Some dates just seem to stick out in your mind.

December 7, 1941: Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor leads the United States into World War II. April 4, 1968: James Earl Ray assassinates Martin Luther King in Memphis. November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall is torn down, effectively ending the Cold War.

All of these dates hold a special meaning for us and each has earned its own place in the halls of history. Now, we must add another date to the list. April 5, 2002: While the Nadas played on stage at the Brenton Student Center, the students of Simpson College came together as one for the first time in recent memory.

As one of the many that attended Friday night’s concert, I must say that I was incredibly pleased. The turnout was great, the music was incredible, and the atmosphere was everything that a college gig should be.

Students packed the BSC to full capacity. When the floor and Grill space had been filled, students peered down from the numerous balconies that circled above the stage. It was like something out of “Mad Max in Thunderdome”, except without Tina Turner’s tire-sized hoop earrings.

The Nadas played a full set of their hits, from “Dancing Lucinda” to “Coming Home”. They even played a cover of “What I Got” by Sublime. The throng of students in the front jumped and danced while those in the back and up above nodded their heads and tapped their fingers in time with the beat of Iowa’s best rock band.

On a side note, for those of you that think Slipknot is Iowa’s best band, my advice to you is to ride your skateboard into the intersection of Highway 92 and 65/69 during rush hour. You’ll be doing the world a big favor.

There were times when the band would stop and talk to the crowd, joking about how they have to make up words to a song (like in “Box of Wine”) if the set gets too slow. There were times when the students would do the singing, as they did when the lead singer forgot the words to the aforementioned “What I Got”. When the Nadas finished their set, they were wooed back on stage with shouts of “Encore!” and “We want the Nadas!”

The band gave the students everything they could possibly ask for, and, in return, they received the best turnout for a campus-sponsored event all year.

In a previous, infamous article, I spoke poorly of the Campus Activities Board, blaming them for not having enough events that a relatively large percentage of the student population would like to attend.

However, in the past few weeks it has become perfectly clear that CAB has the student’s best interests in mind. They promoted the Nadas with efficiency and enthusiasm, effectively making it the best CAB concert in the past three years.

CAB has also begun promoting next year’s undertaking of bringing a big name band to Simpson. There are four choices: Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Hoobastank, and Good Charlotte. Any of the four would be an excellent bargain, as they are all on their way up the ladder to super-stardom. Hopefully, this trend represents an attempt to annually bring in big name talent to Simpson College.

For those who were not at last Friday’s concert for one reason or another, you truly missed out. Not only did you pass up a spectacular performance by the Nadas; you may have let pass your only opportunity this year to be a part of a true “Campus Activity”.