"Life, liberty and the pursuit of frattiness" –– that's how some students defined this weekend's atmosphere, according to Sami Horneff '12. Students danced, drank and were merry as great weather and popular musicians arrived on College Hill. The campus came alive with activity — whether it was spontaneous congregations on grassy greens or the slip-and-slide on Wriston Quadrangle — for Spring Weekend's 50th anniversary.
"Weekend" proved to be a loose term, as festivities took place throughout the week preceding the concerts sponsored by Brown Concert Agency. Last Wednesday, the 2011 Class Board organized the Mr. and Ms. Brown competition as a start to Spring Weekend, said Class Board Secretary Salsabil Ahmed '11.
After eight competitors battled it out for the title of Mr. and Ms. Brown, Thursday's events had to be altered when thunderstorms canceled most of the Special Events Committee carnival's activities, though the student group still provided popcorn, cookies and other food and refreshments in the Blue Room.
By Friday, the weather had cleared, and the sun beamed down on campus for a fun-filled weekend.
An ‘electric feel' on campus
"Everybody's just really energetic," said Melissa Chin '13 about the atmosphere on campus Friday. "You can tell that there's a lot of energy they want to release."
"Everybody's smiling. Nobody's thinking about tests right now," said Lisa Cheung '13.
Many students anticipated the weekend's concerts eagerly. "It's always exciting to have performers come to campus and have everyone come together for something," said Alexandra Keegan '12.
Major Lazer kicked off Friday night's sold-out show, bringing students toward the Main Green stage to dance and adorn themselves with glow-stick necklaces.
More students congregated in front of the stage for MGMT, who headlined Friday's concert.
"It was a really great show," said Molly Chambers '11.5. "People were really feeling it."
At the end of the concert, the crowd chanted for the band's biggest single until their demands were met. After an enthusiastic sing-along to "Kids," students headed off to enjoy the rest of Friday night.
Many students attended the Foam Party, an event sponsored by the 2011 Class Board and held on Lincoln Field immediately following the concert. The party consisted of techno remixes of current hits on a dance floor that was covered by a perpetual spray of foam.
About 400 students purchased tickets online for the party, Ahmed said, adding that "probably around 300 or 400" students bought tickets at the event.
"It was packed the entire night."
‘Trying to get it all out'
More was in store Saturday for the Brown community at the second sold-out concert on the Main Green. Students turned out for the event in a variety of unusual attire, including American Indian headdresses, homemade flower garlands and chicken and "green man" suits.
"It's a nice combination of different kinds of music," Chambers said of Saturday's lineup, which included opening acts Last Good Tooth, the Black Keys and Wale.
While several students told The Herald they were most looking forward to seeing Saturday's headliner, Snoop Dogg, some disagreed.
"I feel like people are more disappointed in general this year," said Kirstin Purtich '12 of the lineup. "I feel like they were like, ‘Why Snoop Dogg?' "
But the vibe on the Main Green at 6 p.m. Saturday was anything but apathetic when Snoop, wearing a Brown hockey jersey, burst onto the stage –– amid fog and dramatic music –– and started rapping into his diamond-encrusted microphone. With the sun setting over University Hall, the green was alive with students dancing, singing along and hanging onto Snoop's every word.
Those who were not able to witness Snoop's performance still had opportunities to have fun over the course of the weekend. Many students who did not secure tickets to the sold-out concert spent Saturday on the Quiet Green or Lincoln Field, eating picnic lunches, listening to the music nearby and playing Frisbee or whiffle ball.
Students who missed the two days of concerts had one last chance for live music Sunday.
"I'm most looking forward to Sunday," said Jesse Zannino '13 earlier in the weekend, referring to Dave Binder's annual performance on Wriston Quad. He described Binder's show as "one last chance" for everyone to have "as much fun as they can, trying to get it all out."
A College Hill community
But whether students preferred Binder, Snoop or picnicking, most said Spring Weekend created a feeling of community at Brown.
"Everybody's just brought together by all this excitement," Chin said.
"It's really nice that everyone comes together and is in such a good mood," Chambers said. "It really makes you feel like you go to Brown."
Ian Ratner, a Cornell junior who visited College Hill for Spring Weekend, said he was impressed with the vibe on campus and the length of the celebration. "It's very much embodying what I imagine Brown to be like," he said.
"It doesn't hurt that this is the most beautiful weekend ever," said Elisabeth Stancioff '12 of Friday's and Saturday's weather — though Sunday began with rain-filled skies.
"I think the whole campus is just so excited," Zannino said. "Everyone is having fun, no matter what."
Whatever event brought students out of the woodwork, it appeared their main objective was to have a good time and make the most out of what the weekend had to offer.
After all, as Saturday's headliner reminded the audience during his set, "It's not every day that Snoop Dogg is in your backyard."
