The $40,000 expenditure for Live would be one of the largest--and riskiest--in the history of the council.

The council's record on rock concerts has beenfar from stellar.

The De La Soul concert was such a flop that thecouncil waited two years before holding anotherlarge show.

Last spring, however, the council defied itshistory and sold all available tickets to a$15,000 They Might Be Giants concert.

Still, council members said the Live concert isa large--and potentially dangerous--step up.

"It would indeed set us back considerably ifthis concert flops," Feeney said. "It's kind of agrave concern of mine."

Council members interviewed last night,however, said they were confident that the concertwould be successful.

"Live is a lot bigger than They Might BeGiants, there's no question about that," Feeneysaid.

"I think Live is popular enough that we coulddo well on it," Blais said, adding that thecouncil would lose "at most a couple of thousanddollars."

"Live's done very well in the Boston area, so Idon't think there will be a problem selling out,"said Geoffrey C. Rapp '98, one of the bill's twoco-sponsors.

Corbett said that most Harvard studentsresponding to a Usenet posting about the concerthave expressed their support. And Coffey and Rappsaid most students who have approached them aboutthe concert have been enthusiastic.

The council members said they hope to conduct apoll or survey to gauge Live's popularity. AndFeeney said he has urged campus life committeemembers to talk to their constituents.

Live has released two albums, according toRapp. Their first album, 1991's MentalJewelry, featured the song "Operation Spirit(The Tyranny of Tradition)."

Live's most recent album, Rapp said, is titledThrowing Copper. That recording includesthe songs "Selling the Drama" and "I Alone.