Despite a spell of torrential rain, Techfest 2025 proved to be a hit this Saturday, drawing crowds of students for an evening of student performances, food, and time with friends. The event proudly hosted rock indie act Dayglow, who followed shows from the three winners of last month’s Battle of the Bands between student music groups.
Crews began setting up early on Saturday morning, and many students lined up in advance of the official start time. Doors opened at 5 p.m., and attendees were given two tickets for free food and a wristband for entry. There were various events set up including food trucks, giveaways, and lots of music. The first event was the Duck Market, which featured a photo wall, student vendors, and gift baskets. The tent was right next to the main stage, so if the music got too loud inside, it was easy to step out and enjoy some of the other activities.
Although a rainstorm quickly moved in a couple of hours into the event, it wasn’t enough to ruin the event, as Techfest was planned for “rain or shine.” While Techfest was a Stevens event, it felt like a regular music festival. The tent set up on River Lot featured built-in lights and a professional soundboard and stage. There was a security team at the festival, and students were informed to keep their bags clear upon entry to the festival. The event was exclusive to Stevens attendees, however, which made the evening feel like a campus community celebration.
Determining the Techfest student openers was a long process, the centerpiece of which was the Battle of the Bands, in which multiple Stevens bands competed for the spot to open for the festival this year. This year’s three openers, in order, were 10:35, The Ticklemonsters, and Abby Grace. Grace put on a show featuring originals and covers with a folk-pop sound, and encouraged the audience to sing along and show their enthusiasm for the event. Grace’s musical identity was a great addition to the festival and complemented Dayglow well. The student openers also had the opportunity to meet Dayglow.
As Dayglow’s set began at around 8 p.m., the tent started to fill up with students who had lined up to see the set. Beach balls were passed around to students as they entered. Lead singer and guitarist, Sloane Struble, mentioned that this was the band’s first show in New Jersey, making Stevens the band’s first experience in the state. The band played a lot of new material for the crowd along with their hits “Can I Call You Tonight” and “Hot Rod.” Students jumped, danced, and flung beach balls around the tent as blue lighting filled the room. The rain stopped, and it was a beautiful evening on campus, with the festival wrapping up by 9:15 p.m.
The Stevens community thanks the Entertainment Committee and the Office of Undergraduate Student Life for putting the event together, along with the Audio Engineering club, the Stevens Underground Music Awareness Committee (SUMAC), and WCPR Castle Point Radio for putting together Battle of the Bands. Stevens also appreciates all the student bands for the hard work this year and for welcoming Dayglow to Hoboken. Techfest is a perfect event to appreciate all the talent at Stevens. The festival was a success and a product of excellent planning by our own students and faculty. Amazing work was done by all the Stevens volunteers, bands, and attendees for a great day.
