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SPRINGFEST 2024 AT UNION!

News Editor, Staff Writer

On Sunday, April 28, 2024, Unthe Springfest Committee hosted Springfest, the yearly campus concert. The event, hosted the previous year in Memorial Fieldhouse due to rain, returned to Richmond lawn, and students were able to enjoy live music from artists Nicky Youre, Kid Ink, Imanbek, and 3OH!3. Union Hospitality also hosted their successful yearly barbecue on West Beach, and fraternities hosted off campus parties the morning of the concert to celebrate.

Nicky Youre, is a pop artist known for his 2021 single “Sunroof.” The next artist, rapper Kid Ink, has been known for releasing multiple prominent songs throughout the past decade, such as “Be Real” (2015) and “F with U” (2017).

The third performer, Imanbek, is a DJ best known for his remix ofnal act, 3OH!3, is an electronic pop duo best known for their 200s hits “My First Kiss (feat. Kesha)” (2010) and “DONTTRUSTME” (2008).

The event’s eagerly-awaitbracelets and sunglasses left on tables around campus. Initially, students on social media platforms such as YikYak expressed disappointment at the lineup, as students did not recognize most/any of the

onto Richmond lawn on Sunday, some felt differently.

“The lineup is fun and everyone knows songs they like. And I think everyone’s having a great time,” Mariah Jackson ’27 remarked.

“[Nicky Youre] looks so familiar. He’s amazing and I’m so surprised,” Ami Ivoko ’24 said.

“I think it’s great. I’m a fan. I love the lineup. [They could play] anything and I could be happy.” Quincy Brown ’25 said.

“I don’t like Nicky Youre, but I’m excited for the DJ [Imanbek]. He can mix up some songs, and I’m excited for 3OH!3.” Claire Braaten ’26 said.

However, the heat outside caused some students to seek medical attention due to exhaustion and/or dehydration. Water stations were situated in the back of the venue on the lawn. The stations were almost immediately ran dry by thirsty students, but Union Hospitality did

Some artists even dedicated songs to students who had to be transported to Ellis Hospital for medical treatment.

Students can look forward to Springfest happening again next year, in Spring term of 2025, most likely in late April or early May. Union’s Concert Club may also host another on-campus concert before then. Until then, students can relive the memories of Springfest 2024 through the many pictures and videos taken at the event.

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Learning about people’s lives, cultures, religions, and struggles allows students to challenge preconceptions and think critically.

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Spring Fest 2024: Lineup Overview

Graham Rose Contributing Writer

On April 28, 2024, Union held its annual Spring Fest. This year, we were lucky to have four incredible artists perform at Union, in one of the few remaining free college concerts in the United States. Let us take a walk down memory lane as we look back at these artists’ careers and how far they’ve come in the time they have been in the industry.

To start, the opening performer was Nicholas Scott Ure, otherwise known as “Nicky Youre”. He is a singer and songwriter from Southern California. He was born on June 4th, 1999, and started to blow in the Indie Rock scene when he was around 22. His biggest song is “Sunroof”, which boosted his popularity in 2022. Nicky Youre is loved for his ability to create feel-good melodies and to brighten people’s moods, which is exactly what he did

here at Union.

Following Nicky Youre’s performance, we saw the one and only: Kid Ink. Born in Los Angeles, California on April 1, 1986, Kid Ink is more than just a rapper. He is a songwriter, producer, and inter-

In his early years of getting into the industry, Kid Ink spent most of his time behind the control panel rather than the microphone. In mixtape, “World Tour,” which was extremely successful and spread the word of his name far and wide. He has worked with various famous artists like Chris Brown, Meek Mill, and Roscoe Dash. Overall his most popular song would be “Show Me” featuring Chris Brown. Kid Ink was a blast to watch perform because of the amount of energy he brought with him.

The third performance of the day was the Kazakh DJ, Imanbek. Like Nicky Youre, Imanbeck is one of the

newer waves of music. Born in Aksu, Kazakhstan on October 21, 2000, as Imanbek Zeikenov, he is known for his iconic remixes of famous songs by other artists. Currently, he is most known for his remix of the songs “Belly Dancer,” “Roses,” and “Sweet Dream”. His set was a crowd favorite and had people dancing to their favorite ageless beats on a day they are sure to remember for a long time.

