Temperatures have reached above 18 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words: spring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with Slightly Stoopid, Wale and the Goo Goo Dolls at the Spring Concert on Sunday, April 13th at the Mullins Center. Whether you already have your ticket or if you are still contemplating the purchase, here is a bit of background on the three artists.

Slightly Stoopid:

Formed in 1995 by childhood friends, Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald in San Diego, California, the duo was discovered by Sublime frontman, Bradley Nowell and was signed to Skunk Records. The duo grew to eight and released 10 albums since their formation and they now have their own label, Stoopid Records. Slightly Stoopid’s music is a fusion of reggae, hip-hop and rock. “2am” off their Chronchitis album, has a mellow-Jazz infused beat while “Round the World” has a catchy chorus of “you girl, you, yeah, you girl, yeah, yeah’s.” “Open Road,” off of their 2005 album, Closer to the Sun, shies away from their usual Reggae and Hip-Hop jams and ends the album with an Alt-Rock twist with guitars and a heavier drum beat. Their most recent album, Top of the World, features collaborations and well-crafted grooves. Slightly Stoopid encapsulates the summer time vibe we need after all that snow.

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Wale:

The D.C. rapper stepped onto the scene with his hit, “Dig Dug (Shake It)” which earned him local fame. He caught the attention of music producer, Mark Ronson in 2006. Two years later, Wale was signed to Interscope Records and released his debut album, Attention Deficit in 2009. The album features “Pretty Girls,” “90210,” and “Chillin’” featuring Mother Monster, Lady Gaga. Since Attention Deficit, Wale has released three studio albums. His recent album The Gifted was released last summer and went to number one on the Billboard Charts. The Gifted has numerous guests like Sam Dew, Meek Mill, CeeLo Green, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz and Nicki Minaj. “LoveHate Thing (feat. Sam Dew)” uses a Marvin Gaye sample, giving the track a slinky vibe, while “Bricks (feat. Yo Gotti &Lyfe Jennings)” flaunts Wale’s rhymes. With his wit and swift tact to execute a rhyme, Wale’s enthusiasm as a rapper is perfect for the bill.

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The Goo Goo Dolls:

The rock trio emerged in the late 1980’s, but their first step onto the mainstream started with the album, A Boy Named Goo, back in 1995. Singer and guitarist, John Rzeznik, has a unique voice, which is somewhat throaty in songs like “Long Way Down” and “Only One,” that was fitting for the post-Nirvana era. Bassist, Robby Takac contributes his less abrasive vocals to balance out Rzeznik’s wails. A Boy Named Goo has the popular, “Name,” but 1998’s album Dizzy Up The Girl skyrocketed the band to success. Memorable tracks such as the upbeat “Slide,” “Broadway” and the underrated “Hate This Place,” are fun to sing and shout along to. But it was the melancholy “Iris” that was the catalyst to the band’s success. “Iris” is featured on the “City of Angels” soundtrack and peaked the Billboard chart. Dizzy Up The Girl is the band’s most successful album going triple-platinum. The trio released multiple albums since then like Gutterflower, Let Love In and 2013’s Magnetic, which has more melodic songs like “Come to Me” and “Slow it Down.” Lets keep our fingers crossed in hopes that our nostalgic craving for 90s music will be rewarded with tracks like “Slide,” “Name,” “Broadway,” and of course, “Iris” at the Spring Concert.

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Nathalie Sczublewski can be contacted at: [email protected]