The Wake the Giant concert will return to M&T Bank Arena on April 26, after the Student Programming Board (SPB) announced on April 1 that The Driver Era will headline this year’s show.
Tickets went on sale earlier this month, with undergraduates and 3+1 graduate students gaining access April 1, and graduate students followed April 2. Prices sit at $25 for floor access and $20 for seats, covering all transaction fees. Doors at the M&T Bank Arena open at 7 p.m., with the duo set to take the stage at 8 p.m.
Despite the excitement surrounding the announcement, student reactions across campus have been mixed, reflecting differing musical tastes and expectations for the annual concert, as well as debate over how SPB has responded to criticism online.
Organizing an event of this magnitude felt “surreal” to Amanda Geraci, a senior communications and media studies major and SPB’s mainstage chair. Reflecting on the production’s significance, Geraci noted that the concert is now woven into the university’s identity. “Wake the Giant has become such a staple tradition of the Quinnipiac experience,” she said, adding that even polarizing conversations about the show “reflect how much the event means to the students.”
“People debate because they care,” Geraci added. “Wake the Giant has become such a staple tradition of the Quinnipiac experience, and the conversations that are had, whether positive or negative, reflect how much the event means to the students.”
Geraci said SPB actively seeks student input through surveys and direct feedback channels, including a campus-wide genre survey distributed months before the announcement. She emphasized that while social media platforms make it easier to monitor reactions, they are not always the most productive avenue for meaningful feedback.
“Social media is an echo chamber,” Geraci said. “If students don’t come to us directly, it is hard for us to accurately apply that feedback in the future.”
Still, some students raised concerns about how SPB engaged with criticism on platforms like Instagram. Anthony Siteman, a senior political science and public relations double major, said he observed negative comments being removed from SPB’s announcement post, which he believes undermines transparency.
“As a public relations major, that is one of the worst things you can do,” Siteman said. “You’re not making the criticism go away — you’re just making yourself look worse.”
Other students pointed to a broader tension between differing expectations for the event. Cecilia Anne Meyer-Turkson, a junior film major, said she welcomed the shift in genre. “I was really excited and happy that it wasn’t a rapper for once,” she said, adding that she purchased tickets immediately to secure a floor spot.
Siteman, however, said he was unfamiliar with The Driver Era and chose not to attend. “For a campus-wide event, I would think they would try to shoot for someone that is more widely known,” he said, adding that the ticket price did not feel justified given his lack of interest.
The contrasting reactions reflect the challenge SPB faces in appealing to a diverse student body with varying musical preferences. Geraci acknowledged that selecting a headliner that satisfies everyone is nearly impossible, particularly as trends and tastes continue to shift.
“It is extremely hard to select a headliner that will hit across the board,” she said.
Despite the backlash, SPB maintains that student feedback plays a significant role in shaping future events, though organizers stress that input is most effective when shared through official channels rather than anonymous or informal platforms.
Ultimately, Geraci said the goal of Wake the Giant extends beyond the headlining act.
“My biggest hope is that students are able to have fun and enjoy a stress-free night of music and community,” she said.
As anticipation builds ahead of April 26, the annual concert continues to serve as both a campus tradition and a reflection of student opinion.