MU Homecoming concert @ Fiserv Saturday

[mu_hilltopper]

Last year we went to my wife's reunion and did the Homecoming concert that was on the Central Mall.


It was a nice show, maybe 5000 people, although that's a wild guess.  Maybe half students, half alumni.   I recall thinking .. this would be a doable concert to bring kids to.


Fast forward .. the homecoming concert this year is this Saturday at the Fiserv.


Anyone have an idea .. if there's ~5000 people?  How will they stage the Fiserv with that few people, maybe stick the stage facing an end-zone?


Anyhow .. we've got the free tickets and are intending to bring our kids.  Should be an easy concert for them to see, not too insane.

[JWags85]

Didn't realize they got Alessia Cara.  T-Pain and Alessia Cara in back to back nights is some quality grabs by Marquette event planning.

[Billy Hoyle]

Didn't realize they got Alessia Cara.  T-Pain and Alessia Cara in back to back nights is some quality grabs by Marquette event planning.

as an alumnus having graduated over 20 years ago am I supposed to know who these people are?

[JWags85]

as an alumnus having graduated over 20 years ago am I supposed to know who these people are?

Sorry they couldn't get get New Kids on the Block and Natalie Merchant to appeal to your sensibilities.

Seriously, its perfectly fine to not stay up to date with current popular music, but constantly needing to drop in with "Who the hell are these people" in a discussion of concerts aimed to appeal to people 20 years younger than you is beyond tired and lame.  Stick to State Fair lineups to chase the music of yesteryear.

[THRILLHO]

Sorry they couldn't get get New Kids on the Block and Natalie Merchant to appeal to your sensibilities.

Seriously, its perfectly fine to not stay up to date with current popular music, but constantly needing to drop in with "Who the hell are these people" in a discussion of concerts to appeal to people 20 years younger than you is beyond tired and lame.  Stick to State Fair lineups to chase the music of yesteryear.

Everyone after Bach was garbage!

[Galway Eagle]

Everyone after Bach was garbage!

I stopped listening when it got past banging mammoth thighs on the rib cage and cave walls while grunting

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Sorry they couldn't get get New Kids on the Block and Natalie Merchant to appeal to your sensibilities.

Seriously, its perfectly fine to not stay up to date with current popular music, but constantly needing to drop in with "Who the hell are these people" in a discussion of concerts aimed to appeal to people 20 years younger than you is beyond tired and lame.  Stick to State Fair lineups to chase the music of yesteryear.

Shouldnt a homecoming concert cater to older people?  The "state fair" crowd?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Shouldnt a homecoming concert cater to older people?  The "state fair" crowd?

I think it depends what exactly they are trying to do with homecoming. My guess is that it is geared to younger alumni and students.

[4everwarriors]

Sew, da Mamas and Papas den, hey?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Sew, da Mamas and Papas den, hey?

Only one Mama left. 

[T-Bone]

So, I don't get the fevo tickets.  I got an email that says I need the Bucks app, creating another account, and all the links in the message are bad.

I thought there would be a will call table, but I never received an email confirming I registered until this fevo email.

Lovelytheband is terrible. ND terrible.

[Warrior Code]

I stopped listening when it got past banging mammoth thighs on the rib cage and cave walls while grunting

But only their early stuff

[Galway Eagle]

But only their early stuff

The later stuff is so derivative.

[jsglow]

I'm not going to say more but I think they missed the mark this year.  It's not so much about any individual artist.  It's about having a broad enough appeal to interest a wide audience demographic at Homecoming/Reunion.

I will say that they finally took my advice about an indoor venue after flirting with very questionable weather the last couple years.  Two years ago it was an absolute deluge at 5p.  That almost wiped out a big ticket event.  Outdoors in October is playing with fire given the dollars in play. 

All in all the concert series has been a big success with outstanding artists that have truly appreciated and respected their Marquette opportunity.  This idea may have hatched some years back when the Class of '88 organized (mostly on their own) a BoDeans performance at the Varsity that was very well attended for what was their 25th.

[JWags85]

I'm not going to say more but I think they missed the mark this year.  It's not so much about any individual artist.  It's about having a broad enough appeal to interest a wide audience demographic at Homecoming/Reunion.

I'm not being combative cause your take is reasonable, but who would you suggest?  Alessia Cara has had 4-5 top 20 singles so shes well known and popular with anyone up to date with music/radio, has a very healthy younger (sub 18) following due to her age and the fact that she did the single from Moana, so the option for parents to bring kids is there.  And shes modern and contemporary, so that ticks the current students and recent grads box.