The headliners of the show were the iconic duo by the name of 3OH!3. They are an electronic music duo from Boulder, Colorado, and emerged onto the scene back in 2004. Consisting of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte, their sounds combine electro-pop vibes with hip-hop undertones, creating distinctive melodies. They blew up in the late 2000s with the drop of their second studio album, “Want,” which featured the smash hit “Don’t Trust Me”. This track’s catchy beat and clever lyrics helped them thrive in

the industry, making them a household name almost overnight. Following this success, 3OH!3 continued to climb the charts with hits like “Starstrukk,” featuring Katy Perry, and “My First Kiss,” featuring Kesha.

Their diverse blend of pop, punk, and electronic elements gathered a

position in the industry. With each track they drop and every show they as one of the hottest acts around, as they did at Springfest. Their crowd presence and interactive performance had everyone swaying their hands and jumping on their command while also enjoying the performance in their way.

All in all, this year’s Spring Fest lineup received positive feedback from the students. Despite the intense heat and rain towards the end, students had a great time, thanks to the presence of these extremely talented artists.

Schaffer Library Staff Recommends: “Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik

the Staryk, Miryem leaves home to serve their king in the ice kingdom. What comes next changes her forever.

In a hardscrabble Eastern European village during the Middle Ages, Miryem takes over for her softhearted money-lender father whose gentle nature has left the family on the brink of disaster. Miryem steels herself to confront her fellow villagers about repayments of their debts and save her family from illness and poverty. Soon she realizes she has an uncanny talent for collecting money and the family becomes prosperous.

But when Miryem starts to claim that she can “turn silver into gold,” her boast attracts the attention of the Staryks - otherworldly ice creatures who bring long winters and periodically emerge from the forest to terrorize the village for gold. To save her family and friends from

I was engrossed by this suspenseful feminist take on Rumpelstiltskin. Novik’s depiction of the harsh realities of peasant life made the book’s supernatural elements feel all the more threatening and real. Despite the time and setting, the book smuggles in contemporary messages about religion, ethnic prejudice, stigma, and blame. Miryem changes profoundly due to her entanglement with the Staryk king and she is forced to confront her long-held beliefs about who is “other.”

Her evolution encourages us, as readers, to embrace being comfortable with being uncomfortable in our modern world outside of the fairy tales that we have grown up reading.

What makes this book a particularly interesting and inspiring read for college students?

Miryem’s journey takes her away from her village, her friends, and her family - everything familiar. In the Staryk’s kingdom, things are strange and unpredictable. But as she learns more about her surroundings and the Staryks themselves, Miryem comes to recognize parts of herself in this strange land and its creatures. She also lets her new experiences change her for the better. College gives us the opportunity for a similar kind of growth and Miryem’s journey can inspire being open to that change.

(As the Collection Development Librarian, Kim is responsible for the oversight and direction of the general collection at Schaffer. She is also the president of the Capital District Library Council Board of Trustees.)

Kim Mitchell Collection Development Librarian

Del Rey Books “Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik

@unioncollege on Instagram

Nicky Youre at Spring Fest 2024.

@unioncollege on Instagram Kid Ink at Spring Fest 2024.

@unioncollege on Instagram Imanbek at Spring Fest 2024.

@unioncollege on Instagram 3OH!3 at Spring Fest 2024.

Science Could Be Better

Abby Trzepla

The speaker: psychologist and postdoctoral research scholar Adam Mastroianni.

Student volunteers at Steinmetz Park with their trash.

Abby Trzepla

Concordiensis

OUR EVENT PICKS FOR

807 ONION STREET

Disclaimer: Following article is meant to be a humorous and exaggerated expression of perspectives of campus culture for entertainment purposes. This article is not intended to offend readers or stoke controversy.

Springfest or Satirefest?

Adithi Chellappan 807 Editor

This Sunday, April 28, was Union College’s much-anticipated Springfest, the annual music festival celebrating the arrival of warmer days and carefree vibe.

