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Review: Didn’t go to the Spring Jam concert? You should have.

All of about one hundred people in the audience saw an incredible show.
Spring Jam attendees cheer as they wait for Jay Rock to perform on Saturday, April 27 at the University of Minnesota.
Image by Courtney Deutz
Spring Jam attendees cheer as they wait for Jay Rock to perform on Saturday, April 27 at the University of Minnesota.

What do a 12-year-old cowboy, a leopard print-wearing duet, a West Coast wordsmith and a Traplanta rager have in common?

No idea. But when put on stage during Saturday’s Spring Jam concert, this league of musical avengers composed one kick-ass show.

Mason Ramsey started the day off with a rootin’ tootin’ set. Before the young yodeling legend came on stage, the sky was cloudy and people were shivering from either cold or excitement — probably both. However, right as the 12-year-old walked onto stage, the sun broke through, making every rhinestone on his dashing bedazzled nudie suit shine.

We all saw the light.

Ramsey asserted a veteran-like confidence during his entire set. In between jokes about bras being thrown on stage by the devil and killer guitar playing, he sang his little heart away. Seriously, this kid has pipes.

“Famous” had people cheering, and his yodeling on “Lovesick Blues” could be heard serenading all of East Bank. Whether you were there for the yee-haws or there to trap out with Flocka, the cowboy curated a set that had everyone smiling. He truly kicked the night off right.

Next up the vibe shifted as Ella Vos and her backup came out with a Spice Girls look and allure. By far the best dressed of the acts (sorry Mason), Vos and her DJ sported a wild getup consisting of tiger and cheetah prints paired with ’90s-esque sunglasses and boots.

The swag fit the music, too. The festival slowed down as her vocals came through the speakers. The balloons and Ferris wheel slowly rolling in the distance paired with Vos’s vocals put everyone in a jubilant trance.

Vos and her DJ had an electric energy about them that spread through the crowd when they played hits like “White Noise” and “Temporary.” Her vocals meshed with the speakers’ heavy bass to create a hypnotizing aura. During this set, Spring Jam felt more like a Tokyo club — and it was awesome.

Then the speakers did Jay Rock dirty.

The crowd had grown by this point and anticipation had built for the TDE mogul to come on and spit facts. Which he did for two songs … and then the speakers blew.

“This is y’all’s school doing this, man. Jay Rock is ready to give you a crazy show,” said Jay Rock’s DJ.

Retweet. The sound crew gets an “F” because this same problem went down during Flocka’s set, too.

Still, after an awkward ten minutes and a few more announcements by Jay Rock and company, the Kendrick Lamar-affiliate finished his set with fire.

“King’s Dead”, “Money Trees” and “Vice City” (the list goes on), banged with energy and had the micro mosh pit bounding. Ending with “Win,” Jay Rock made do with what he had and definitely took home the “W” himself.

By this point, the crowd was maybe 200 strong; every single person was itching to go hard. After a warm-up from an up-and-coming Atlanta act, the Brick Squad hustler himself, Waka Flocka Flame, leapt onstage. It was only uphill from there.

Where Ramsey’s confidence was chivalrous, Waka Flocka’s was psychotic.

Running back and forth in the media pit during songs, Flocka’s dreadlocks were flying as he headbanged to every banger that came on.

“Hard in the Paint”, “Grove St. Party” and fan favorite “No Hands” slapped with timeless ignorance, as is the Atlanta trap artist’s signature. Continuous yelling, jumping and other hooligan activities turned the pit area into a raging party indeed.

With their ears ringing, the crowd slowly tricked out as EDM Club turned Spring Jam’s closing moments into an Electric Daisy Carnival. What was clearly thought to be a mediocre show at best, judging by the low turnout, turned into a one-of-a-kind, weirdly-savory, ultra-personable performance.

Unsure if we are supposed to say yee-haw or scream “BRICK SQUAD,” A&E just knows that this was one you should have been at.

Grade: A

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