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ASUA cannot book concerts alone next year

By Kaila Wyman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday May 1, 2002

ASUA will not be sponsoring any major concert productions alone next year, Dean of Students Melissa Vito decided last week.

Vito attributed the policy change to university-wide budget cuts as well as several meetings between the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the University Activities Board, which spent the year competing for bookings.

The two groups sometimes scheduled concerts close enough that ticket sales were affected.

UAB has had concert-booking responsibilities for more than 10 years and ASUA only became interested in sponsoring concerts in the last year or two, said Senior Associate Dean of Students Carol Thompson.

Three ASUA-planned concerts have fallen through this year.

CatFest ÷ an annual spring concert put on by ASUA and UAB ÷ had the rock band Eve 6 headlining.

That band eventually withdrew because Max Collins, the lead singer, had a severe case of laryngitis.

ASUA tried to bring the band 311 to campus, although plans were never finalized.

Low ticket sales caused ASUA to cancel CatKraze 2002, in which alternative rock band Better Than Ezra and comedian Bill Bellamy were to perform. The event left ASUA with a $35,500 debt.

Vito said she was influenced by the fact that the loss could have paid a teacherâs salary.

ãClearly, that reinforced the fact that being successful in concerts requires a lot of hands-on work,ä Vito said.

The University Activities Board specializes in bringing big-name bands to campus for students, and works with ASUA in special events such as CatFest.

With the recent decision, JJ Kruglick, UAB concert director, said it would be easier to secure venues on campus.

ãI am happy because UAB is more successful at bringing concerts to campus because of resources we have and because we have done it for so many years,ä Kruglick said.

UAB felt this was necessary to only have one contact on campus for contracting concerts, said ASUA President Ray Quintero. Current ASUA senator and president-elect Doug Hartz ran part of his campaign under the promise of bringing more concerts to the university.

Hartz said he is disappointed because he feels ASUA is fully capable of planning such events.

ASUA plans to collaborate with UAB to bring concerts to the university in an effort to lower ticket prices and increase student attendance.

ãASUA is so interested in making concerts on campus and will still be involved with the selecting of concerts and events,ä Thompson said.

Last year, ASUA and UAB organized the Counting Crows concert with ticket prices set at $11. Hartz said he hopes to coordinate similar concerts.

Associate Dean of Students and ASUA adviser Jim Drnek said ASUA will remain in collaboration and will still be involved with the production of concerts.

Vito is funding a trip for an ASUA student to attend a workshop with UAB students to help enhance ASUAâs knowledge about putting on concerts.

Vito said Thompson will continue to meet with the group regularly and revisit the issue at the end of the year.

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