Concerts Committee to host Springfest at Memorial Coliseum


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Students will be able to bring two guests to the event. However,
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is collaborating with USC Concerts Committee to expand Springfest. The event will include a separate stage for invited artists and student talent. (Vincent Leo / Daily Trojan)

USC Concerts Committee is relocating Springfest to the United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this year. The event, which has previously been held at McCarthy Quad, will take place March 28. 

Since 2017, Concerts Committee and Coliseum officials have been working on this venue change to expand the immersive festival experience, especially with attendance growing each year. 

“The whole notion of starting it there really just stemmed from quickly outgrowing McCarthy Quad and outgrowing the capacity issue and outgrowing guest tickets and outgrowing all these things that prohibit us from putting on the best quality event that we want to,” said Chris Begler, co-director of the committee. 

Springfest, an annual arts and music campus event open to USC students since the 1990s, is hosted by a completely student-run organization that in the past has featured headliners such as Diplo, Tyga, 2 Chainz, Portugal, The Man and Capital Cities. The event, which has featured booths from AT&T, Apple Pay, Shein and local L.A. food vendors, has dealt with issues stemming from overcrowding.

The venue exceeded capacity in 2017, leading to trampling, a student’s hospitalization and the involvement of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Springfest was canceled and the headliner Rae Sremmurd did not perform. 

Since then, Concerts Committee has been working toward improving safety measures while also improving the talent and experience for students, according to Begler and co-director of Concerts Committee Leila Kashfi. With resources provided by the Coliseum, the committee will be able to provide a much safer, risk-managed space to students, assistant director of Concerts Committee Sean Lewow said. 

“It’s really on a whole other caliber of event now at this point — it’s not just a show on the Quad,” Kashfi said. “It really is something that’s happening at a stadium where the Olympics have been held, where all of our football games are [held]. It’s part of USC tradition.” 

Begler and Kashfi said the Coliseum team supported featuring Springfest at the stadium. The venue recently hosted a portion of the music festival Rolling Loud and has expressed interest in organizing other programs to increase attendance both from USC students and L.A. residents. 

“We’re really grateful that the Coliseum is working with us and really accommodating all of our needs to make this happen as seamlessly as possible for our first time that the event is happening there,” Kashfi said. 

Concerts Committee said it has also been working toward implementing guest ticketing, better transportation and additional student activities to make the concert a higher quality experience. 

The committee is hoping to extend free Lyft hours for the duration of Springfest, as well as provide shuttles to and from the stadium and campus to make it as efficient as possible for students to attend the event. While a specific transportation plan has not been confirmed, the committee is working directly with USC to make sure as many students as possible have convenient access to Springfest. 

“Regardless, it’s going to be worth the 12-minute walk,” Kashfi said. “Once you’re there, you’ll want to stay there the whole time.”

Additionally, students will be able to purchase up to two guest tickets to bring their non-USC friends to the festival, since capacity is projected to increase because of the larger venue. Previously, Springfest has accommodated 10,000 people, with an average of 7,000 students passing through McCarthy Quad each year. Prices have not yet been announced but updates are projected to come out in mid-February. Begler and Kashfi said guest tickets pricing has not been finalized but expect it to be reasonably priced.

“We’re still figuring out a number, but it’s not going to be $50,” Begler said. “It’ll be affordable. You’ll get bang for your buck.”

Students will also be able to watch their USC friends perform on an additional stage reserved for student talent performances. Kashfi said the smaller stage will provide a more backyard-style vibe, giving attendees a more direct experience with the music and artists.