Main act still unsigned

Less than three weeks left before annual spring concert

Alex Plimack

Arts | 4/9/08

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In February, it was the Def Jam Web site.

Now: The tickets. The posters. The T-shirts.

All assert The Roots will be headlining Tigerfest on Saturday, April 26.

But less than three weeks before the scheduled concert, the Campus Activities Board and the office of student activities have yet to confirm the band's appearance at the annual spring festival on Burdick field

According to student activities coordinator for programming Bridget Chase, the University's legal counsel is still working with The Roots' legal counsel on a final contract.

"We're still in negotiation," she said. "We have accepted many changes of theirs and they have accepted many changes of ours."

Chase would not elaborate as to what in the contracts is specifically causing the impediment, citing the confidentiality of the proceedings.

"We just received their latest set of changes today [April 9] so our legal counsel is looking through that," Chase said. "I anticipate that we'll hear if we can accept everything either this evening or tomorrow morning."

Other representatives from the office of student activities and campus life declined to comment.

Last week, Chase confirmed that three bands had signed contracts: Fire in the Hole, The Calling and Immortal Technique.

Chase remains optimistic that a signed contract for The Roots is forthcoming.

"I am extremely hopeful that it will all work out," she said. "I truly believe that it will be fine. I have never had a concert fall through."

Reiterating the contingency plan of signing a local act if efforts to sign The Roots proved futile, Chase said that efforts have not been made as of yet to pursue a different band.

"There's no chance that we're going to get a national act," she said. "Many local acts have told us that they would clear their schedule."

According to Chase, ticket sales for the event have been light. She reported that as of last week about 100 tickets were sold.

"Last year we started off very slow and then we ended up with 9,300 people. So we're not worried about that," she said.

Continued...

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