The annual Tufts fall rock show is here, and this year, Walnut Hill will be graced with an appearance by the mainstream rock act Saves the Day. Hailing from Princeton, N.J., the band has released over 10 albums and EPs throughout its 10-year career and has toured with the likes of Green Day, Jimmy Eat World and the now defunct Blink-182.
Over the years, Saves the Day has gone through many lineup changes; the list of former members is rather impressive, while frontman Chris Conley is the only remaining founding member. The band's style has defied genres, moving from punk-rock beginnings to a more post-hardcore style, with an alternative and indie-rock feel.
Tonight's concert will most likely focus on songs from the band's latest album, "Under the Boards," and 2006's release, "Sound the Alarm," both released on the independent label Vagrant Records. The show will also no doubt include hits from the prominent 2001 album "Stay What You Are," which initially launched the group to success.
It is also interesting to note that Saves the Day has recently been selling an acoustic EP known as "Bug Sessions Volume One" exclusively at shows. The EP is not distributed in stores and is not available for retail purchase since, as the band claims, "it was made exclusively for the fans."
While Tufts has never quite been known for its raucous concerts, this year's act is a bit of a change from the previous indie-focused rock shows.
"Saves the Day was available and we thought it might be nice to book a different genre of rock," said senior Devra Bergman, a Concert Board co-chair. "Although there is a very big indie following at Tufts, there are definitely students who like other types of bands, and we wanted to make sure those students were satisfied as well."
That is not to say that indie acts were not considered, but rather the tenuous process of finding a band with a schedule and price tag fit for Tufts naturally weeded out prospects.
"We looked at bands like The New Pornographers and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, but they weren't available and in our price range," Bergman said. "Saves the Day met all of our needs."
As any veteran of a Tufts concert at Dewick-MacPhie dining hall knows, the concerts are very intimate and personal, allowing the audience to interact more with the band than at a usual large-venue concert.
"All our shows in Dewick are great because they feature popular acts in a small setting," Bergman said. "The shows are really personal. It should be a high-energy show and an excellent study break."
Although booking a band may seem like an easy task, Bergman was quick to note that bringing an artist to Tufts is never as painless as it may appear.
"My co-chair, junior Brielle Treece, and I have been working since this summer to find a band," Bergman said. "This show, for some reason, was harder than most. We placed lots of bids on artists that were rejected, and a lot are touring in Europe right now and are therefore unavailable. Once we book the artist, we still have to work hard organizing all of the other aspects of the show - gathering volunteers, meeting with TUPD and event staff, getting equipment from facilities, et cetera. Overall, it takes a few months to plan an entire concert."
The students behind the show also end up putting in a lot of work to make sure the show goes smoothly and the artist remains happy.
"For some shows, booking is easy and the logistics of the show are harder," Bergman said. "Some artists arrive on campus early on the day of the show. Shuttling them from campus to their hotel to whatever other places they need to go can be really stressful."
For the Concert Board, advertising is another challenging aspect of putting on a quality show.
"One of the hardest things is getting the word out and also getting enough volunteers to make sure things run smoothly," Treece said. "For example, with the Girl Talk show, word got out really quickly, but then we had to make sure we had enough security to handle the large crowd."
Any fan of Saves the Day, or music in general, should be sure to get tickets now. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. in Dewick, and tickets are on sale at the info booth in the campus center for $10.
Bergman emphasized the convenient timing of the show. It's an exciting on-campus event certain to provide some much-needed studying relief.
"This is one of the last opportunities for students to have a great time with their friends before leaving campus for a month," she said. "There will always be time for schoolwork, but there won't always be a Saves the Day concert in our own dining hall."
