Spring-A-Ling is an electronic music festival that has happened every year for the last eight years. This year, we are looking forward to an installment that will outshine the past eight years in talent, overall experience, student involvement, and benefit to the Macalester community and the community as a whole. We are once again working with Woody McBride, a widely renowned DJ and promoter who has been involved with Spring-A-Ling since its inception. Together we have booked some of the most important DJs in this country. Dara is the founder of Breakbeat Science records and is viewed by many to be the most important figure in the current U.S. Drum n' Bass scene. T-1000 is our other big-name headliner, and is generally credited with single-handedly inventing Detroit techno. We are very excited to be working with both of these artists, both for the musical experience that they will bring to the campus and for the credibility they will establish for Macalester as an artistic venue. It is safe to say that no one of this caliber in the electronic music world has ever performed on the Macalester campus, and the reputation that hosting these artists will bring to us as a community performance space will be invaluable.
The event will take place on the Kagin lawn during the afternoon (5:00 PM to 9:00 PM) and will move into the Alexander G. Hill Ballroom during the evening, leaving the lawn as a space where relaxed music will be played and where dancers can take a break. Vendors from local business will be encouraged to set up stalls on the lawn, allowing them to gain both publicity and sales from the event. The afternoon component will be free, but a moderate entry fee will be charged to enter the ballroom for non-students. This fee will be low, however, and will not detract from Spring-A-Ling's commitment to benefiting the community. The evening component will continue until 2:00 AM on the 16th, after which Woody McBride has arranged for a late-night load out crew to dismantle and take down the extensive lighting & decoration equipment. This equipment is being provided and manned by Magic Lantern, a company famous for providing lightshows and touring with the likes of the Who and the Grateful Dead. Security will be more than adequate during both components.