“I think Banks is coming to FEST this year.”

“It’s got to be Migos for After Hours.”

“Meek Mill for sure.”

Sitting alongside a wall outside Lincoln Hall, dozens of DePaul students anticipated the big reveal of this year’s FEST headliner. Whispers and murmurs almost turned into full-blown arguments over the announcement at some points.

“What if it was a Michael Jackson hologram?”

As they slowly trickled into the venue, eager fans marked their territory stage front so as not to miss a moment during Battle, the annual competition between student bands and DJs. Hosted by the DePaul Activities Board (DAB), the winning band will receive the opportunity to open for FEST while the winning DJ receives the opportunity to open for After Hours.

Unlike Battle events in the past, this was the first year that the competition and reveal of the FEST lineup had been held off campus. In addition, DAB created the VIP FEST experience where one lucky audience member at Battle could win five free FEST tickets along with special seating and food on the patio of University Hall during the concert.

“This event happens every year, so we have to have some fun with it,” Adriana Henriquez, this year’s FEST coordinator, said. “This is also the 30th year of FEST, so we really wanted to step it up. People can expect a lively performance from all of the bands and DJs here tonight.”

Five student bands preformed at Battle, including Life Cycles, Basswave Masquerade, The Fevertones, Pariedolia and Scout Ripley. In between sets, the DJs took control of the dance floor with Annox, DJ Dembek, Youth Frenzy and KI each having a spin at the turntables.

Life Cycles kicked the show off promptly at 7 p.m. Though the audience was small enough to barely fill half the floor, they were excited nonetheless. Friends of the student band screamed in excitement as they watched their buddies perform a four-song set. Closing with “Alone,” a song reminiscent of “Here (In Your Arms)” by Hellogoodbye, Life Cycles set the bar pretty high for the rest of the bands left to perform.

Next up was Basswave Masquerade, which demonstrated more of a folk-like sound. They also had a lot of supporters in the crowd who instantly took to Snapchat as soon as the band hit the stage. Despite a couple off-rhythm guitar riffs and awkward pauses, Basswave Masquerade’s performance got a roaring applause from the audience.

By now, the seemingly empty venue became packed as more students arrived to see the latter half of the event. One of those students, Marcus Rivers, rushed to Lincoln Hall after class to get a glimpse of the performers and witness the big reveal.

“I have no clue who it could be,” Rivers, a freshman, said. “This is my first FEST so I’m just excited for the experience. I’m just worried that I might not be able to get a ticket.”

The Fevertones graced the staged next. The smaller band started a full-on dance party with their upbeat songs and catchy choruses. Excited fans unleashed their wildest dance moves and glow sticks, turning away from the stage to face each other. Pariedolia, the next act, continued the rave with psychedelic visuals and high energy.

Scout Ripley closed out the night with a particularly interesting performance. The four-person band turned the raging dance party into a more intimate, calm setting. Lead singer Claire Watkins played her violin stage front, recording sections on her MacBook and then looping the playback on speakers to create a grand orchestral sound. With a stellar performance, Scout Ripley received the loudest, most ear-splitting applause of the night.

After all the bands and DJs performed, audience members voted for their favorite acts using color-coded tickets. Scout Ripley was announced as the winning band and KI was announced as the winning DJ. Afterwards, the reveal of the FEST lineup took place in the form of a video that had everyone on their toes.

Miranda Summerhill, freshman, was extremely pleased with the announcement.

“I’m so excited to see Big Sean,” Summerhill said. “I can’t believe he’s coming here, he’s such a huge rapper. If this is only my first FEST, I can’t imagine the other performers they will have in the future.”