Preparations for this year's Spring Fling concert are well underway after the Concert Board booked the first of four bands to play the April 28 concert. Though the board has struggled with funding and logistical issues, it plans to finalize all details within the next two weeks.
The 50-person Concert Board, chaired by Dan Aaronson and Jenna Lowe, has traditionally been tight-lipped throughout the process of booking talent for the show. This year has been no exception, as organizers declined to disclose the names of potential performers.
"All I can tell you is that the third [act] of the four acts is booked and confirmed," Lowe said.
The status of the show's headliner remains up in the air, while the Concert Board is waiting to hear back from a second band. The first act of the day will be the winner Tufts "Battle of the Bands" competition, held in April.
"A lot of rumors have been going around, but most of them are false," Concert Board member Ariana Flores said.
One such rumor, which Lowe confirmed, involved the possibility of bringing Ben Harper to Medford. Lowe said that Tufts was outbid for Harper by $14,000, and that the school that did secure him paid $50,000.
Even though the $50,000 price tag was within the Concert Board's overall budget for the event, money needed to get the other two national acts had to be reserved.
The board was budgeted $75,000 for talent for this year's event, with another $20,000 covering costs such as security, hospitality, and dining services.
While originally budgeted only $65,000 for talent, the group applied to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate for additional funding. The Senate gave the Concert Board $10,000 of its requested $15,000.
"Allocations Board takes requests very seriously if an event will be severely hindered without additional funding," Senate Treasurer Michele Shelton said.
Though short of its goal - which presumably could have been enough to book Ben Harper - the board was satisfied. "We thought $10,000 was a good show of faith from the Senate," Aaronson said.
In the past, the Concert Board has approached administrative offices for additional co-sponsorship, but has been unsuccessful so far this year. "We are disappointed [that administrative offices] rebuffed our previous requests and told us not to ask them about it again," Aaronson said.
Regardless, Concert Board organizers are sure they will have enough money and resources to bring together a full four-act show.
"While this has been a tight season for booking talent, everyone else is having the same difficulty, and I have no doubt we will get it done," Aaronson said.
Besides booking talent, the Concert Board must also handle details that range from making food arrangements with dining services to security arrangements with the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) and surrounding communities.
Dining services will provide food and plenty of water for concertgoers out in the sun for much of day. "We plan to have on hand high-protein foods for students who get hungry during the long day," said Patti Lee Klos, director of Dining Services.
Students will have to rely on dining services to quench their thirst throughout the day, since personal water bottles will not be allowed onto concert grounds. "They don't want people bringing in vodka in water bottles," Lowe said.
The Concert Board also is working with the Community Relations office to keep surrounding residential areas informed and happy. "We put ads in local newspapers to notify area residents of the concert," Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said.
Rubel said she received few complaints last year about noise from neighbors. However, after a bass-heavy performance by LL Cool J three years ago, many residents complained about the excessive vibrations.
"My voicemail box was filled and the police got many complaints," Rubel said.
This year's show may cause different noise problems than those experienced in the past because of a change in the stage setup. Last summer, the land behind the president's house that serves as a venue for the stage was flattened, which Lowe says will result in noise traveling further and louder.
Rubel counters, however, that there should be no problem with excessive noise. "Spring Fling fits well within both Somerville and Medford noise ordinances."
The Concert Board coordinates several music events on campus throughout the year, including last fall's Rock Show featuring Dispatch, the Hip-Hop show with De La Soul, and this month's Jazz Show with John Scofield and Charlie Hunter. Fall Fest, the other large concert event each year, is organized by the Senate.
Tickets to Spring Fling are free to Tufts students and $15 per guest ticket. Students may bring up to five guests to the show.
"Ideally we want to please as many students as possible at the concert," Lowe said.
