Spring Playback 2025: A Step Forward for the Future of Music Business Student Union

On May 3, Music Business Student Union (MBSU) held the second annual Spring Playback indie music festival, featuring four student organizations performing on the Mall for the Elmhurst community. These groups included The Lake Point Players, Speedbump, The Orchids, and the headliner Holden Meier & The Boys. Along with live performances, several student clubs and organizations had tables set up at the event to give out goodies and promote their clubs. This included Cru, Jaylightz Hip-Hop Dance Team, and the EU Interfraternity Council.

From covers of hit songs like “Love Shack” by the B-52’s, to “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett, to original songs from the bands, music echoed throughout the Mall in front of a joyful live audience. Students, faculty, staff, and the broader Elmhurst community gathered with lawn chairs and picnic blankets to take to the grass and watch the show. During a cover of The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout,” a senior couple was seen getting up from their chairs and dancing in front of the stage.

Senior Music Business major and President of MBSU, Cassadie Comiskey, served as Festival Director for Spring Playback. She explained that while the process of Spring Playback 2025 actually started with last year’s production, the team hit the ground running as soon as the fall semester began. Knowing what went well and what could be improved from Spring Playback 2024, brainstorming, reserving dates and spaces, and finding bands began months before this year’s festival.

“We start brainstorming what type of bands we might like, possible sponsorships, talking with event services and facilities, type of partnerships we could do, and also with other organizations on campus.” Comiskey described the groundwork for the event. “And then we move more into the audition phase, where we put out a general flyer for any local bands, Elmhurst bands that might be wanting to come play.”

Director of Elmhurst University’s Music Business Program John Towner described himself as the consultant. He explained that the students did the organizational work of securing bands, setting up lights and sound, as well as even forming their own small music promotion company. However, he served as a figure students could turn to for suggestions and guidance. Comisky and Towner had weekly meetings to coordinate the event and ensure planning was on track for the May 3rd show.

“It’s so cool to see it come to fruition, because this is something we brainstormed my first year, and the first time we did it was last year. This is the first year we finally got to see the whole vision come to life, thankfully for the weather.” Comiskey explained. Spring Playback 2024 was relocated to the West Gym in Faganel Hall due to rainy conditions.

“This is the first year we’ve been able to do it outdoors. So, I think that makes a huge difference.” Towner stated, “Two days ago, we were ready to go in because it was supposed to rain today. And just the whole energy and everything is so much different when we can be outdoors.”

MBSU also hosts Elmhurst Unplugged, a smaller-scale event held in Founders Lounge during the fall semester. However, Spring Playback is the biggest event of the year for MBSU and an event that has been in development for several years.

Comiskey noted how conversations regarding Spring Playback dated all the way back to 2021 when she was a freshman, but the event’s inaugural year was 2024. Comiskey noted that alumni were another source of help for the event execution.

“We were very lucky to have some alumni who we were able to talk to, because they’ve tried to do things like this in the past, but just never came to fruition. We were very lucky that we could reach out to them for advice as well.”

When looking to the future, Comiskey and Towner are hopeful that the event will continue to grow. One big goal for the future is to secure more well-known bands outside of the Elmhurst University community and gain more funding for future Spring Playbacks.

When asked how he would describe Spring Playback 2025 in just one word, Towner simply said “success.” Ending the year on a high note, MBSU will head into the summer knowing that Spring Playback 2025 was a hit and will look to how they can further improve for Spring Playback 2026.