University of Minnesota: Beware of Tear Gas and Street Fires

By: Gina Reis (University of Minnesota)

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Spring concerts and festivals at universities and colleges all across the nation mark the end of the school year and the beginning of delightful weather, with an excess of innocent games and prizes.  University of Minnesota students like to turn it up a notch.  Winning carnival games and jumping in the bouncy castle wasn’t enough for us Gophers in 2009.  No, no—last year, it was bye bye Mr. Minnesota Nice Guy.


Spring Jam, University of Minnesota’s annual week of games, contests, performances and concerts, seemed innocent enough.  The theme was even “Rockin’ the Playground”, an attempted reminiscence of our childhood days (while ironically getting schwasted).  Yet it quickly went from battle of the bands to battle of the fans when Talib Kweli, the scheduled headliner of the festival, was a no-show.  Riots broke out in Dinky town, a heavily populated university area, partially as result of the cancellation, and partially from one too many keg stands.  These riots were insane.  Fires were set, cars were toppled over and students were rampaging through the streets.  Several blocks of Dinkytown morphed into war zones.  Police turned into soldiers, manning the battleground by setting off tear gas and foam bullets.  12 students were arrested.  I mean, really?  We’re so upset over some random hip hip singer no-show that we have to start WWIII? Man, imagine if it was someone we actually cared about, like Justin Bieber (joke, he was probs still in a Canadian elementary school last year).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4IrUM1x_FU[/youtube]

Spring Jam 2010 starts April 22, and as result of last year’s incident, is no longer celebrated for six days, but three.  Darnit, now we only have three days to excuse our end-of-the-year procrastination.  And be careful; police are coming out in full force and are eager to catch the suspicious underclassman stumbling down University Avenue, to breathalyze and regulate all the crazy drunk college kids.  I myself have never been to Spring Jam—being a mid-year sophomore transfer, I’ve only really had one chance prior to this year to experience it.  I was witness to the lines of police cars and heard drones of the sirens from my apartment last year.  Perhaps I’ll go this year, or perhaps I’ll be trapped in my room, pulling my hair out in attempt to finish my mountain of final projects and papers (probably the latter, sadly).

This year’s events sound fun enough—comedian Josh Blue, winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, is to perform on Thursday, as well as Cloud Cult, a local ‘experimental indie rock band’ (as told by Wikipedia).  Friday offers a plethora of activities you probably did at your 8th birthday party: airbrush tattoos, inflatable games and an outdoor showing of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It”. Ok, hopefully nothing regarding Michael Jackson was at your 8th birthday party.  I would be concerned if that were so.  Saturday will wrap up the festivities with a band competition, open mic, and a concert featuring Gym Class Heroes.  Ok, definitely a step-up from Talib Kweli, I suppose (considering I know at least one song of theirs).

When asking other people if they’ve gone to Spring Jam and how they feel about it, no one jumped out of their chairs in excitement to rave about the festivities.  I’m sure it is fun, but I personally feel like I have way too much to do and have no time to go get a dolphin airbrushed onto my ankle.  If it is actually nice out (day-to-day weather lately is very temperamental), and I can no longer muster up the energy and dedication to my homework (which probably will be true), then hopefully I’ll make it to an event this year.  At a time when professors are piling everything on us, the university is asking me to cease my studies and play outside.  I guess my schoolwork can wait for another day (meaning day before due date? Yes.)

For more information on Spring Jam and for a complete list of activities, visit http://www.springjam.umn.edu/.

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