Last year, the university presented the idea of Hollybash: a spring concert with a carnival-like feel. The hope was that the new event would attract students after its spiritual predecessor, Profstock, struggled to do during its final years.

To me, the idea sounded a little lame. I wouldn’t go to a carnival to see a band play, just like I wouldn’t go to the dentist to have an afternoon of fun. Based off of what I’ve heard, a lot of the students on campus agreed with me.

Now it seems that the people organizing the event were so focused on getting peoples’ attention that it looks like they missed the main issue. Maybe the reason students weren’t attracted was because the musical acts were terrible.

I’ll admit, this year I had some hope. There was a lot of good music released in the past year, so the options were almost unlimited. I really thought that maybe Rowan would be able to pull an artist I would like or at least someone I could dance to (or in my case, wiggle like an idiot to). So when the news came out that Rowan picked Mike Posner to headline Hollybash this year, I wasn’t mad because of the style of music he played.

I was mad because he just isn’t any good.

Yes, he was nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammys, but I don’t put much stock into that. I mean, Panic! At The Disco was nominated for Best Rock Album, and they haven’t been a real rock band since 2008.

Now, if this was a first time offense, I wouldn’t be writing this, but I’ve seen too many bad artists or acts that are past their prime come through Glassboro and I’ve only been here for two years. Most recently it was American Authors and their only-known song, “Best Day of My Life.”

Admittedly, I do not know the cost of bringing in an artist like Posner, but last semester the university was able to lure the great Tony Bennett for a show in December, so I wouldn’t think funds are an issue.

To be fair, to some of you Mike Posner might not be that bad of a get for Rowan. Maybe you also liked 3OH!3 and Lupe Fiasco in 2014, or Cash Cash, Aloe Blacc and We The Kings the year after that. You may have been in the minority and known more than one American Authors song. If that’s the case, I’m sure you’ve loved the artists that Rowan has brought to Glassboro.

That is until you find out that Stockton is having Ke$ha perform this year and that TCNJ already had acts like Bleachers, Modern Baseball, Waka Flocka and Matt and Kim come to their school in the past year.

Compared to us, that list looks like a Coachella lineup.

I’m not asking the Office of Student Activities or Student University Programmers to book an act like Foo Fighters or Beyonce. I’m not even asking for a big-name newcomer like The Chainsmokers or, according to the Grammys, Chance the Rapper.

But would it kill someone to poll the students to see who they want to see perform? I mean, if the goal is to attract students and get an actual audience, you might want to appeal to them with good music and a great atmosphere. Ditch the carnival stuff and use the money from that to get someone that students actually want.

So with that being said, we can start planning for next year. Does anyone know what Sugar Ray is up to?

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