'Live' May Play At U.C. Concert

The Undergraduate Council will vote next Sunday on a resolution that would appropriate $40,000 to bring the alternative band Live to campus.

The council has already submitted a bid to the band for an April 29 concert. The bid does not bind the council to bringing the band, according to Campus Life Committee Co-chair Jonathan P. Feeney '97.

The concert would be held in Briggs Cage, which has a seating capacity of 4000. Council members interviewed yesterday said they hope to sell 2000 tickets to members of the Harvard community and 2000 to other students and area residents.

To facilitate ticket sales, the $40,000 appropriation would include $2500 for publicity, Feeney said. The council would use the money to employ Ticket Master and Tower Records to help publicize the concert, he said.

The concert, however, is far from certain, council members said. The council's executive board decided last Thursday to postpone a council-wide vote on the concert until a week from tomorrow.

The council wants to make sure it has all the information it needs to make the appropriate decision, members said.

"The fear was that if this thing fails, it would be very, very bad for the U.C.," said Gregory F. Corbett '96, the council's press liaison.

In order to avert financial disaster, Treasurer Brian R. Blais '97 said, the council wants to account for every dollar in the $40,000 package. The council also wants to see "how much of a loss the U.C. could reasonably take and still be financially stable," Blais said.

"We're trying to be extremely cautious," Blais said. "We've been [hurt] by concerts in the past, and we want to know where we stand."

In 1989, the council lost almost $25,000 on a Suzanne Vega concert. The next year, it took a $15,000 hit on a Ziggy Marley concert. And a 1992 De La Soul show left the council $15,000 in the red.

The council will have other considerations as well when it decides on the concert's fate next week, members said.

Feeney and Campus Life Co-Chair Rudd W. Coffey '97 said that April 29 is the same date as Arts First, a popular cultural festival at Harvard. A CityStep show will also be held on the same night across the parking lot from Briggs in Bright Hockey Arena, the campus life committee co-chairs added.

And Tufts University has submitted a competing bid for the band, Feeney said last night.

The idea of co-sponsoring the concert with Tufts was quickly dismissed, council members said, because the Tufts concert would be free to all students.

Harvard's council doesn't have the funds for a free concert of that magnitude, Feeney and Coffey said. Ticket prices will be $10 for Harvard students and $14 for others if the concert is held here, they said.

The $40,000 expenditure for Live would be one of the largest--and riskiest--in the history of the council.

The council's record on rock concerts has beenfar from stellar.

The De La Soul concert was such a flop that thecouncil waited two years before holding anotherlarge show.

Last spring, however, the council defied itshistory and sold all available tickets to a$15,000 They Might Be Giants concert.

Still, council members said the Live concert isa large--and potentially dangerous--step up.

"It would indeed set us back considerably ifthis concert flops," Feeney said. "It's kind of agrave concern of mine."

Council members interviewed last night,however, said they were confident that the concertwould be successful.

"Live is a lot bigger than They Might BeGiants, there's no question about that," Feeneysaid.

"I think Live is popular enough that we coulddo well on it," Blais said, adding that thecouncil would lose "at most a couple of thousanddollars."

"Live's done very well in the Boston area, so Idon't think there will be a problem selling out,"said Geoffrey C. Rapp '98, one of the bill's twoco-sponsors.

Corbett said that most Harvard studentsresponding to a Usenet posting about the concerthave expressed their support. And Coffey and Rappsaid most students who have approached them aboutthe concert have been enthusiastic.

The council members said they hope to conduct apoll or survey to gauge Live's popularity. AndFeeney said he has urged campus life committeemembers to talk to their constituents.

Live has released two albums, according toRapp. Their first album, 1991's MentalJewelry, featured the song "Operation Spirit(The Tyranny of Tradition)."

Live's most recent album, Rapp said, is titledThrowing Copper. That recording includesthe songs "Selling the Drama" and "I Alone.

The council's record on rock concerts has beenfar from stellar.

The De La Soul concert was such a flop that thecouncil waited two years before holding anotherlarge show.

Last spring, however, the council defied itshistory and sold all available tickets to a$15,000 They Might Be Giants concert.

Still, council members said the Live concert isa large--and potentially dangerous--step up.

"It would indeed set us back considerably ifthis concert flops," Feeney said. "It's kind of agrave concern of mine."

Council members interviewed last night,however, said they were confident that the concertwould be successful.

"Live is a lot bigger than They Might BeGiants, there's no question about that," Feeneysaid.

"I think Live is popular enough that we coulddo well on it," Blais said, adding that thecouncil would lose "at most a couple of thousanddollars."

"Live's done very well in the Boston area, so Idon't think there will be a problem selling out,"said Geoffrey C. Rapp '98, one of the bill's twoco-sponsors.

Corbett said that most Harvard studentsresponding to a Usenet posting about the concerthave expressed their support. And Coffey and Rappsaid most students who have approached them aboutthe concert have been enthusiastic.

The council members said they hope to conduct apoll or survey to gauge Live's popularity. AndFeeney said he has urged campus life committeemembers to talk to their constituents.

Live has released two albums, according toRapp. Their first album, 1991's MentalJewelry, featured the song "Operation Spirit(The Tyranny of Tradition)."

Live's most recent album, Rapp said, is titledThrowing Copper. That recording includesthe songs "Selling the Drama" and "I Alone.