Princeton: P-Funk, Sheryl Crow and theWallflowers

Unsatisfied with the one concert each year thatother schools host, the blue bloods at Princeton'sUndergraduate Student Council put together a bigconcert every semester.

According to the Council's Social Chair,Sophomore Jeff Leven, Princeton's success atputting together both a great Spring and FallConcert rests on three simple things: location,location, location.

"Being between New York and Philly, we cancatch groups between the two stops on their tour,and get good bands at good prices," he says.

After deciding which band to go after,Princeton then contacts the band and scheduleseach concert for a week-end that the band canplay.

The Social Chair starts the process as soon aselected, Leven says, beginning planning for theFall Concert before summer vacation, and for theSpring Concert before Christmas Break.

To choose which band to book, the Social Chairpolls students at the Activities Fair beginningeach semester, and also conducts voice mailsurveys. We're a "smaller school with a communityatmosphere," Leven says, "it's easier to walkaround the campus and find out what people want."

All the early groundwork pays off: their SpringConcert this year features. The Mighty Bosstonesas head-liners with God Street Wine as theSecondary performers. Opening bands include thePilfers, and Clowns for Progress.

The Wallflowers headlined the Fall Concert, andperformers for the past few years have includedGeorge Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, SherylCrow, Indigo Girls, Rusted Root, Toad the WetSprocket, The Samples, and a comedy act by DavidSpade.

Such star studded lineups, however, do not comecheap. Popular headliners such as The MightyMighty Bosstones and The Wallflowers cost about$45,000 each, says Leven, and bands like GodStreet Wine charge about $50,000 to play anopening set.

Princeton finances the costs of the concertwith $10 tickets available only to students andfaculty, with the option of buying one guestticket per customer.

Leven says the Undergraduate Student Councilpulls in about $25,000 this way, and makes up therest of the money out of their Council's $100,000budget each semester.

In addition to the Spring Concert, Princetonstudents are also treated to an end of the yearSpring Picnic courtesy of Princeton's DiningServices.

Moving tables and food into the middle of anearby field, the Undergraduate Student Counciland Dining Services add to the picnic atmosphereby splitting the costs for carnival games andcontests.

"The ultimate dream," Leven says, "is tocombine the two events." He would like to see theconcert performed in the stadium, with theexpanded facilities allowing increased ticketsales justifying even bigger bands, and a carnivalin the meantime.