Congratulations, Activities Programming Board, this ones for you.

We like to treat our congratulations like a Bronze Star or an A.J. Micelli compliment; difficult to earn – you had to have done something darn near miraculous to get it – and well worth the wait.

Now even though The Fray, Jack’s Mannequin or Andy Grammer may not exactly be your cup of tea, the effort that APB put into it should at least make you want to try a sip. The quality of the concert series has grown exponentially since it started.

First it was Cartel and Fabulous – a band that had one top-100 song when they came to campus and a rapper that was anything but.

Next, Jason Derulo, We the Kings and The Maine – a band that no one ever heard of, another band who personifies bad garage music and an artist/dancer that was a show stopper for all the wrong reasons.

Enter The Fray – a band with a chart-topping album and four platinum songs; Jack’s Mannequin, a band with a loyal following and boasts two top-10 albums; and, last but not least, Andy Grammer, who may be able to lay claim to the one of the catchiest songs in the past few years.

Grammer, who may have been considered the headliner the past two concerts, is playing third fiddle to bigger acts.

This entire concert is a testament to APB’s hard work – almost a year’s worth – and its willingness to work with other local schools. APB members ignored the urge to do it themselves and compete with the likes of Edinboro and Mercyhurst for the best show. They did something that should’ve been done a long time ago – pool funds, rent a (relatively) nice venue and see who came running.

So on Tax Day when you’re jamming out to songs you’ve actually heard of at the Tullio Arena, don’t thank the bands for coming, thank APB for getting them here.