After two years without one, Iona finally has a headlining performer for Spring Weekend. Ryan Leslie will perform on Friday and BadVerb will open and close the show.

Senior Matt Harrigan, the chair of the Gaels Activities Board, explained his role in getting the concert format back.

“So, anyone who knows me knows that a close personal goal of mine as the GAB chair was to bring back a concert for Spring Weekend,” Harrigan said. “So, really, I guess it was my stubbornness and desire to keep promises that we ultimately chose to go with a concert.”

Previously, budget constraints prevented Iona from bringing in a performer, especially after Hurricane Sandy.

“The budget was directly affected by those circumstances and the unusually large budget cut across the board,” said Harrigan. “Needless to say, the things that happened last year did not happen this year, thus making this all possible.”

It seems that students are excited to see a performer back at Iona.

“Jason Derulo was probably the best Spring Weekend of my college life and I’m sure Ryan Leslie will be great too,” said senior Christina Colonna.

Not everyone is quite so thrilled.

“Well, I personally never heard of [Ryan Leslie and BadVerb], I’m not even sure I’m going to the concert because of that,” said junior Cassandra Lynagh.

However, lack of recognition may not be a deterrent for other Gaels.

“I’m going, but I’ve never heard of them,” said freshman Roseanne Lesser.

The performers were chosen through surveys conducted by GAB. First, they polled the Student Government Association legislature, who said their favorite genre was country.

“The first time we surveyed people was in front of the SGA legislature, and I really expected rap to be the #1 genre,” said Harrigan. “When the SGA legislature said that country was their favorite genre, ‘shocked’ wasn’t the correct word to describe my feelings.”

The GAB survey placed rap slightly higher, according to Harrigan.

“Those results were a bit closer to what we had expected than in SGA and in the campus wide survey everyone voted for rap,” he said.

The results of these surveys were used to chose Leslie and BadVerb. Along with rap, rock was also a top choice among the survey results. Leslie was seen as a good representation of both, with his rap and R&B mix.

“Ryan Leslie’s name came up as an idea and I was immediately sold because I’m a big fan of his and I had seen him in concert last July,” said Harrigan. “Ryan brings, essentially, a rock band to back him and the result is an awesome experience.”

BadVerb was decided on after GAB members heard them at the National Association of Campus Activities conference.

“They were more of an instant decision; once we heard them perform we knew that we had to find a way to incorporate them into the weekend,” said Harrigan. “It also didn’t hurt that the students had voted for EDM type music as their second choice, and BadVerb fits the bill.”

Also on the schedule for the weekend is Gael Jam on April 26, with a mix of student performers and two professional bands: Taylor Faith, a country singer, and 3 Shades of Blue, a Christian-rock group. Later that evening is the Gaels on the Runway Fashion Show, and on April 27, the annual Gael Guts competition will be held.