Three student bands will open for Busta Rhymes at Spring Fling April 27 after receiving the most votes at Battle of the Bands Friday night. Program Board officials also confirmed a Wednesday Black Entertainment Television report that Busta Rhymes will play on campus.

The Alcove Kids, Nine Stories Up and Starsixnine won eight-band competition Friday in the Hippodrome. The majority fluctuated throughout the night, as supporters of each band stayed for only one performance and were replaced by fans of the next one.

Music ranged from Pirate-core to rock to punk as students enjoyed free bowling in the Hippodrome.

Each act performed for about 25 minutes, and the winners were determined by audience ballots. The vote was largely unregulated, and students filled out multiple forms with little supervision.

PB Concert Chair Josh Bhatti also confirmed that rap act Busta Rhymes will be headlining Spring Fling, to be held on H Street. The festival was moved from the Quad because it conflicts with Law School reading week. Busta Rhymes continues a trend of hip-hop acts brought to campus during the past two years, including Cypress Hill, the Roots and Redman.

“I like Busta, but I wanted a change from the rap music,” sophomore Naureen Hyder said.

While PB pursued rock acts like Jimmy Eat World, Alien Ant Farm and John Mayer for Spring Fling, Bhatti said he was unable to book a rock-style band.

“As a city school, we are competing with the 9:30 club and the MCI Center for rock acts. Most rock bands would rather play there,” Bhatti said.

He said those venues cater to rock bands’ acoustic needs. The Bloodhound Gang performed at GW at Spring Fling in 2000.

“Well, as long as (Busta) plays for more than 20 minutes and isn’t on all sorts of drugs, then it’s OK,” Junior Shari Cooperman said.

-Adina Matusow contributed to this report