By Brianna Wallen, News Editor, & Victoria Cruz, News Writer
After a three-year pause, the spring concert returned to campus on Saturday, April 25, bringing students together for one of the most anticipated events of the semester.
“I feel like events like this are important because they give us a chance to connect with others, have a good time in a different atmosphere,” political science major Tariq Bilal, a junior, said.
Originally planned as an outdoor celebration, the event was moved inside the Lyman Center due to cold and rainy weather.
Even with the change in location, the excitement surrounding the concert remained as students prepared for the return of a long-awaited campus tradition.
Doors opened at 5:00 p.m., and students quickly filled the venue. The Lyman Center was transformed into a pit with flashing lights.
New York rapper and producer Cash Cobain took the stage around 6:00 p.m., bringing his signature sound to the university lights.
Known for creating a lighter and melodic style of drill often called “sexy drill,” Cobain has built a strong and growing fan base.
As he performed, students stood up, sang and danced along.
The previous spring concertswere headlined by rap duo Rae Sremmurd in Spring 2023 and Fivio Foreign in Fall 2022.
After the two-year hiatus from performers hitting the stage, this year’s concert became an opportunity for students to experience something new.
“I’m a commuter and wanted to come because it felt like one of the biggest events on campus, so I wanted to have fun and meet new people outside classes,” Bilal said.
Cobain continued to engage the crowd throughout his set, interacting with students and performing his top hits.
One of the highlights on the night came when he performed his viral track, “Feeeeeeeeel,” which has become widely popular on TikTok and sparked a dance trend.
Cobain invited students onstage to join in and dance to the viral choreography, which added a personal touch to the performance.
“I do think events like this build community. Everyone’s kind of connected in the moment even if we don’t know each other,” Bilal said. “Vibe tonight is really positive. You can see everyone’s having a good time enjoying the music.”
He also performed his hit feature, “ATTITUDE,” which, according to Spotify as of April, has surpassed 102 million streams.
Cobain closed his set with unreleased music from his upcoming album “Party With Slizzy,” which ended his performance on a high note.
While many students enjoyed the experience, some noted areas for improvement. Marketing major Juwell Clay, a senior, said the concert was enjoyable overall but felt it could have offered more.
“It was okay. I didn’t know all his songs, but the ones I knew, I sang and had a decent time,” Clay said.
Clay said she hoped the concert was longer, as Cobain’s performance was about an hour and a half long.
“I wish the overall concert was longer. It was too short and had more gaps than actual performances,” Clay said.
Despite the mixed reviews, the return of the spring concert marked a significant moment for campus life, as attendees got to experience a reintroduced tradition.
