite their best efforts, many UB students remain unimpressed with the line-up and have taken to Facebook groups to voice their qualms.
Anthony Consiglio, a junior computer science major, started the Facebook group in an effort to get students' voices heard.
"We want good bands," Consiglio said. "We want our money going to something we can enjoy."
Alvarado points out that students are always asked for their input on who should come to Spring and Fall Fests and that planning an event of this caliber is not as simple as many may think.
"We poll students and listen to their input," Alvarado said. "But more often than not, we get ridiculous requests like Michael Jackson or Tupac. Clearly, that's not going to happen."
SA contacted a plethora of artists suggested by students for this year's concert, including The Deadweather, Radiohead, Green Day, Lady Gaga, The Gorillaz, OAR, The Goo Goo Dolls, Incubus, Weezer and Girl Talk.
Alvarado also stresses that it takes four to five months to plan an event as big as Spring Fest and that it's often hard to find talent that can fit into the requirements that SA has to work with.
Alumni Arena gives SA three dates that they can hold an event. This year they were given March 20, the day of Wale; April 3, which they decided against as many students go home for Easter; and April 17, the date set for Spring Fest.
"Spring Fest is on a tough day this year. It's the same date as Coachella, which made getting talent a little tricky," Alvarado said.
Coachella is a three-day music festival in Indio, California, which boasts headliners like Jay-Z, Muse and Them Crooked Vultures this year.
"Coachella caused some scheduling conflicts this year, " said Dima George, SA entertainment director. "We contacted a whole list of acts suggested by students, but most were unavailable or out of our budget range."
Consiglio thinks that budget shouldn't be an issue.
"SA has millions of dollars. Can't they just pool all the entertainment money together to get one big act that students are excited about, instead of three or four terrible ones?" Consiglio said.
According to the SA budget, which can be found online, talent for this year's Spring Fest has already totaled $160,500. $75,000 went to headliner Three Days Grace.
"SA spent a lot of money on acts that not many students want to see," Consiglio said. "But that's not even the biggest issue. Why are they so secretive about the decision-making process?"
Consliglio said he's tried to contact SA numerous times about the budget and Spring Fest information, but wasn't met with much welcome or help.
"They were really rude to me," Consiglio said. "I went in asking for the budget because I was told via e-mail that I could have it, but when I showed up, they wouldn't give it to me."
Alvarado does not know why Consiglio was treated as such and wants students to know that they can come to the SA office to voice any concerns they may have regarding anything on campus.
"Things haven't been smooth for Spring Fest this year, but students are always welcome to come in," Alvarado said.
There have been some problems with the line-up. Flogging Molly was supposed to perform but had to pull out for unspecified reasons.
"It's been tough to get acts this year, especially with the budget cuts and they way things are fiscally," George said.
Alvarado points out that UB is fortunate to be able to put on a fest at all, as money is tight everywhere these days.
"Canisius had to cancel their spring festival due to money constraints," Alvarado said. "We're lucky we were able to bring a festival to students this year, especially one that we've worked so hard on."
Spring seems to be the time for music festivals, with Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and others preparing to hit the stage, so scheduling remains a big issue for rock acts this time of year.
To remedy this, SA is planning for Fall Fest to be a rock act next year and to bring hip-hop in the spring.

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