Drexel University’s Campus Activities Board, and Karmaloop and eMuze’s Verge Campus Tour hosted Drexel Spring Jam 2014 featuring popular artists Radical Something, Logic and Krewella. The concert took place May 10 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Lot F, next to Main Building.
Doors opened at 5:30 p.m. promptly on the night of the concert. The lines were filled with students and guests dressed in shorts, t-shirts and colorful embroidered bandanas on their heads, which is common attire for electronic dance music concerts. Upon entering the venue, CAB members handed out multi-colored neon glow sticks, bracelets and necklaces.
After passing a bright green blow up arch at the entrance, audience members crossed the opening of the parking lot onto Lot F where a black stage was set up in the back and tour buses surrounded the venue.
Radical Something began the concert with their hit “Be Easy” and other mixes of their own. Following, Logic prepared the crowd for Krewella with popular hits such as “All I Do” and “Nasty” in addition to remixes of other tracks.
By 8 p.m., the crowd had filled the lot. Just before Krewella was set to perform, a photograph session took place with randomly selected audience members chosen by Verge Tour and Krewella. Of the famous trio, the two Yousaf sisters were present and posed for pictures without Rain Man. Dressed in black ripped jeans, shorts and t-shirts, Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf greeted each fan with a handshake, introduction and smile while thanking them for coming.
After Logic introduced Krewella, the crowd continued moving forward. A light and smoke show began and the trio stepped onstage with their hit song “Party Monster.”
“Krewella was absolutely crazy once they got on the stage. Everyone immediately pulled out their cameras; I couldn’t even see because of all of the phones in the air,” Wingho Chan, a freshman communication major, said.
Jahan and Yasmine alternated between DJ-ing and singing on top of the speakers and the edge of the stage, performing tracks such as “Animals,” “Live for the Night” and “Strobelights.” Krewella kept the crowd engaged as they sang along and jumped to the beat.
Near the end of the show Yasmine thanked Drexel for being “one of the best crowds we’ve had.”
“We love coming to Philly. A couple years ago we started with 200 people and now 3,000,” Yasmine Yousaf said.
According to Traditions Director Nikki Snyder, CAB sold over 3,900 tickets and 3,220 people attended, making it the most highly attended concert Drexel has hosted.
Ending at 10:30 p.m. with their most popular song “Alive,” Krewella took a selfie with the crowd and wished them a good night.
Students complained that the concert ended too early for such a large event, even though Philadelphia noise ordinance laws go into effect at 10 p.m., and that CAB needed to promote Spring Jam more for a larger crowd.
“There needs to be more done to get more people to come. Although it wasn’t empty, I feel like it was only a mere fraction of Drexel’s student body. For an artist like Krewella, I feel like we could have drawn a bigger crowd, but I don’t know how to publicize it better to students,” Nick Garthoff, a computer engineering senior, said.
“I was just a little bummed out that the whole parking lot wasn’t filled. I could imagine a much crazier concert if Drexel let more people in, but I couldn’t blame them because of security reasons,” Chan said.
Security precautions were strict and uncompromising. Police officers lined 31st and Ludlow streets and blocked them off with police cars. Security officers were present throughout the venue.
“I feel the security was a little too high for a concert, but being a college-related event, I can understand why those precautions had to be taken,” Garthoff said.
Students had to leave large bags behind or stow them in the lockers at the Recreation Center. Water bottles and liquids were also prohibited. Attendees were asked to stand in four distinct lines with their Drexel IDs and tickets ready where tickets would be scanned and students were checked in case they were intoxicated. Many students were forced to leave after security officers noticed signs of intoxication. Once inside and past security, attendees were given green wristbands to show they were checked and admitted.
“The security actually was very good. At one point Krewella had to stop because the people up front were getting squished. The security had Krewella tell them to back up. The medics reacted fairly quickly too. I had a friend who wasn’t feeling too well, and the medic got to her quickly,” Chan said.
CAB announced Krewella’s appearance for Spring Jam 2014 April 3. CAB’s website hosted a poll after announcing the performers and received enthusiastic responses, 72 percent of which were in favor of Krewella’s appearance.