Bacchanal 2025: The Tinashe Takeover
Saturday, April 5th. Students were up bright and early for the day they’d all been waiting for: it was finally Bacchanal. After hours of planning and curating the perfect outfits, students trickled out of their dorms at around 10 a.m., excitedly waiting to pick up their wristbands. As they congregated in line, the excitement started building and the countdown to showtime was on.
After grabbing their wristbands, most students took the few hours before the show to get the energy going early—stopping by the frats, hyping up in dorm rooms, and blasting playlists featuring songs from every artist on the stacked Bacchanal 2025 lineup. However, some of the most devoted fans made their way straight to the pit when doors opened, staking out prime spots in front of the stage. With handmade signs for Ravyn Lenae and ponchos, they waited in the rain even as the show was delayed, but it was all worth it.
TheFleok, this year’s student opener, set the tone for the day with a performance that felt anything but amateur. Fronted by Leo Jergovic, the band commanded the stage with a magnetic presence that instantly captured the audience. Jergovic leapt across the stage one moment and sat down to serenade the audience the next. His infectious energy drew cheers with every movement. He connected with the crowd in a way that was both electric and intimate, making early arrivers feel like they were witnessing something special. By the end of their set, it was clear: TheFleok didn’t just open Bacchanal—they raised the bar.
There was no time for the energy to dip before George Clanton stepped up, delivering a trance-like, synth-heavy set that cast a dreamy haze over the wet lawns. With a booming bass and hypnotic synths, Clanton’s set felt like floating through a video game; and the crowd, ponchos and all, was fully along for the ride.
By the time Ravyn Lenae took the stage, the rain had died down, but the crowd’s energy surged. Fans screamed the lyrics to her viral hit “Love Me Not” and swayed along to her ethereal, R&B sound. Her voice cut clean through the weather and her stage presence was effortlessly cool. You could feel the love all the way back from the lawn—but especially from the fans in the front row who had been waiting all day, signs in hand. UK rapper Lancey Foux was scheduled to follow, but a last-minute cancellation left a gap in the lineup. Still, the crowd’s excitement never dipped.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: Tinashe. Cheers erupted as she lit up the stage with her backup dancers, launching straight into an explosive set that spanned old hits, newer tracks, and everything in between. Her energy was unmatched; flawless choreography, powerhouse vocals, and a sense of command that had the entire crowd moving. Whether you were singing in the pit or dancing from the lawns, it was impossible not to be swept up in it.
At a school not exactly known for its school spirit, Bacchanal 2025 provided something different. It was muddy, chaotic, a little soggy, but it brought everyone together. For one day, Columbia students were completely in sync. Dancing, screaming, celebrating: all under the same gray sky, brought together by infectious music.