Simon and Garfunkel appear in a 1967 edition of The Carroll News.
Each year on campus, the annual concert sponsored by the University Club draws hundreds of students to enjoy a night of listening to a popular musician. This tradition, known throughout the years as the Welcome Back Concert and Spring Concert, has been celebrated at JCU since at least the 1960s.
Taking a walk down memory lane, this club has hosted popular musicians covering a wide range of genres, from pop to hip hop to country. With documentation of these concerts dating back almost 60 years, students today can see how Blue Streaks have come together to enjoy music across the decades.
Back in 1967, JCU students sang one spring night away with Simon & Garfunkel, a folk rock duo with hits such as “Mrs. Robinson” and “Cecilia.” Held in the main gym, the cost of tickets for the event ranged from $3.00 to $3.50 and drew a large crowd.
The 1970s brought Bruce Springsteen to campus, produced by Tim Russert. Students packed into the varsity gym to listen to this legend.
In 1980, rockstar Warren Zevon performed at JCU. This spring concert did not draw quite as large of a crowd as expected, but was still surely an entertaining night for students.
In recent years, some notable concerts include Sean Kingston and Camillionaire in 2010, Neon Trees and Minus the Bear in 2011 and COIN in 2021.
A lasting tradition at JCU, students today commented on what this night adds to the John Carroll experience.
Sydney Vigneron ’25 shared, “It brings a lot of culture together. Even this year, it was pouring rain, but it was still so fun because everyone got together and had a blast.”
Maddie Otterman ’26 shared, “I think it’s a good experience for the freshman class especially because that’s their first week of college. Being able to see the John Carroll community come together sets the tone for the semester.”
With over 60 years of tradition, it will be interesting to see where this tradition will go in the next 60 years.