By Ohad Amram
Staff Writer

It’s that time of year again; Hofstra Spring Fest is this upcoming Saturday May 4th.  This years’ lineup consists of opening acts are Hofstra junior, Tune$, Persona, Twenty One Pilots, and Joey Bada$$. The headliner is none other than 90s alternative pop-rock prodigy, Third Eye Blind, and to top it off, this years’ host is Hofstra alumnus, and finalist on hit television show, The Voice, Erin Willet.

Hofstra junior, Kayden Wong, otherwise known by his stage name, Tune$, has competed two years in a row now for the shot at opening Hofstra Spring Fest. The rapper is beyond excited for his performance this upcoming Saturday, stating, “I went from side stage to opening act on the main stage. My next step is to headline, but I’ll give that a few years.”

Long Island natives, Persona, will be the second opener on this years’ Spring Fest. This indie-pop rock quartet has recently singed to Detail Artist Management and since released their latest EP titled, Take Me to the Moon. Persona’s hit singles, “Animals” and “Ready, Set, Go” landed the band a gig as openers for pop sensation, Aaron Carter, on Long Island earlier this year.

Alternative rap-rock duo, Twenty One Pilots will be sub-headlining this year along co-sub-headliner, Joey Bada$$. Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph compose Twenty One Pilots, which formed in 2009. Since their formation the band went on to release two full-length albums, a self-titled in 2009 and Regional at Best in 2011. Just last year, Twenty One Pilots signed to major label, Fueled by Ramen who has signed household names such as Paramore and Fall Out Boy. Vessel is the bands’ first full Fueled by Ramen album release, which was released January 8th of 2013. Hot singles from it included, “Holding on to you” and “Car Radio.”
Eighteen year-old, Brooklyn native, Joey Bada$$, is the other sub-headliner this year. Most recently he was featured on A$AP Rocky’s (Spring Fest 2012 headliner) album, Long Live A$AP, alongside rappers Kendrick Lamar and Danny Brown, to name a few.  Currently, Joey Bada$$ is working on his first studio album titled,B4.DA.$$. Despite his young age, Bada$$ has proved himself an important and innovative MC, opening for acts such as Juicy J and Mac Miller. It is said that his studio album will feature Ab-Soul of the infamous Top Dawg Entertainment. Rumors of Joey possibly signing to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation records surfaced late last year, but Joey has long since declared that for now he rather remain independent.
This leaves us the headliner which need little introduction; Third Eye Blind. This 90s pop-alternative apparatus were the soundtrack to this generations childhood and junior high. When Third Eye Blind graces the stage at Music Fest, the audience will not only be plentiful but will be chanting line for line, word for word. “Semi-Charmed Life,” “How’s it Going to Be,” and “Never Let You Go,” are only some of the hit singles that have put these power-pop pioneers on top one hundred billboard charts worldwide. Third Eye Blind has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and is regarded by most to be among the most influential pop artists of the past decade. Every year the Hofstra Concerts committee proves they know how to put on a show. This Spring Fest is sure to give next years’ Spring Fest a run for its money.