Council May Consider Second Squeeze Offer

The Undergraduate Council's executive committee last night voted to ask the council to reconsider backing a concert by the British pop group Squeeze--only one week after the representative body rejected an offer to sponsor the show at a higher price.

Concert Price Cut

Council Chair Guhan Subramanian '91-'92 said Squeeze's management called the council earlier this week after the body rejected the group's bid to play at Harvard for approximately $25,000. Subramanian said Squeeze's management offered to provide a concert with opening act Katrina and the Waves for approximately $15,000.

But the council's efforts to sponsor a concert may be thwarted by its inability to secure a location for the show, council officers said. The committee said that it will submit the second concert proposal to the entire council next Sunday only if members can arrange for a location to hold the event.

Treasurer Christopher Borgen '91 said that the only possible location for the concert is Briggs Cage and that space is being used for practices on the day of the proposed event. John P. Reardon '60, director of athletics, was "negative" about the idea ofrescheduling team practices so that the councilcould use Briggs Cage for the concert, Borgensaid.

Borgen said that he spoke to Dean of theCollege L. Fred Jewett '57, and that Jewett saidhe will try to persuade Reardon to cooperate inscheduling the event.

"Dean Jewett thinks its a good idea and he'sgoing to sell it," Borgen said. "But Reardon isreally negative on it."

Borgen said that Jewett told him to speak withReardon today, after the two administrators had achance to discuss the issue. But Borgen said hedoubts Reardon will cooperate, even with Jewett'sinfluence.

"At the moment, it's looking fairly grim,"Borgen said.

But space for the concert was not the onlyfactor hindering its scheduling. Council officialsalso expressed concern about getting a concertlicense on such short notice, without definiteconfirmation of a location.

"There's always a slight chance that we mightget denied that permit," said Dana M. Bush '90,who chairs the residential committee.

And some committee members reiterated theconcerns expressed at the original concert debatelast Sunday--that lack of time and potential lackof interest would prevent a successful concert.

"The question we need to ask ourselves is[about] timing," said David A. Battat '90, whochairs the finance committee. "If Squeeze iscoming back [to make a second offer], we can getanother date way down the road in the spring," hesaid.

Subramanian said that Squeeze's management toldhim November 29 is the only date available for theconcert. Last Sunday, some council members saidthat not enough students would attend a concertthat is held on a Wednesday night shortly afterThanksgiving vacation.

In recent years, the council has been plaguedby difficulties in sponsoring successful concerts.After backing out of a deal with Chuck Berryseveral years ago, the council last fall sponsoreda concert by reggae star Jimmy Cliff, which lostit several thousand dollars.

And last spring, the council lost approximately$20,000 on a hastily organized and poorly attendedconcert by pop-folk artist Suzanne Vega