WBMB, the radio club at Baruch College, hosted its annual Spring Fling concert on April 30 at the Gramercy Theater in Manhattan. The event drew more than 400 attendees for a night of live music featuring DJ Marcos, Kemmii and Lexa Gates.
The club has been a part of Baruch since 1985. Spring Fling dates back to roughly 50 years, when it was held as an outdoor event on Baruch’s Clivner=Field Plaza before moving to the Gramercy Theater last year.
Justin Calzado, a junior majoring in corporate communications and the club’s general manager, said the work is long but meaningful.
“We planned this starting as soon as we came back in September, all the way till now,” Calzado told The Ticker. “I personally feel very fulfilled doing this kind of stuff.”
Kayla Manzano-Guevara, an accounting major and the club’s vice president, said the team built on lessons from the year before.
“We both had a couple of experiences from last year, so we were able to take that and make it into something even better,” she said.
Alex Fernandez, a sophomore majoring in music management and the club’s secretary, described the planning process.
“It takes the entire semester, the entire summer, and winter,” he said. “This is the stuff that really gives me meaning. I want to work in the industry in the future.”
The excitement among the attendees was clear before the first act took the stage. Sari Sandoval, a junior majoring in business communications, said she was looking forward to the full lineup.
“I am very happy, excited. I am looking forward to seeing DJ Marcos, Lexa Gates and Cami,” she said. Cynthia Li, a freshman majoring in accounting called it a milestone moment.
“It is my first year at Baruch and it is like a big event – I am so happy to come,” she said.
Amanda Alencastro, a sophomore majoring in music management who transferred to Baruch this year, said, “This is the first spring fling I have been to. I am excited to see everything that’s in store.”
DJ Marcos opened the show. A Venezuelan-born artist who grew up in Queens, NY and began his career at 16, he set the tone for the night with a high-energy set that warmed the crowd.
Following him, Kemmii, also known as “Butch queen from Brooklyn.” The Brooklyn native has performed at Gramercy Theater before.
He took the stage with a fitted white top, dark jeans and an ornate jeweled belt that caught the light. His high energy and direct audience interaction kept the crowd engaged throughout his performance.
Lexa Gates closed out the night. Born and raised in Queens, Gates is a singer, songwriter, rapper and producer who crafts her music in her own DIY basement studio.
She is known for blending hip hop with alternative R&B. Her performance of “Rest Of My Life” drew a strong reaction from the crowd. With Gramercy Theater nearly at capacity, this year’s Spring Fling reflected years of work and growth.
As Fernandez said, the team was already looking ahead before the night was even over. “It should be like 9:20 pm and we are already thinking about next year,” he said.
