In need of a headlining act

Most college students would agree that music plays an integral role in their everyday life. I would lose count if I tried to record the number of people I see listening to iPods while walking through campus.

There has not been a major concert here at Seton Hall University since All- American Rejects rocked the field house in the fall semester of 2006.

Previously, alternative rock band Third Eye Blind played on campus for the Hall's sesquicentennial birthday bash in 2005. Since then, we have yet to have a major recording artist perform a concert at Seton Hall. Finding a band that will perform here and not disrespect the school's Catholic mission is not too difficult. If a band performs on campus they must follow university guidelines and avoid obscenities in lyrics and act appropriate while performing.

Third Eye Blind and All-American Rejects followed that, as do many other current bands. Two years ago, rapper Lupe Fiasco was set to play on campus, but due to the lyrics in his songs he was not permitted to. Fiasco is a rapper known for his positive messages through his songs, but his lyrics were deemed too inappropriate.

Monmouth University has booked alternative jam band O.A.R. to play for students on Nov. 8 at their Multipurpose Activity Center and pop rock band Maroon 5 will be entertaining the University of Delaware on Nov. 16.

Most notably, fellow Catholic university Sacred Heart had The Fray perform for their students last night. If other college students get to have bands take over their campus, why not us?

Seton Hall is a very well-known catholic university, and if we really wanted to, I believe we would be able to pull in some great mainstream bands to play on campus. Money is always an issue, but it is not like bands have never played here before, we now just resort to having unsigned local bands on campus.

It is also interesting that Seton Hall's radio station, WSOU, has such a heavy influence on certain genres of music. Bands would feel privileged to perform on the campus that houses the fifth best rock station in the nation, according to Rolling Stone Magazine.

What it comes down to is that college students pay good money for a Seton Hall education and it would be nice to have a concert on campus. A concert here on campus would help unite the student body.

When the All-American Rejects performed, Seton Hall students packed the field house to rock out with the band. Music brings people together, which explains why so many other colleges try so hard to book bands to play on campus.

This goes back to the fact that most students truly do value music. Universities everywhere treat their students and get bands popular amongst the undergraduate age group, and Seton Hall should be no exception.

Nicholas Parco is a sophomore journalism and public relations major from Hazlet, NJ. He can be reached at nicholas.parco@student.shu.edu.