Friday August 24, 2001 |

Three local bands will still perform tonight at CatFest

ASUA and UAB officials announced last night that Eve 6, the nationally recognized rock band scheduled to perform tonight at Centennial Hall, has cancelled its UA performance as a result of illness.

Max Collins, the band's lead singer, sent a fax to the Associated Students of the University of Arizona office stating that his case of severe laryngitis had forced the band to cancel Thursday's show in Sacramento, Calif. in addition to tonight's show at Centennial.

Associated Students President Ray Quintero said CatFest will still be held tonight at 5 outside Old Main featuring local bands Sunday Afternoon, Warsaw and Tongue Dried Sun.

"We're going to still stay in touch with Eve 6," he said. "We will still try to schedule them for a later date."

This year's CatFest was scheduled to be in Centennial Hall in an attempt to avoid possible weather conflicts. Students were told to pick up vouchers for the show Tuesday through yesterday and redeem them the night of the concert for first-come, first-serve seating.

Quintero said students should hold onto their vouchers, which will be valid for a future concert if Eve 6 is able to return.

"We have no clue when we could reschedule," he said. "Even if we are unable to, we will look at other options."

However, Ed Brown, director of operations for Centennial Hall, said the venue is pretty much booked solid for the rest of the year.

"We are jam-packed right now," he said. "For a decent day like Friday, I don't think I have any (openings). I think I might have one on Spring Break, but we don't have a lot."

Brown mentioned the possibility of holding the show in the McKale Center but that "there are some shortcomings on that facility."

"There really are not a lot of great (venues) on campus outside mine," he said.

J.J. Kruglick, director of UABconcerts, said UAB will not be responsible for paying Eve 6 because the band cancelled and not vice versa. Also, he said UAB would most likely not be required to pay tech crews hired to help out the night of the show.

The only money he said would truly be lost was that spent on promoting the show.

"It's appearing we don't have to pay any penalties because we have a good working relationship with (local production companies), one that we'd like to continue in the future," he said.

Brown agreed.

"The cost is pretty minimal because (UAB and ASUA) are university organizations," he said. "I might ask them to pay for the ticket stock."

Quintero pointed out that the other events scheduled along with CatFest have not changed.

"We're still going to have the Pepsi Challenge, Seventeen doing a modeling call, a fashion show," he said. "We're getting in contact with all of our sponsors and making fliers to inform everyone of the changes and plan."

Still, the band's cancellation comes as a disappointment to both Quintero and Kruglick, especially due to the difficulties CatFest concerts have run into in the past.

"We have tried to have a major national act with CatFest for the past five years," Kruglick said. "One of the first was Poe, who cancelled. Blink 182 got rained out, and we know what happened with Sister Hazel (which also had to be moved due to rain)."

"I'm disappointed the band cancelled on such short notice, but I honestly feel that the reasons for canceling are legitimate," he added.

Quintero made it clear that ASUA intends to make up the loss of the concert to the student body.

"We do have several other events planned - Love Line, and a large UArocks concerts in the Spring," he said. "We definitely want to make up for it to the student body."