* Please see the appendage below.
Young the Giant, In the Valley Below, Banks, Bear Hands and Royal Tongues are performing at this year's Spring Fest the Student Association announced Wednesday on its Facebook page.
The official announcement came after booking agent Windish Agency leaked all but one of the acts in the lineup on its website; The Spectrum reported those acts Wednesday morning. The SA was unable to comment Wednesday morning, but by 7 p.m. SA officially announced its alternative rock fest for May 2. Windish listed the location of the performance at Baird Point.
Students with a valid student ID will get free admission to the concert; general admission will be $40.
Ingram said in an interview before spring break SA would have an alternative rock Spring Fest to diversify the genres of music that come to UB. The lineup will bring a mix of alternative rock -- a different pace than the usual hip-hop concert or SA's first EDM concert this April. Ingram said in a previous interview SA decided to have two big concerts in the spring to represent students' genre desires based off a fall survey.
In the Valley Below is a duo made up by vocalist Angela Gail and guitarist Jeffrey Jacob. The two met in Los Angeles where they played in an experimental rock band. Their chemistry led them to take on In the Valley Below as a separate project.
Their sound is a combination of their differing backgrounds. While Jacobs is a southern boy who pulls his inspiration from the likes of Phil Collins, Gail found her inspiration while on a boat in the West Indies. This creates a folk-country, classic rock vibe mixed with heavy Memphis riffs. Right now, the group is known for its song "Peaches."
Young the Giant, who were The Jakes until 2009, is a rock band that’s picked up in popularity last few years – they played Buffalo’s Canalside in 2014. Their single “My Body” was released in 2011 and went on to peak at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 100. They played at the MTV awards the same year.
In 2014 the band released its latest album, Mind Over Matter. The band’s sound is similar to that of the Cure and Muse, with a cool, collected vibe. They play with the likes of Steel Train and Incubus. They embody alternative rock – softer, yet just as powerful as punk.
Banks is a singer songwriter with a dark R&B sound, reminiscent of The Weeknd and Aaliyah. Her music is very emotion driven, and her voice has been compared to Aaliyah herself because of its rhapsodic qualities. She released her album, Goddess in late 2014, where she peaked at No. 12 on U.S. charts.
Bear Hands is a post-punk and indie rock band that’s been around for nearly 10 years. The group was signed in 2010, when they released their single “What A Drag.” Bear Hand’s sound is similar to MGMT and other punk bands. Their 2014 single “Giants” made top 10 on the Alternative Songs chart.
Royal Tongues, a local alternative pop duo, was the one band not listed in Windish's leak. The Buffalo group just released its EP Patterns & Shapes March 10.
Spring Fest is funded through the mandatory student activity fee, for which each current student pays $94.75 each semester.
This article has been update to include SA's confirmation of Spring Fest's lineup. The original article post focused on the lineup leak by a booking agency.
Tori Roseman is the senior arts editor and you can reach her at tori.roseman@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
