Concert Hysteria
Juniata Activities Board Happily Secures Popular Band
The Juniata Activities Board (JAB) is familiar with the effects of controversy. Responsible for scheduling events for Juniata students, JAB has, up until recently, faced strong opposition for their selection of the once-a-year big event on campus. They have been previously accused of choosing comedians when a band was promised, or choosing a band whose campus popularity, gauged by means of voting, was significantly lower than other options.
JAB decided to quiet the naysayers this year by bringing in the students number two choice, Our Lady Peace. Formed in 1992, this Toronto-base quartet with a palette for poetry (they are named after a 1942 poem by Mark Van Doren) had several hit singles in the late '90s.
They feel confident their new album, Healthy in Paranoid Times, reaches a conceptual and creative peak, combining the best elements of all previous records. Front man Raine Maida adds, "This is the real Our Lady Peace. Its the four of us making music together and an honest reflection of the seed of everything we planted ten years ago."
With Juniata having such a well-known list of past performers, including Rusted Root in 2000 and Fuel in 1999, one may speculate at the selection process. JAB Concert Chair Ryan Conrad '09 says, "Most students do not understand the time and commitment the JAB concert committee puts into the choosing a band. This year we really wanted students' voices to be heard. We wanted to make sure we brought a band that was in the top 5 [voting] results." For Ryan Conrad the process began this past summer when he contacted JABs booking agent in New York to discuss a time frame in the fall.
Next, we compiled a list of potential bands taking popularity and musical diversity into consideration, comments Conrad, then we started to filter by availability and budget constraints. We have to determine when and where the bands are touring.
After a filtered list of roughly 15-20 is made, e-mails are sent out to students asking them to vote for the bands they would most enjoy at Juniata. This year, the students were emailed an Internet link that directed them to a Web page for voting. The online forum is used as a medium for voicing opinions and voting, as well.
Once the results were in, Conrad, the JAB Executive Chairs, and Staci Weber, director of the Office of Student Activities, gave their opinions on the top 5 bands and who would best fit Juniatas unique style. After using their powers of reason and sensibility, they contacted the bands tour manager. Sometimes it is difficult to be taken seriously because we are college students. Juniata is not exactly a large scale venue, either, says Conrad.
Contract negotiations ensued once Our Lady Peace agreed to perform, which is more or less a waiting process, Conrad points out. Finalizing the process, the entire group worked in conjunction with the booking agent to buy the necessary lighting and stage materials. JAB held nothing back with this years impressive set-up, giving Our Lady Peace an imposing stage to perform on, with vibrant lights and moving patterns projected on the wall.
With a great deal of responsibility comes a great deal of stress, as Ryan Conrad has discovered. "It feels like a part-time job at times, but I dont mind because I know it will greatly pay off for the student body," Conrad responds with sincere smile.
On Tuesday, November 15, Juniata students were treated to a rousing performance. From the psychedelically ambient intro, to the nostalgic conclusion, Our Lady Peace showed Juniata students that these six-album veterans can still kick out the jams, especially with Raine Maida sporting the always-appropriate fedora.
As the band walked off the stage, "Sweet show!" and other similar comments quietly echoed throughout the gym.