Council Debates Concert Offer

Twenty-five Undergraduate Council members took part in a heated and often hostile debate late last night over whether to endorse a last-minute plan to bring the rap group De La Soul to campus.

Treasurer Michael P. Beys '94, who secured the deal, argued last night that the council should pay the group the $10,000 it wants to spotlight the "Rock for Shelter" concert to be held May 1.

But concert organizers reacted against what they said was an un-necessary intrusion by Beys, who does not sit on the ad-hoc committee charged with handling the concert.

Committee members accused Beys with disrupting their efforts to go forward with the charity event in which they planned to feature three lesser-known acts.

In the past two weeks, efforts to secure big-name bands such as Squeeze, the Indigo Girls, Big Audio Dynamite and 10,000 Maniacs have proved fruitless.

Beys said that he thought the council should jump at the deal.

"I basically made a phone call yesterday and got a big band for a cheap price," Beys said. "I would assume the Rock For Shelter committee would go along with it."

The impromptu meeting last night was called because the next scheduled councilmeeting falls after a deadline given to Beys by DeLa Soul. The deadline is today.

Council members voted via a telephone poll tobypass a meeting of the full council and earlythis morning council officials began to tabulatevotes on the issue of whether to endorse Beys'deal.

As of 2 a.m. this morning, 51 of 79 councilmembers had cast their votes via telephone,although council officials would not release earlyresults.

Even if the council votes to endorse Beys'deal, there is a chance that De La Soul willreject the bid, Beys said in an interview afterthe meeting.

At the meeting, Robert C. Rhew '92, chair ofthe ad-hoc committee, argued that Beys' planrisked ruining what he called a "guaranteedsuccess."

"Rock For Shelter's purpose is to raise moneyfor the homeless," Rhew said. "That is beinglost."

Beys, who drew criticism last month forobtaining council sponsorship of a privatelyfinanced concert by the Spin Doctors, said the DeLa Soul show would likely earn $8700 to $12,700for the needy.

But the specter of heavy losses in recentbig-name council concerts like Suzanne Vega andZiggy Marley caused some members to say that De LaSoul would not be worth the financial risks.

"De La Soul will not sell out, and we run thelikely danger of taking a loss on a benefitconcert," Rhew wrote in a prepared report. "Can weafford to lose money when the purpose of the eventis to raise money for the homeless?"

Beys, on the other hand, said that moving theevent to the 3200-seat Bright Hockey Arena fromthe 1000-seat Memorial Hall would dramaticallyincrease revenue potential.

Besides intra-council politics, the focus ofthe debate last night centered on the conflictinggoals of raising money for the homeless andentertaining undergraduates.

John R. Holena '94, a Rock For Shelter plannerwho does not sit on the council, objected to theprinciple of turning the charity concert into astudent-oriented show.

"This is not a concert to serve students,"Holena said. "This is a concert to benefit thehomeless."

But others--including Council Chair David A.Aronberg '93--argued that the council must preparethe most entertaining package possible.

"The concert is to benefit the students,"Aronberg said. "The students are our firstpriority. The homeless are secondary."

"The concert started out as a nice charitything," Aronberg continued. "My fear all along hasbeen that this charity thing would preclude usfrom getting a big band."

Beys contended that the chances for large-scalesuccess outweigh the risks of putting the charityevent in jeopardy.

"It's riskier," Beys said. "I'll be the firstto admit that. The question is will we inch ourway with little shows or try to go for somethingbig."

Beys' proposal to book De La Soul came wasextremely late in the planning process, as RockFor Shelter planners have already securedcommitments from bands the Barley Boys and Figureson a Beach.

Rhew, who helped raise over $7000 in the firstRock For Shelter concert last year, is also tryingto land Men of Clay. Rhew said that totalexpenditures for these three bands would be $1200.

Rhew questioned Beys' respect for the committeemembers' judgement with his proposed drasticchange of plans.

"I can't believe this has come up forrenegotiations," Rhew said. "And why did it happenso late?"

Beys apologized last night for his hastyactions, although he contends that he is acting onthe council's best interests.

"I'm sorry if I ruffled any feathers," Beyssaid

Council members voted via a telephone poll tobypass a meeting of the full council and earlythis morning council officials began to tabulatevotes on the issue of whether to endorse Beys'deal.

As of 2 a.m. this morning, 51 of 79 councilmembers had cast their votes via telephone,although council officials would not release earlyresults.

Even if the council votes to endorse Beys'deal, there is a chance that De La Soul willreject the bid, Beys said in an interview afterthe meeting.

At the meeting, Robert C. Rhew '92, chair ofthe ad-hoc committee, argued that Beys' planrisked ruining what he called a "guaranteedsuccess."

"Rock For Shelter's purpose is to raise moneyfor the homeless," Rhew said. "That is beinglost."

Beys, who drew criticism last month forobtaining council sponsorship of a privatelyfinanced concert by the Spin Doctors, said the DeLa Soul show would likely earn $8700 to $12,700for the needy.

But the specter of heavy losses in recentbig-name council concerts like Suzanne Vega andZiggy Marley caused some members to say that De LaSoul would not be worth the financial risks.

"De La Soul will not sell out, and we run thelikely danger of taking a loss on a benefitconcert," Rhew wrote in a prepared report. "Can weafford to lose money when the purpose of the eventis to raise money for the homeless?"

Beys, on the other hand, said that moving theevent to the 3200-seat Bright Hockey Arena fromthe 1000-seat Memorial Hall would dramaticallyincrease revenue potential.

Besides intra-council politics, the focus ofthe debate last night centered on the conflictinggoals of raising money for the homeless andentertaining undergraduates.

John R. Holena '94, a Rock For Shelter plannerwho does not sit on the council, objected to theprinciple of turning the charity concert into astudent-oriented show.

"This is not a concert to serve students,"Holena said. "This is a concert to benefit thehomeless."

But others--including Council Chair David A.Aronberg '93--argued that the council must preparethe most entertaining package possible.

"The concert is to benefit the students,"Aronberg said. "The students are our firstpriority. The homeless are secondary."

"The concert started out as a nice charitything," Aronberg continued. "My fear all along hasbeen that this charity thing would preclude usfrom getting a big band."

Beys contended that the chances for large-scalesuccess outweigh the risks of putting the charityevent in jeopardy.

"It's riskier," Beys said. "I'll be the firstto admit that. The question is will we inch ourway with little shows or try to go for somethingbig."

Beys' proposal to book De La Soul came wasextremely late in the planning process, as RockFor Shelter planners have already securedcommitments from bands the Barley Boys and Figureson a Beach.

Rhew, who helped raise over $7000 in the firstRock For Shelter concert last year, is also tryingto land Men of Clay. Rhew said that totalexpenditures for these three bands would be $1200.

Rhew questioned Beys' respect for the committeemembers' judgement with his proposed drasticchange of plans.

"I can't believe this has come up forrenegotiations," Rhew said. "And why did it happenso late?"

Beys apologized last night for his hastyactions, although he contends that he is acting onthe council's best interests.

"I'm sorry if I ruffled any feathers," Beyssaid