The Brown Concert Agency announced a surprise addition to the Spring Weekend lineup on their website last night. Rock group the Walkmen will play Saturday night of Spring Weekend in between rapper Cam'ron and electronic outfit the Glitch Mob, according to BCA Co-Chair Gillian Brassil '12.
Before the announcement, the "most overwhelming criticism" the concert agency received about this year's electronic-heavy lineup was that there wasn't any rock music, Brassil said. The Walkmen will be the only rock group to perform at Spring Weekend.
"The secret of the whole thing is that we hadn't locked in the Walkmen before spring break," Brassil said. "But we said, 'Let's just go ahead and announce the lineup and add the Walkmen at the end.' We thought it would be a nice little surprise."
Brassil said it was a happy accident that adding the group responds so well to student dissatisfaction with the current lineup.
The Walkmen, a five-member band based in New York City, won public attention after the release of its 2008 album "You and Me" and toured with Fleet Foxes last summer.
"I've seen them three times, and every time I'm completely bowled over by their ability to switch between giving a totally relaxed, totally mellow performance and then reaching out and smashing the audience with their sound," said BCA board member Phillipe Roberts '15. Roberts was a staunch proponent of booking the Walkmen to perform.
Providence brass band What Cheer? Brigade, electronic duo Sepalcure and Childish Gambino will also perform Friday night, and new wave synth outfit Twin Shadow, hip hop golden child Cam'ron and the Glitch Mob will perform Saturday.
