Spotlight Productions, the student-run event programming board for Grand Valley State University, chose to switch up genres for this year’s Homecoming Concert – last year was pop singer Mike Posner, and 2010 was Jason Derulo.

So when the Music Programming Board was looking for artists, they found Mayday Parade and The Maine. Both bands are coming off of headlining world tours, and have released new albums within the past year.

“We gave GVSU students a survey to see what they wanted from this years homecoming concert and the majority said it was time for rock to come back to our school,” said Bradley Kosiba, Spotlight Productions music committee chair.

The alternative rock guys of Mayday Parade, from Tallahasee, Fl., are known for their first studio album, without former front man Jason Lancaster, “Anywhere But Here.”

The Maine, a group of alternative rock guys from Tempe, Arizona, have five studio albums, including a Holiday CD. Their live DVD, “Anthem For a Dying Breed,” was set to be released Oct. 16, but was pushed back until Nov. 19.

The bands are joining for a double-headlining U.S. tour and the Oct. 19 show at GVSU is one of their first stops.

“This will be GVSU’s first true double-headliner, with both Mayday Parade and The Maine playing full sets along with their opener, The Postelles,” Kosiba said. “This will be the biggest concert to roll through GVSU in its existence in terms of stage size, lights, and the bands involved.”

Office of Student Life staff member Chelsea Pulice has been working with Spotlight Productions to get all of the “behind the scenes” glitches worked out, so the concert runs smoothly. She said there has been a lot of planning and meetings with everyone on campus to get the facilities and staff ready.

The planning process began in June, and Kosiba said they have been continuously working on it since.

“A lot of time, sweat, and stress has been put in to this concert by Spotlight Productions in hopes that this will be a great concert that all students can enjoy,” Kosiba said.

Although the group has been bumping up advertising, ticket sales are still down from recent years, which Pulice said could be because this year’s bands aren’t as well known as previous artists.

“I’ll be interested to see how many tickets are sold this week,” Pulice said. “Its in the nature of students to buy them at the last minute.”

Spotlight Productions has seen a positive response from students, and Kosiba still expects the Fieldhouse Arena to be packed with students. He said one student even started to cry out of excitement.

“We have had a lot of positive feedback from the students concerning the concert,” Kosiba said. “I have received quite a few emails expressing that these bands were an amazing choice and that they are amazing live performers.”

Tickets for the Oct. 19 concert are on sale now at the 20/20 desk inside Kirkhof Center and are $15 for students, alumni, faculty and staff, and $20 for the public. There is no limit for student ticket purchases. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. general admission concert.

For more information, got to Spotlight Production’s website at www.gvsu.edu/studentlife/programming.

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