Once again, the Student Association Programming Board’s (SAPB) announcement of the Spring Fling lineup was met with groans of disappointment. Facebook comments were brutal. Music elitists came out of nowhere to contribute their superior opinions. I have to shake my head at these people. Where does all of this disdain and sense of entitlement for a free concert come from?
Today’s musical landscape is a peculiar one, and it is changing every day. A few weeks ago, Jay Z announced a new “high fidelity music streaming” service called Tidal with supporters such as Kanye West, Daft Punk and Madonna. This streaming service, along with Spotify and its peers, gives us access to just about all of the music in the world. This ease of access to so many varieties of music has broadened our tastes and genres. You’ve probably never heard of a majority of the artists in my Spotify playlists, and that’s OK. My dream Spring Fling lineup is inevitably different than yours —even my own music taste changes year after year. How could the SAPB possibly find a handful of artists to please everyone?
To be honest, when the SAPB announced The White Panda, Sage the Gemini and Bad Rabbits, I couldn’t name a song by any of the acts. However, I had heard of each artist before. The lineup announcement gave me a reason to explore their music. Bad Rabbits is a groovy funk/rock band, and I’ve been listening to their latest album on repeat since the announcement. Sage the Gemini has two radio hits that you’ve probably grinded to at The Rat. The White Panda is constantly on the bill for music festivals all over the country. That being said, I honestly think the SAPB did a great job in curating a lineup with mass appeal on a limited budget.
Looking back to last year when Matt and Kim headlined, you’d probably be lying to yourself if you said you knew another song besides “Daylight.” However, Kim shaking her ass on her drum set in the pouring rain will always be a vivid memory of mine when I reminisce on my college years. Give this music a shot. When Spring Fling comes, maybe the weather will be nice enough to wear shorts and a tank top. Maybe you will know a couple of songs playing at Spring Fling. You might even discover your new favorite artist. I don’t think that’s a ridiculous thing to ask for. If you are still too cool for a free concert, Governor’s Ball has a pretty stacked lineup. Former Spring Fling artist Drake will be headlining June 5.