Comments on: Georgetown may not be having a fall concert, but we’re welcome at GW’s!

By: Vox Populi » GWU has GERMS envy

Vox Populi » GWU has GERMS envy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:49:38 +0000

[...] our friends in Foggy Bottom may be outdoing us in terms of programming boards and on-campus comedians, there’s one thing they’re still envious of us about: [...]

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:07:00 +0000

As someone, like Matt, who knows first-hand how difficult it is to put on concerts at Georgetown (I was GM of WGTB when we hosted Girl Talk, probably the most rewarding, but also stressful, events we ever did), I totally feel GPB’s pain. They’re doing their best dealing with a University administration that is often difficult to work with and a campus that lacks a good concert venue (with one exception in Walsh Black Box). In reality, GPB should probably shoot for one or two small concerts (like WGTB has been doing for a while) rather than trying to put on a large concert at a University without the funding or venue space to make it appropriate. However, smaller artists are less likely to attract enough of an audience to make the venture worth it for the University (more than a few students hadn’t heard of Girl Talk when we hosted him).

Anyway, good luck to GPB — I hope you find a suitable artist this year.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:28:27 +0000

I think you’ll find that the performing arts department is one of the more unreasonable ones on campus when it comes to working with them/using the space that your tuition money pays for.

By: Max

Max — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:34:29 +0000

Why can’t we host a concert in the Davis Performing Arts Center? Doesn’t it have a music venue?

By: Matthew Collins

Matthew Collins — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:36:14 +0000

As someone who knows quite well how difficult setting up a concert at Georgetown is, I feel your pain, GPB. I’m just a little confused as to what here needs to be fact-checked.

By: GPB Member

GPB Member — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:26:18 +0000

Thanks Taylor for the thoughts..

Plans are in fact underway for the Spring Concert.. the Concert planning is always something for which we budget, discuss and consider throughout the year. Though no artists has been picked as Danny explained, we do generally make plans in preparation for 2nd semester when more finite details are carried through. For those of you who do not know, artists generally don’t book shows any more than 6 months in advance.. Tours are put together, particularly for the hottest artists out there, based on what’s popular and interesting at the time. The organization would simply not be able to line up an artist this far in advance, nor do we have a venue.

As Taylor suggested, McDonough is a very busy place.. dates and availability are given to us when that office best sees fit and then we try to find an artist from there. While I salute GW’s efforts, we simply do not have a permanent venue that we can put an artist in at any given time. Maybe your interest in music would help you push for a more accommodating venue on campus rather than rudely attacking students who are working their best within the system and conditions set before them from the University.

While I commend your efforts, please fact check and understand multiple views before your post something quite offensive, especially to the students who volunteer countless hours to put on quality programming. How can we expect anything on this campus to improve without support and understanding? Why I may not agree with everything you post here on in your paper, GPB remains committed to providing, low-cost entertainment to all students.

We look forward to seeing you at one or more of our events.

By: Jeff Reger

Jeff Reger — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:06:08 +0000

I would most definitely attend my first GPB concert if Limp Bizkit was playing.

By: Well

Well — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:42:03 +0000

Why don’t they plan for the spring concert starting NOW, rather than wait till January to find out that Jason Mraz (boo), Lupe Fiasco, and Third Eye Blind (better be #1 this year) are all busy on the concert day they chose like last year.

Or they can just go out and spend a few K’s on some cheap, nostalgic bands. I bet you bands like Limp Bizkit are looking for work… and its better than nothing.

By: Howard

Howard — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:25:36 +0000

To be fair, though, you’ll probably be one of the few.
Even though they don’t show ‘esoteric’ movies!

By: Taylor

Taylor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:08:53 +0000

This article is one of the most upsetting pieces I’ve read in a while. I am in no way affiliated with GPB, but I can say that I’m proud of what they accomplish on a yearly basis. It’s clearly a thankless job.

Let’s get some of these facts right before we go bashing the concert planning efforts of GPB.

1) People seem to forget that GPB was not the planning committee for the Coolio concert. It was put on by senior class committee. Instead of initiating the idea, GPB gave money to the senior class committee to put on a fall concert. That’s right, they were simply helping out another on-campus group–an activity that they engage in often. Did you enjoy the Mr. Georgetown pageant?

2) MONEY. GPB doesn’t have endless funds to bring in huge artists like Maroon 5. Instead of inviting various extremely esoteric bands, GPB saves up in order to get the biggest artist they can in the spring. The prices are not cheap, especially when you add in the other piece of the puzzle which eats money–agents. They don’t have the funds to hire top-of-the-line entertainment agents. The available talent is by default limited, and the overall process is made more difficult.

3) VENUES. On top of not having the desired funds, GPB doesn’t have the flexibility of planning like some other schools might. Our only viable concert venue is McDonough, and lest we forget, we have two extremely legitimate basketball teams that are using the gym for the majority of the year–planning gets a little difficult when you can only offer one night to artists and have to say “make it work.”

So, before we go bashing our on-campus board for being “blase” about concert planning, let’s try to keep in mind what they’re facing and how much they accomplish. In the mean time, I’ll be at the free movies in ICC.

Taylor Johnston, COL 2010