Someone like the BoDeans says "this is for our 40+ crowd".  Like it or not, your best chance with these things is to target the younger students/alumni crowd, and hope you gather enough of the older alumni that keep up with recent music

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yeah I think that nails what they are thinking Wags. They want a younger crowd bringing energy to the event and not a bunch of older people (like myself) who would be nice and sensible listening to "Closer to Free" for the 800th time.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'm good with the bands.  I've heard their songs.  My son likes a few of the "lovelytheband" tunes, so when they were announced, we knew he'd like going.

Look .. MU is not going to book Tier 1 talent, it's way too expensive.   So you can either get current Tier 2 .. or a 10+ year old band that aged well, but doesn't interest the under 25 set so much.

It's fine.

[jsglow]

JWags, you may be right.  I agree with you that they have made the decision to skew to a young demographic.  I'm not questioning her talent or accomplishments.  I had thought they hit a pretty perfect sweet spot last year with AAR.  I will tell you that Reunion Committees (I'm on mine) are not part of the selection process although we do get advance notice prior to the public announcement.   We'll see how attendance is this year.  More power to them if it works.

[dgies9156]

So, is anyone going this weekend?

[Galway Eagle]

Should've paid the black keys and modest mouse to stick in MKE an extra night and play a show for MU.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So how has the reunion weekend switch from July to October going?  I think that determines the band (young or old) choice. 

My last reunion year was I think the last July event and people were just doing their own thing. The offsite class party was embarrassing. Saturday night had a multi-class open-air party with a band outside the Union...right after the afternoon block party.  It felt like two of the same.

I like the new effort but don't like the timing.  But I think it works better overall as the most attended classes are the most recent.  And you can combine with the current students.

Let's face it, us old farts just want to go to Caff's and attempt to reclaim past glory at the pool table anyway, eating stale popcorn and swilling some Cow.

[BM1090]

as an alumnus having graduated over 20 years ago am I supposed to know who these people are?

T-Pain was at his peak 10+ years ago now, so you should probably know who he is.

[jsglow]

So how has the reunion weekend switch from July to October going?  I think that determines the band (young or old) choice. 

My last reunion year was I think the last July event and people were just doing their own thing. The offsite class party was embarrassing. Saturday night had a multi-class open-air party with a band outside the Union...right after the afternoon block party.  It felt like two of the same.

I like the new effort but don't like the timing.  But I think it works better overall as the most attended classes are the most recent.  And you can combine with the current students.

Let's face it, us old farts just want to go to Caff's and attempt to reclaim past glory at the pool table anyway, eating stale popcorn and swilling some Cow.

The October date attracts a different crowd.  No doubt folks with school aged kids at home are less able to attend but it is nice to mix with current students.  I have been told in official meetings that it has been a net positive for the fundraising effort but there is no doubt that the university has put in big money to make it a signature Fall event. 

Since the switch to Fall, the weekend culminates with a true major concert.  First up was American Authors and Rachel Platten.  In '17, Fitz and the Tantrums with AJR.  Last year, All-American Rejects headlined with Ella Mai although she was replaced at the last minute by an excellent young artist that I'm not recalling.

One thing they are doing a better job of is encouraging non-reunion alumni to attend.  It absolutely doesn't have to be 'your' year.  We've been to 3 or 4 in a row including this weekend when Chick's class is on the clock.  The concert is a big part of that Saturday night draw.

[real chili 83]

Only one Mama left.

Ham sammich.

Never would have happened with a beef n cheddaaaah

[Dr. Blackheart]

The October date attracts a different crowd.  No doubt folks with school aged kids at home are less able to attend but it is nice to mix with current students.  I have been told in official meetings that it has been a net positive for the fundraising effort but there is no doubt that the university has put in big money to make it a signature Fall event. 

Since the switch to Fall, the weekend culminates with a true major concert.  First up was American Authors and Rachel Platten.  In '17, Fitz and the Tantrums with AJR.  Last year, All-American Rejects headlined with Ella Mai although she was replaced at the last minute by an excellent young artist that I'm not recalling.

One thing they are doing a better job of is encouraging non-reunion alumni to attend.  It absolutely doesn't have to be 'your' year.  We've been to 3 or 4 in a row including this weekend when Chick's class is on the clock.  The concert is a big part of that Saturday night draw.

Thanks. It sounds like it is a net positive.  Now, can we work on getting an Alumni House?