Spring Fest 2019 is set.
The Student Association announced co-headliners A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Lil Baby and opener Rich the Kid as performers on Monday.
This year’s performers deviate from the concerts in the Fall Fest Concert Series, with only rap artists featured on the bill so far. SA indicated on social media that it will release “more artists” before the show date. The location is to be announced.
Undergraduate students who pay the $104.75 mandatory student activity fee can attend the concert if they reserve a ticket starting April 16 at 10 a.m. on SA’s website.
SA President Gunnar Haberl said Spring Fest will be back in its traditional format after last semester’s trial of the Fall Fest Concert Series.
“Our team has spent a tremendous amount of time focusing on making this a student-centered event and truly looked at the students’ feedback through the SA entertainment survey,” Haberl said. “The students spoke, we listened.”
Sandeep Chakravarthy, SA entertainment director, said the Spring Fest survey process, where students were allowed to suggest two artists on an online form, was vital to narrowing down the performers. He said he looks forward to ending the year with a lineup that reflects “what the students wanted.”
Lil Baby had the second-highest student submissions (51) in SA’s survey, trailing just behind Post Malone (55) in the “first-choice” category. The rapper was the top choice in the “second-choice” category with 40 submissions.
A Boogie received 22 student submissions in the first-choice category and 15 in the second.
“Thank you to all the UB students that gave feedback in our student survey,” Chakravarthy said. “May 4 will be the biggest event of the year and we can’t wait for everyone to come out and enjoy a great Spring Fest.”
Lil Baby first came to prominence on the heels of his 2017 mixtape “Perfect Timing.” The rapper is best known for hit singles like “Yes Indeed” and “Drip To Hard.”
Opener Rich the Kid recently released his debut album “The World is Yours” in 2018. The album found favorable reviews and reception, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
The album features guest appearances from rap heavyweights Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne and Rae Sremmurd. He preceded his debut album with several mixtapes, including a collaboration with Migos titled “Streets on Lock.”
Students have mixed, but generally positive, reactions to the announcement.
Morgan Digangi, a senior graphic design major, is excited about the lineup and said she is looking forward to seeing Lil Baby and Rich the Kid.
“I’ve just recently started really getting into [Lil Baby’s] music and he’s grown on me a lot. Rich the Kid has always been one of my favorites, so I’m definitely the most excited to see him,” Digangi said.
Digangi said she was waiting for the announcement all semester and enjoyed the hints SA tweeted out before the lineup announcement.
Aissata Barry, a junior philosophy major, said she is especially excited to see A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie because they share the same hometown.
A Boogie is best known for the smash hit “Drowning,” which reached the Billboard Hot 100’s top 40. He released his second full-length effort, “Hoodie SZN,” in December. The album topped the Billboard 200 and features rappers like 6ix9ine
Other students were disappointed with the lineup.
Thomas Andrews, a freshman media studies major, said he was hoping for a genre variety.
“I would prefer more popular artists because I’m not the guy who’s on Spotify 24/7 listening to all these Indie artists or whatever, but I would at least like one,” Andrews said. “I personally have never heard of [the artists in the lineup] and I feel like they all do the same style of music.”
Andrews said he would love to see more classic rock artists featured in future Spring Fest lineups.
Though SA revealed the lineup on social media, some students were still unaware of the announcement. Gabby Nolan, a geology major, thought SA should make more of an effort with announcements outside of social media.
“I don’t even know when Spring Fest is or what the lineup is for it,” Nolan said. “I mean, I haven’t seen posters for it yet. … That’s how I usually learn about the events.”
SA has yet to announce a final location for Spring Fest.
Brian Evans and Julianna Tracey are arts editors and can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com.
Brian Evans is a senior English major and The Spectrum's senior arts editor.
Julianna Tracey is a freshman music theater and history double major. She’s excited to explore all that the Buffalo arts scene has to offer.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
