Marquette announced Aug. 27 that The All-American Rejects will be headlining the Rock the Mall Concert during Homecoming Week.
Homecoming, a retired tradition that Marquette brought back two years ago, features a wide variety of events for students and alumni. The week is packed full of sporting events, competitions, games and opportunities, but the most anticipated event is the Rock the Mall concert, when an artist comes to perform in Central Mall.
The All-American Rejects, an Oklahoma-based band, is best known for its 2000s hits “Gives You Hell,” “Dirty Little Secret,” and “Move Along.” Since those songs were released a decade ago, the band had not seen a chart breaker until their 2017 single “Sweat,” which reached 29 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.
Since the announcement last week, students have given a mix of responses.
Molly O’Neill, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said she has high hopes for the upcoming concert.
“I’m super excited. The All-American Rejects are on my All Time Favorites playlist on Spotify. I think they’ll be better than Fitz and the Tantrums,” O’Neill said.
However, some other students felt differently about the concert news.
Caroline Seski, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, described her reaction by playing on one of the band’s most popular songs.
“It gives me hell,” she said.
Despite the fact that, like many students, Seski is familiar with the once-popular music of The All-American Rejects, she did not show enthusiasm for the concert lineup.
“They just aren’t really that good of a throwback,” she said.
Jesse Mann, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, agreed. But while not particularly excited about the artist choice, Mann said he was curious how the concert would go.
“The All-American Rejects have three good songs and no one knows any others,” he said. “So it should be an interesting concert.”
In years past, Rachel Platten, American Authors, AJR, and Fitz and the Tantrums all performed during Homecoming weekend and, as the Wire has previously reported, performed well despite initial hesitation from students.
Jennilee Schlinsky, the engagement director, has been in charge of Homecoming plans for the past two years and indicated her eagerness for the upcoming concert.
“We have been excited to see the response to the Rock the Mall concert announcement. The artist selection process is long and sometimes arduous and we are so grateful for the student input we have received through surveys and the guidance of the Homecoming Student Steering Committee,” Schlinsky said in an email.
The Rock the Mall Concert will be held Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is free to students, but pre-registration is required, as tickets are limited.
