As the rain drizzled down on the spring celebration, Mayfest 2019 finally got underway. Students wandered around in their mud-stained shoes, ready and eagerly waiting for the performers to take the stage.

Three different artists and groups played the Mayfest stage on April 26. At University Union’s annual Mayfest music festival in Walnut Park, Adult Mom, Saba and Whethan performed for crowds of students.

The first act that welcomed the jam-packed student event was Adult Mom. The group consists of songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Stephanie Knipe as well as Olivia Battell on drums. Adult Mom was started in a SUNY Purchase College dorm room in 2012, but has since grown into a duo with three albums and four EPs to their name.

At around 2 p.m. the musicians readied their instruments with a small, but dedicated flock of students waiting for them.

Knipe walked to the front of the stage and adjusted the mic with a huge smile on their face and a bit of mic feedback. They performed songs from their extensive body of work, with subject matter that connected the group to the swarm of students that slowly began to pile in.

Throughout the set, Knipe would interact with the audience calling out individual people and even attempting to jokingly rile up students.

“We were in Binghamton last night. It’s a sort of rivalry between upstate towns,” the lead singer mentions before jokingly calling out the town before trying to sate the crowd by saying, “just stirring up some drama.”

The group tackled subjects involving sexuality and gender identity. The lead singer was able to balance the seriousness of these topics with a lighthearted tone and nature.

Adult Mom’s most recent work, their sophomore LP “Soft Spots” is currently out and dives into different physical and emotional vulnerabilities.

SU freshman Jordan Armour points back at Saba as he performs the beginning of his set. Corey Henry | Staff Photographer

Not too long after Adult Mom packed up their things, Saba hopped on stage for a 3 p.m. performance.

Saba, a rapper and producer, started getting attention back in 2016 with his release of “Bucket List Project.” The album, according to Rolling Stone, was one of the best rap albums that year. Last April, Saba released his critically acclaimed album “CARE FOR ME.”

As students began to pour in to the crowded park, many of them found their way towards the epicenter of Mayfest. While the crowd for Adult Mom was small but loyal, Saba drew more than double that number of students. Saba mixed in with the audience and interacted with the fans, even to take pictures.

The rapidly-expanding crowd cheered as he made his way onto the stage. As the set started, the crowd’s energy shifted dramatically. The chill vibe of the previous group was abandoned for a high-energy show.

Saba’s bouncy and slightly nasally performance caused the crowd to jump and respond to the music with enthusiasm.

Saba has collaborated with many artists, including Chance The Rapper. Just last week he released a new album with Pivot Gang collective.

Otherwise known as 19-year-old Ethan Snorek, Whethan — who took the stage at about 4:45 p.m. — is an electronic dance music artist. He gained success in 2016, and since has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. He has toured with The Chainsmokers and has performed at Coachella.

The audience moved in closer to see the teenager at work. As soon as his hand made contact with the decks, the crowd roared. Huddled together, students started to bounce along with the music. During each transition, the hoard of students continued to dance along and throw their hands in the air.

Towards the middle of the performance, Whethan showed off a new song to the crowd, and it received a positive reaction. As the DJ began to wind down, the gray sky let down a light drizzle. Students continued to dance all the way until the end of Mayfest, stomping around to the music with mud clinging to their thighs.

But Mayfest offered more than just its headliners. The festival also included its traditional staples along with new additions.

Robert Schepis, a senior, sound recording technology major was passing by Walnut Park on Thursday evening. With this being his last time to enjoy the festivities, Schepis was experiencing some mixed feelings.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” he said. “It’s nice that it’s kind of like my last year. I want this to last longer than it is. It’s going by so quick that I’m just counting the memories and moments that I have left.”

After attending past Mayfests, Schepis knew what he should expect. The usual makeup of the festival remained intact. There were attractions such as the artists, silent disco and face painting. Another staple that made for a content crowd was the wide array of free food including burgers, fries and popcorn along with the alcoholic drinks for those in attendance who were over 21 years old.

What Schepis did not know is that this year, University Union was going to unveil some new additions to the festivities. As he made his way through the park, he saw one of the biggest talking pieces of the event: the carousel.

Rapper and producer Saba brings a more energetic crowd during his Mayfest performance. Corey Henry | Staff Photographer

“I was actually a little surprised. I didn’t expect it, but it makes sense, it’s definitely a popular commodity” Schepis said.

This new attraction, as well as the ball pit, were well received by students like Haidyn Butler, junior chemistry and forensic science double major. Butler had also gone to Mayfest in previous years, but admitted that he felt there was often not much to do for those who cannot or don’t drink.

“It was nice to be here and have stuff to do rather than just eat food and then leave,” Butler said.

Students like Stephanie Craven also liked the new components of the event.

Craven, a junior musical theater major excitedly explained that the carousel made the whole day seem very similar to California-based festival Coachella.

“It heightens the personality of the festival,” Craven said.

Published on April 28, 2019 at 11:36 am

Contact Kerri: kmcanene@syr.edu