The first confirmed act for Spring Fling this year is CLIPSE.
Confirmed by Myspace, which has them performing at Wesleyan University on the 6th of May this year, two weeks after they’re at Coachella.
So we’ve got a big rap act down. Based on previous years I would still expect another headlining act with indie cred, and a smaller opening act with indie cred… which doesn’t usefully narrow the field of existing artists.
Grainy two-year-old footage of the Clipse:
Although, anonymous respondent #21 on this ACB thread claimed earlier today that the full lineup will have King Khan and the Shrines joining Clipse and SONIC YOUTH (!!!), which would fit the established pattern and be fantastic. But Clipse is the only one of those confirmed so far, so as of now this excellent lineup is an only partially substantiated rumor.
Sonic Youth’s official site has the band booked through May, although there is a conspicuous gap between their shows in Luxembourg on April 26th and Brooklyn on May 16th. It’s possible that they could make it to Middletown halfway between those dates.
King Khan and company also have a May 6th gap on their itinerary – they’re in New York on the 3rd of that month, and in Boston on the 7th, so a stop at Wesleyan the day before the latter date is feasible.
But this is unsubstantiated! In the meantime, keep speculating. Post rumors/further substantiation as you wish.
32 Comments
clipse is the headliner. there is no one else. what can we say? the economy sucks.
sorry guys, no other “headlining act with indie cred.” sonic youth is totally false…
damn, really? that sucks. oh well, clipse will be sick, and I will be wasted.
Haha whoever you are, 2:22am, you’re two things:
1) Obviously on the SBC/someone in the Administration who wants to keep it a secret.
2) Wrong. Sonic Youth IS the headliner.
This is the truth. You can’t stop the signal.
actually i dont even go to this school.
-2:22
Are you a member of Sonic Youth?
why cant we ever get a famous band? other schools with smaller budgets seem to do it, but we always go for the “indie” stuff.
scared to be at all mainstream?
sonic youth isn’t famous?
10:53 — What other schools with smaller budgets are getting mainstream, famous bands?
I’ve heard a lot about Sonic Youth. Hope it happens!
Why doesn’t someone just call up John Darnielle every year and beg him until he brings the Mountain Goats up here? I bet with enough effort he could be convinced, and I don’t get the impression that he’d dent wesleyans wallet that much. I just feel like the people searching out these bands don’t have that good a feel for the music demographics at wesleyan. Sure, some people are really into rap/hip-hop, but what about those stereotypical indie kids who just want someone in tight jeans with a guitar?
I am not so excited by this rap offering. Aesop Rock + Mountain Goats would have been the ideal hip-hop indie combo.
Proof? It is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrsj653088E
As a senior, I just finally want a band I can brag to my friends at other schools about (though Andrew WK was pretty fucking great). I can definitely brag about Sonic Youth, so I hope the rumours are true!
you didn’t brag about gza? what a fuckin DOOSHbag
I didn’t even know who GZA was until last year, and neither did most of my friends back home when I asked them. Some people just don’t know/care much about that type of music.
I don’t think John Darnielle often performs at venues like “Foss Hill”… The ‘Goats thrive on shitty bars and clubs where everyone sings alone drunkenly with them.
Interesting suggestion though.
that’s awesome!!! grindin’ was my jam back in the day…
3:27, my sentiments exactly
Sonic Youth. Playing “Daydream Nation” in its entirety. Pleeeeease.
Clipse + Zelda mashup: http://8tracks.com/teamteamwork/the-ocarina-of-rhyme
NO FUCKING INDIE BULLSHIT. thank you
“I didn’t even know who GZA was until last year, and neither did most of my friends back home when I asked them. Some people just don’t know/care much about that type of music.”
It’s fucking GZA! I cannot imagine what you and your friends must listen to.
i still dont know what GZA is
get with the times bitch
Re: John Darnielle playing in shitty bars/clubs.
I’ve never seen the goats in such an environment. Granted, pre-4AD (maybe pre-sunset tree?) he probably played them all the time (and maybe still does on the occasions he performs solo) but I get the impression the goats as a trio don’t do much bar gigging these days. Granted I’ve only seen them twice, and only on the last two tours, but on both occasions they were legit concert venues and totally packed.
Plus I’m pretty sure there would be plenty of drunken wes kids singing along, I know I’d be.
If you like rap/hip-hop at all, you should atleast know who GZA is.
guess what, idiots, spring fling will always be “indie” until the sbc coughs up $100,000 (which they basically do for senior cocktails…wait, why?). with $40k for three acts, they will never be hugely famous. but then again if clipse and sonic youth are “indie” to you, you should probably get tickets for dave matthews
haha, I LOVE DAVE!
pssht. thank you 11:52.
Clipse isn’t Indie at all. Or main-stream. Just garbage. Grindin’ was a semi-decent song, and that was it.
Sonic Youth, despite being largely well-known, is pretty indie. A lot of their early albums are probably unlistenable by your normal music-listener. However, that said, they will fucking rock Spring Fling.
I checked out the third band’s myspace, and they sound pretty awesome.
All-in-all, a decent line-up, tarnished by the very odd choice of Clipse as headliner.
11:52, both of your numbers are wrong.
12:54 – who ever said clipse would be the headliner? i imagine that if sonic youth really came they would certainly be the headliner
sonic youth gives a great live show
I believe “GZA” was an old, old wooden ship, used during the Civil War era.
5:58, you’re the, umm… ze.
Wesleyan Students- I have an exciting (and more than probable,) top act to announce. MGMT is in talks with certain members of the committee. If you’re not sure whom they are, youtube their hit “Electric Feel.”
MGMT are a collective of former WES students. MGMT has played as a house band for very prestigious clothing designers, toured internationally, and met the expectations of the caliber of artist we bread here in Middletown. Their popularity is exceptionally high for a Spring Fling act.
Remind yourself, the band is still in talk with the committee, but it’s a good possibility. When you see committee members on campus; hassle them. Speak up. The more support you express, the harder we’re pressured to act upon that pressure. See you kids on the hill!