Campus Activities Board (CAB) reinstated Grand Valley State University’s Spring Concert Friday, March 10, featuring headlining artist BigXthaPlug and additional guest performances.
Held in the Fieldhouse Arena, the event drew hundreds of attendees into the packed venue. While BigXthaPlug served as the focal point of the concert, DJ Q89 provided beats, chants and mixing for the audience. Also performing was Armani Thompson, a GVSU student and 2026 GV’s Got Talent winner.
This year’s Spring Concert came one year after the controversial decision to cancel the 2025 event. In a now-deleted Instagram post made a little over a year ago, CAB expressed regrets over the outcome, stating it had made several offers to various artists but were unable to secure any of them. In an effort to maintain students’ confidence in the return of the tradition, CAB published a survey gauging feedback on future Spring Concert artists and genres.
Planning for this year’s Spring Concert began last summer, and final offers to artists were made early this academic year. Survey results showed strong support for rap and pop genres, which CAB used to guide their selection process.
Malia Rodolico, a junior nursing major and co-president of CAB, explained how the team selected BigXthaPlug after evaluating students’ input.
“We did some backgrounding and some digging into different artists, and we landed on BigXthaPlug,” Rodolico said. “We felt like he would be a good fit for what our student base was asking for.”
While the Spring Concert may not appeal to all students, organizers say it provides an accessible on-campus concert experience. Rodolico commented on how the concert’s accessibility is a key reason the event is typically held annually.
“We love being able to give students an affordable concert opportunity, one where students don’t have to travel off-campus,” Rodolico said. “People really connect through music, and it gives them an opportunity to go out and have fun with their friends while listening to a live performance.”
Students said the concert environment created memorable, yet strange moments. At one point in the show, a student could be seen hoisting crutches in the air, hitting them together to the rhythm of a song. In another instance, students in attendance saw what many would consider an unusual fan of BigXthaPlug.
“There was this dad, I have no clue how old he was, and I don’t know who he was with, but he knew all of the lyrics,” said Sophie Ernst, a senior cybersecurity major. “He was jumping up and down, jamming out. It was amazing to see.”
Although the hectic nature of the concert was a highlight for some students, others appreciated how the on-campus setting made socializing easier compared to off-campus performances. Tyler Stevenson, a junior data science major and first-time Spring Concert attendee, resonated with that sentiment.
“I have really bad anxiety, and so this was better for me because I knew a lot of people,” Stevenson said. “It was much easier to talk to people and connect.”
With students eager to meet others and have a good time, it was clear why so many anticipated the return of the Spring Concert. One student expressed that like many University events, the concert felt open and friendly.
“Grand Valley is not a very egotistical university,” said Keegan Roesner, a freshman communications major and first-time Spring Concert attendee. “Everyone’s nice to everyone, everyone likes to meet new people and we like to have a good time. Coming here, going to a concert, it just makes the college experience. That’s all I can ask for.”
With a strong turnout and renewed student interest, CAB organizers emphasized the Spring Concert will return for its annual cadence, with student preferences continuing to guide its direction.
