Paul Watson, Campus Carrier News Editor
Final details are set for Exam Jam, featuring Phillip Phillips.
Part of that detail is that As We Summit, the winner of Berry’s Battle of the Bands, will not be opening for Phillip Phillips, due to contracting issues, according to Assistant Director of Student Activities Lydia Gordon.
Gordon said that Phillip Phillips’ management wanted an acoustic set with fewer performers. As We Summit tried to work with the management to perform an acoustic set, but they were unable to figure out how to perform as a band with fewer members.
Sophomore Lydia Nichols, cellist for As We Summit, said changing the number of performers was not a good move for the band.
“Because we are a pretty involved band, we decided it would greatly hurt our performance to make it just one or two of us playing,” Nichols said.
Gordon said this situation is all based on a contract, and came down to the management’s final decision. She said it was still disappointing.
“We didn’t imagine they wouldn’t get approved,” Gordon said. “We wish we would have known their preferences beforehand.”
Nichols said the band understands that this is just business, but they are still not happy about the situation and the potential damage to the band’s reputation.
“Our main complaint is that we have had to do a lot of damage control publicity-wise by ourselves for the most part,” Nichols said.
Instead, singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore from New Zealand will be opening for Phillip Phillips, according to an email from KCAB.
Gordon said that about 1,440 tickets were available for students, faculty and staff and guests. Students were given one week in which they could get their free tickets and tickets for their guests before tickets could be bought by faculty and staff and their guests. About 1,300 students and their guests were able to get tickets. Sixty tickets were reserved for Phillip Phillips and Gin Wigmore. Gordon said that though every student was not able to get a ticket, the number of tickets distributed was higher than average for campus events. The number of tickets for the concert on the Cage Center lawn was so limited because KCAB had to plan for an indoor concert, Gordon said.
“It’s because of the rain backup,” Gordon said. “The Cage can hold about 2,000, but we take out a section for staging.”
If the concert is held outside, there will be preventive measures taken against students and other passersby trying to enjoy the concert without buying a ticket. There will be barricades erected in the same manner as for Marthapalooza, and a perimeter patrol will make sure no one is simply looking on to the concert. She said that there is no way to stop everyone from listening to the concert, though, nor is there a real interest to do so.
“If you’re sitting in Kilpatrick [Commons] or in front of Krannert listening to the concert, there’s really not a lot we can do about it, since, for students, it’s their campus,” Gordon said. “And if they felt like they didn’t want to come to the show or couldn’t get tickets and they wanted to listen to it, that’s fine.”
Gordon said the athletics department will be selling drinks and popcorn during the concert. Students are encouraged to bring their own food, but not to bring drinks into the concert area. Readmission bands will be issued so patrons can leave to get food.
The budget for the concert was $25,000. Gordon said that the show should not go over budget, and may even come under budget.
Gordon said she is excited about this concert.
“This is going to be a great show,” Gordon said. “This is the most support we’ve had for a show since I’ve been here, for six years. Whether they know the artist or not, [the students] being supportive of this big concert and student activities in general is very warming.”