Big Show is an annual spring event where Albion College’s Union Board alternates between bringing a known musical artist or comedian to perform on Albion’s campus. In previous years, Jesse McCartney, Micheal Che and Mike Posner, among others, have headlined the Big Show event.
“Big Show is a free event for students. It is one of the bigger events. We are excited to finally be able to get it back started,” said Melodie Robiee, Homer junior and Union Board member.
This spring semester, Union Board may finally have the opportunity to bring Big Show back to campus since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Union Board is planning to host a comedian.
While students were encouraged to submit ideas for potential performers last semester, the comedian to perform at the event has not yet been determined. Union Board plans to bid on potential Big Show performers once the college announces the new COVID-19 restrictions later this month.
“We are waiting until Feb. 11 to see what the new COVID-19 restrictions look like, and then we will begin bidding on people to bring to campus,” said Austin Raymond, Gladwin Junior and Union Board member.
The date for Big Show has not yet been finalized. Students will be informed once the date is decided.
Similar to previous years, Union Board is planning to have Big Show take place on the quad. Big Show’s rain location is set to be Goodrich Chapel. If COVID-19 policies restrict Union Board from hosting in-person events, then the event will not take place.
“If it has to be virtual, we are not going to do Big Show,” said Roblee.
Robiee is looking forward to Big Show and the way in which it gives students the opportunity to see a live performance free of charge.
“Big Show is a free event for students. It is one of the bigger events. We are excited to finally be able to get it back started,” said Robiee.
Raymond shares a similar perspective.
“This year’s Big Show is going to be a blast,” said Raymond. “The majority of campus, including myself, have never seen an actual Big Show before, so it will be a new experience for most of the campus.”
Irrational deans with paranoid fantasies attacking one another. One is incoherent and screamy. One is creepy and manipulative. One acts hysterical. One smells like the floor of a bar when he shows up. It is like lord of the flies. In spite of its beautiful campus and slick PR, the University of Richmond is best described as a “Potemkin Campus” where the best face is shown to prospective employees and students but where the ugly reality of the campus atmosphere becomes clear within a couple of years. Though the compensation is good, there is little to no support for families with children, and childless tenured faculty hold and exercise great power on campus. I was actually told by senior students that they had noticed a propensity for the university to eliminate newly hired professors that became popular with students. In spite of glowing but misleading documents like “The Richmond Promise” with its claims to community, respect for diversity and transparency, these values are rarely put into practice except in a token way. Though the surface atmosphere is cordial, the actual culture is hostile and competitive rather than collegial and collaborative – with a few notable exceptions. After being invited to an email discussion about digital tools in the classroom, I was targeted by the chair for suggesting that tenured faculty needed to develop their digital skills. Within a year my position was eliminated along with that of another popular and successful professor, perhaps to cover the costs of a sexual harassment settlement brought against the Dean who continues to be employed by the university. If you seek a supportive, collegial and creative atmosphere, you probably should look elsewhere.