Council Raises Enough Money To Make R.E.M. Event Definite

The Undergraduate Council has raised enough money in corporate donations to hold its proposed spring concert featuring the rock band R.E.M., council members said yesterday.

The council needed to collect is least $3000 is donations from head businesses to help fund the March 22 performances, which will be held in the Indoor Track and Tennis Building (ITT).

As of yesterday, $2000 had been raised, according to Stephen W. Waters '85, a council member helping to arrange the event. The council decided to go ahead with the concert in expectation of receiving the additional $400 shortly, Waters added.

Fundraising efforts will continue even after the $3000 minimum has been reached, council member David C. Vendler '84 said yesterday.

Waters estimated the final cost of the American Cancer Society benefit at about $18,000.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III has been helping to raise the money, Vendler said.

So far, the council has received $500 each from three area banks, $100 each from three Cambridge hotels and additional grants from Ticketron and the Harvard Coop.

Coop officials are also trying to convince RCA Records to donate R.E.M. albums for sale at the performance, Waters said.

The performance by the up-and-coming R.E.M. will take the place of an earlier plan for a Grateful Dead concert, which was rejected by Epps in December for logistical reasons.

Vendler said the council will put 4500 tickets on sale next Saturday for purchase by Harvard and other area college students.

Fifteen hundred tickets will be reserved for Harvard students and sold at Holyoke Center, and the remainder may be purchased through Ticketron, he added.

Waters said he expects the concert to sell out, but he added. "I'm a bleeding optimist."

The council will be running newspaper and radio ads and postering local colleges to publicize the event, Waters said.

About 1000 concertgoers will be able to find seats on the ITT's two bleachers, and the rest will have standing room on the tennis courts, he said.

"We'd like people to be able to dance around and have fun," said Waters, adding "this should be an active social event."

The ITT's new million-dollar track will be off-limits to the audience and cordoned off by security man, council members said.