Since the Kohl Center has not held a concert since 2009 and the Alliant Energy Center is just really inconveniently located, Madison gets shafted time and time again by big-name music artists.

It was revealed that Fall Out Boy – yes, the same band that played on the speakers in your sixth grade gym class – will play a show in Madison on Monday, May 13 as part of the Yahoo! on the Road music festival. Fall Out Boy was once at the forefront of the alternative pop-rock scene, before they disbanded in 2010. However, they recently reunited and are back on the prowl.

The news that Fall Out Boy is coming to town feels somewhat like kissing your sister, when compared to other acts on the tour like Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, who are definitely not coming to Madison. If Jay-Z were performing, I think it would be more like kissing Beyonc?, which I know from experience is awesome…

Nah, I don’t… but you can imagine if I did!

The last big show to be held at the Kohl Center was a Billy Joel and Elton John concert. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love “Piano Man” and sometimes I exchange the lyric “hold me closer tiny dancer…” with “hold me closer Tony Danza…” But in all seriousness, can we please try to get someone to play in Madison that cannot legitimately say, “Hell, I haven’t done that since ‘Nam”? 

I’m talking big things: Mumford and Sons, 2 Chainz (probably just to hear the “Birthday Song”), Big Sean, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift (for my softer side). Hopefully, the Kohl Center will once again open its doors to performers, and in so doing make Madison a preferred location for the big dogs to tour.

If the lack of a venue remains a problem, and if the Kohl Center is unavailable for performances, I think a cool spot for summer concerts would be Bascom Hill. This past fall, more than 30,000 people attended the rally for President Barack Obama, so there really is no question as to whether or not Bascom can hold the amount of people necessary to bring a big name to Madison.

Bascom Hill was pretty jam packed that day, and this certainly poses safety and comfort issues. But those are always a concern at concerts and music festivals. Sometimes you just need to man or woman up. Not to mention, I don’t think Honest Abe has seen a good concert in a while, and as he occupies the best seat at the top of the hill, it would be a nice treat for him.

I do not mean to bash Fall Out Boy, because after all, the lead singer of the band, Patrick Stump aka P-Stump, is from my hometown and attended my high school. I also have to say that 8 years ago when the song “Sugar We’re Going Down” came out, I thought it was pretty catchy, even though I had no idea what the hell “a loaded God complex” was.

It is nice every once in a while to hear a throwback band play some of your favorite songs from younger years, but I think Madison has waited long enough to see a contemporary band play some of today’s hits. So, maybe we can get 2 Chainz out here in the fall to help me celebrate my 21st birthday.

Hayes Cascia ([email protected]) is a sophomore with an undeclared major.