An end to a great summer of concerts

There's one thing that's on everyone's mind during the final weeks of the spring semester, and that's summer vacation. Plus, after all the last-minute cramming, sleepless nights and minor panic attacks that come along with finals week, we definitely deserve a bit of time off. Of course, with most of us having jobs, our vacation isn't as luxurious as we wish it could be.

When people think of summer, they mostly think of lounging on the beach catching some rays, but not everyone can spend every day at the beach. Being mainly Irish and French (okay well technically Canadian but French just sounds cooler) I fry quicker than the monk from the DaVinci Code on Vacation in the Sahara without a drop of sunscreen, so what can I look forward to when summer comes along? Concerts and I was definitely not let down this summer.

Commercial radio station WBRU was in full force this summer, hosting more than a handful of concerts, including quite a few free shows. The summer was filled with cheaper shows that definitely fit into any college kid's budget. They hosted a series of cheap dates that were held across the state for less than $10 a ticket at local nightclubs and bars, including an awesome show from Funeral Party and New Politics at Club Hell for just under six bucks. AFI also played the Bank of America Skating Center along with New Politics Violent Soho. The show did cost $25, which is a bit pricey, but AFI is a bigger name band and put on a hell of a show.

The highlight of the summer however was the free concerts that took place nearly every Friday at Water Place Park in Providence. The concerts attracted mainly lesser known bands which were to be expected, but it didn't mean there weren't any bands worth seeing. Only making it to one of these shows I was treated to The Constellations, which became one of my favorite bands of the summer. WBRU Rock Hunt winners The Wandas' show was sadly rained out. The free concerts ended with style when Ok Go played the final show at Waterplace Park.

Coheed and Cambria ended WBRU's summer concert series when they played their show on Sept. 4, along with opening acts Manchester Orchestra and The Deer Hunter. Thirty Seconds to Mars will also help end the summer in style with their show at Lupo's on Wed., Sept. 8. It was a great summer for concert lovers, and I don't think anyone would disagree. So, until I discover a brand of sunscreen to protect my nearly albino self from those dastardly U.V. rays, I'll continue to look forward to summer concerts rather than summer sun burns.