Student Government officials are working quietly to bring a band to campus this spring whose CD many college students may have in their collection.
SG President Darrell Broussard said SG is in the bidding process for getting a specific “big name” band to play a concert in the PMAC. But Broussard would not release the name of the band SG is courting.
“We’re at the point where we don’t know how real it’s going to be,” he said.
However, Broussard said he could classify the “big name” band as a recording artist who tours nationally and/or internationally and is well-known in the music industry.
He said he would not compare the band in question to any other currently visible recording artists.
Broussard pointed to previous SG-sponsored concerts as examples of the caliber of talent. He said Run DMC, Gin Blossoms and Three Doors Down — all previous campus concert headliners — are “big name” bands.
However, when Three Doors Down came to campus in spring 2000, SG officials said the concert was not as successful as they had hoped.
Their solution is to bring in a bigger name band with across-the-board appeal, and they are determined to do so.
The Programming, Support and Initiatives Fee would fund the event. Broussard said about a $20,000 portion of PSIF money goes toward paid concerts.
SG did not sponsor a paid concert with PSIF money last year. Broussard said SG leaders tried to get a comedy show on campus, but the details did not work out.
The $20,000 from last year’s unused fee money rolled over to combine with this year’s. Broussard said he is working with other groups on campus to jointly sponsor the concert.
The significance of bringing a big musical act to campus is clear, Broussard said.
“We want to do as much as we can to make Baton Rouge a big-name concert center,” Broussard said. “We’re great for local music and regional acts, but we’re trying to create a campus hub of good [bigger venue] concerts.”
Broussard, PSIF committee chair, said they are working to coordinate schedules, venues and ticketing for the concert.
“It’s a good bit of work,” he said. “But it’s every bit worth it if it’s a good show.”
Broussard said he should know by finals week whether the specific band will come. He said if the details do not work out, the PSIF committee immediately will begin bidding out for another band.
Broussard also said regardless of which band comes to the PMAC, student tickets will sell at a discounted price from general public tickets.