With a budget that could rival a small country’s GDP (allegedly $150k, but who’s counting?), organizers spared no expense in curating a lineup that would make any music

Gone were the days of mainstream headliners and trendy upand-comers; instead, students found themselves transported back to the good old days of 2014 with a lineup straight out of a nostalgic playlist.

The festivities kicked off with Nicky Youre, the enigmatic mastermind behind the viral sensation “Sunroof,” whose meteoric rise to fame can be attributed to his uncanny ability to capture the essence of, well, sitting in a sunroof.

The song is incredibly summery and very “radio-esque” but it was a warm start to a hotter day. As few students gathered around the stage (as there were more students huddled around the BBQ),

smartphones only came out when the famous song was about to be played, at the ready to capture the momentous occasion. Yet, despite the absurdity of it all, there was an undeniable charm to Nicky Youre’s laid-back demeanor and infectious beats that had even the most cynical of spectators tapping their feet in reluctant admiration.

Next up was Kidink, a name that elicited puzzled looks and vague recollections of middle school mixtapes. With his signature blend of rap and R&B, Kidink transported students back to a time when snapbacks were the height of fashion and YOLO was more than just a hashtag.

As he belted out hits that had long since faded from the collective memory of mainstream music, Springfest-goers found themselves caught in a whirlwind of nostalgia, reminiscing about the simpler times of 2014.

As if the throwback vibes weren’t strong enough, the lineup took an unexpected turn with the inclusion of Imanbek, the EDM prodigy whose remix of SAINt JHN’s “Roses” catapulted him to international fame.

Despite his relative obscurity outside of EDM circles, Imanbek

addition to the lineup, creating remixes that had the crowd morph into a mosh pit, injecting a much-needed dose of energy into the proceedings with his infectious beats and pulsating rhythms.

As students jumped to the hypnotic melodies, it became clear that perhaps the most unexpected choices yield the most memorable moments.

-ready surreal day, Union College welcomed 3OH!3 to the stage,

the electro-pop duo whose catchy hooks and tongue-in-cheek lyrics dominated the airwaves in the late 2000, though they’re now middle-aged men reminiscing along with us.

With hits like “Don’t Trust Me” and “Starstrukk,” 3OH!3 brought the house down with their irreverent humor and infectious energy, and as the rain created a bit of a rainshow in Springfest, it was pretty clear that sometimes the best way to embrace the future is to indulge in a bit of nostalgia.

(Not) Reamer Review - Ozone Cafe

Ozone Café’s Friday lunches are a Union staple– the vegan-forward student-run “restaurant” offering a much-needed respite from the monotony of Reamer fare, providing tableside service and a necessary break from the routine.

Located in Old Chapel, one is immediately struck by its inviting ambiance. The space exudes warmth and vibrancy– Ozone students serving up meals on stage, tablecloths set for a lunchtime service (and cloth napkins!)– each of which delivers a memorable dining experience.

What sets Ozone Café apart is not just its delectable dishes, but the passion and dedication of its student staff, drawn from Union College’s Ozone Haus, the sustainability-forward theme house.

This week, the menu drew from types of veggie dumplings, tofu pad thai, and mango sticky rice pud-

ding, complemented by refreshing Suntea and water.

First up, both the veggie dumpling earned a solid 8/10 rating, withing and perfectly fried exterior leaving taste buds tingling with delight. Each dumpling was a testament to

the culinary prowess of the student chefs, showcasing their commitment to quality and taste.

Next on the menu was the tofu pad thai, a classic Thai dish infused with a vegetarian twist. While earning a respectable 7/10 rating, this dish showcased a harmonious

The tofu, expertly marinated and fried to perfection, provided a satisfying protein-packed punch, while the tangy sweetness of the pad thai sauce danced on the palate. While maybe lacking the complexity of traditional pad thai, Ozone Café’s rendition was nonetheless a commendable effort.

To round off the meal, diners were treated to a taste of tropical indulgence with the mango sticky rice pudding. While earning a modest 6/10 rating, this dessert was a comforting conclusion to the culinary journey. The creamy richness of the coconut-infused rice melded seamlessly with the sweetness of the mango pieces in the pudding, the meal.

What truly sets Ozone Café apart is its commitment to sustainability and community engagement. Run entirely by students from Ozone Haus, the café embodies the theme house’s dedication to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.