This Year's Spring Jam Features Bigger Names

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is switching things up for this year’s annual Spring Jam concert, which will be headlined by electronic dance group Krewella on May 10.

For starters, this is the first year that CAB has partnered with Verge Campus Tour, a national concert tour that only stops at colleges and universities. And that will make all the difference for Spring Jam 2014, according to Nikki Snyder, CAB’s traditions director and an undergraduate accounting student in the LeBow College of Business. 

“The past couple years, for various reasons, CAB has failed to bring a headliner that Drexel students view as big or relevant. The objective this year was to turn that issue upside down by working very hard, very early on in the year and, although it was a difficult decision, charge for tickets if need be,” she said.

For the first time, students will need to buy tickets to gain access to the event. And this is also the first year that graduate students are admitted for the same price as undergraduate students. But the $5 admissions fee will go a long way, considering that students will see a rave and light show from Krewella and performances from rapper Logic and Radical Something, a laid-back hip-hop and alternative band.

Another change? The traditional Spring Jam Carnival that usually occurs within Parking Lot F behind the Main Building will move outside to Lancaster Walk this year. Students can check out an acoustic performance by Logic and indulge in carnival activities, food and inflatables provided by student organizations and businesses. Sponsored by the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the activities will take place before the festival on May 10, from 3 to 5 p.m.

One tradition that stuck is that some lucky Drexel students will have the opportunity to perform before Spring Jam. The winners of DreX Factor, Drexel's Best Dance Crew, Battle of the Bands, and the student DJ competition will perform at the Spring Jam Carnival on Lancaster Walk. The student DJ winner will be the only student to perform on stage at the Spring Jam concert, opening the festivities.

All of the changes show that CAB has been working to meet students’ requests. After conducting research and working with Drexel students, the organization found that performers with radio hits and festival performances were important qualities that students looked for in Spring Jam artists.

“Krewella turned out to be perfect on both points with their huge hit ‘Alive’ and huge crowds at festivals around the same time. We were lucky enough to learn that they were headlining Verge Campus Tour early on and jumped on the opportunity right away,” Snyder said.

Krewella, whose hit single has over 27 million views on YouTube, was a requested act, along with Logic and Radical Something.

“Multiple students had come to me before I had even learned of the tour requesting those acts for Spring Jam,” Snyder said.

Spring Jam 2014 will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. May 10 on Lot F. Tickets can be purchased here at $5 per student and $10 per guest, with two guests allowed per Drexel ID. For more information about Spring Jam and other activities leading up to the performances, visit CAB’s website.