During welcome week of my freshman year, I happened to stumble upon a fun event called Picnic with the Buckeyes which featured a cookout and performance by the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. The energy on the South Oval was electric that day as soul music could be heard from blocks away. My friends and I had a blast singing and dancing the entire night!

Midway through the concert, I looked around at the patrons who made the trek out and saw a variety of faces in the crowd — all donning a childish grin. I figured it couldn't get any better than this... and then I remember that OSU also offers a Big Free Concert during spring quarter. Man, I couldn't wait to attend that!

So, once spring quarter rolled around, my roommate and I made our way to the event. The bands on tap for the day were somewhat attractive, so I figured we should be guaranteed an equally enjoyable experience as the jazz concert had been. I was wrong.

As soon as we approached the South Oval, the skies bellowed and rain soon followed — persisting all day. Although the concert continued, the downpour discouraged even the slightest bit of comfort, retreating us all back inside. I remember thinking that I still have three more Big Free Concerts to attend while at OSU — that made me feel somewhat hopeful for next year.

Enter sophomore year. The Picnic with the Buckeyes was, once again, the highlight of welcome week. Not only did I get to help work the event, I also received a free album of one of the blues singers, Willie Pooch. The ensuing Big Free Concert better live up to its hype this year!

And... for me, it didn't. The concert hasn't happened yet, but I have no aspirations to even attend. Perhaps attractive to many college students these days, carded for the event is a fat slate of rappers and hip-hop artists whom I could care less about (let alone pronounce their names right).

I had hoped for a Big Free Concert that can appeal to everyone — me in particular — and ended up with an ironic music concert that offers no musicians and instead opts for people mumbling obscenities into a microphone as the audience members debate whether they are a pimp or a hoe.

Next year, give us something we all want to attend!