flashback friday: spring sing-ing 2000

Each Spring, UCLA puts on an epic all-campus talent show known simply as “Spring Sing.” It’s held in the outdoor tennis arena (the Los Angeles Tennis Center) on a usually warm Spring night in early May, and it’s really one of the highlights of that quarter in the midst of Spring quarter midterms. The history of the event is filled with memories of campus Greeks singing in a competition at the Hollywood Bowl, but now the modern incarnation is really just a fun talent-filled night of students showing their best and some silly skits mocking campus and the other campus across town. There are even celebrity guest judges (shout out to the eternally awesome judges like Mr. Belding and Rudy) and impromptu performances by the recipient of the George & Ira Gershwin award (hello Stevie Wonder in 2002)!

While I was an undergraduate student, the only recent historical success story of a former participant was that of Chris Hardwick (you know — host of that awesome MTV show Singled Out). But that all changed during my sophomore year. That’s when an epic battle was pitted against my friend Shalini’s roommate and this band of boys who called themselves Kara’s Flowers.

First up the lead singer and other people… competing in the “band” category…Kara’s Flowers…

… and then Shalini’s roommate… competing in the “solo” category…

When the award to “best band” when to a group that parodied Copa Cobana, I thought that Kara’s Flowers had totally wrapped up the Grand Sweepstakes prize. I didn’t say anything aloud, however, since I was sitting with Shalini and I figured she’d hit me after all of the practice hours she’d endured for her roomie’s performance.

But alas, along with winning the solo category award, Shalini’s roomie also took home the Grand Sweepstake prize that year. Sara Bareilles went on to win again in 2002 and 2003… pretty much becoming a legend of Spring Sing lore long before her first single came out. And then again, Kara’s Flowers had a pretty awesome year in 2002 as well when they changed their name to Maroon 5.

And after that… Spring Sing has just never quite been the same…