Only 117 tickets were sold for the annual spring concert
Starting in early 1994, I worked for my first-ever newspaper, The Northern Student, the student newspaper at Bemidji State University, where I attended and received my bachelor's degree in mass communication. Over three years, I would be a staff writer, news editor, managing editor and editor. I wrote everything from news stories to feature stories to sports stories to opinion pieces. It was the greatest training ground a journalist could ever have, and I am grateful to the many talented people I worked alongside in my years at The NS.
April 24, 1996
NOTE: Check out this related story from 1997: Country, not rock, rules here
By Devlyn Brooks
For the first time in the history of the annual BSU spring concert, it has been canceled. Hobson Union Programming Board Director Marnie Carter announced Tuesday, April 23, the concert scheduled for Saturday, April 27, has been canceled due to a lack of ticket sales.
According to Carter, 117 tickets had been sold for the concert at about 1 p.m. April 23. With this in mind, HUPB convened a meeting to determine what the most cost effective route would be concerning the concert. She said they discovered they could save about $11,000 if they canceled now. To save the same amount, while still holding the concert, 700 tickets would have had to have been sold by Friday, April 26. Carter said the board members did not feel this was realistic.
"At the point we were at with ticket sales, we were losing less money by about $11,000 than if they still played," Carter said after the meeting Tuesday.
Because BSU had already negotiated a contract with the Bodeans for $18,000, which included $3,000 for bringing their own lighting equipment, HUPB had to negotiate a new settlement with the band. The band is still going to receive $10,000, but Carter said this was a guaranteed savings of $8,000; whereas, if they still held the concert, they probably would lose the entire $18,000.
HUPB will also save about $500 in agent fees for the "go-betweens" agent they used to contract the Bodeans. The agent was guaranteed 10 percent of the band's fee, which would have been $1,500 without figuring in the cost of the lighting system. The agent has agreed to take $1,000 for his services.
Most of the other savings come from the fact that there will be no need for a service staff the night of the concert. These fees include money for security guards, electricians, food, spotlight operators, a set-up crew, custodians, tickets sellers and takers and other assorted costs.
HUPB is still negotiating with the company that was hired to set up the stage and technical equipment. The company had originally been contracted for about $2,000. Carter said she hoped they could still negotiate a settlement for as little money as possible from the company.
"We would have had to sell 700 tickets (by April 26) just to lose the same amount of money we are losing now," Carter said. "We just didn't see that happening because from yesterday (April 22) to today (April 23) we sold three tickets. Now, we have an overall savings of about $11,000 with the potential for saving a couple thousand more."
Carter said the HUPB members are aware that the money is not actually a gain due to the fac that they will still lose about $14,000 overall, but she said the board felt the cancellation was the best action to take.
As for what happened to the ticket sales, Carter and HUPB advisor Linda Blanchard said they have no idea why so few tickets were sold.
According to Carter, the Bodeans appeared in concert at Gustavus Colllege in southern Minnesota Saturday, April 20, and the concert was sold out beforehand. Gustavus sold 2,000 tickets. The Bodeans also have an upcoming concert in Duluth, Carter said, and representatives from the company sponsoring the event told her that ticket sales were doing "very well."
So, what happened to ticket sales in Bemidji?
"We don't know why the tickets sales are so low. We don't have an answer," Blanchard said. "A lot of our students are from the Twin Cities and the Bodeans have sold out concerts there."
"I don't understand it at all," Carter said. "We've had people complaining about the country acts for two years. Those who were complaining just didn't put their money where there mouth is, I guess."
According to Carter, the spring concert has always suffered some slight losses on most of the bands that have not been country acts. Two years ago, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band made a profit of about $1,500 to $2,000, and Aaron Tippin, last year's concert, turned a profit of about $5,000. Three years ago, HUPB suffered a $2,000 loss with the Great White concert.
"Other than that, the only pop act to make money was Joan Jett a few years ago," Carter said. "Maybe we will just have to do country, but I don't understand, because Joan Jett sold out."
Carter said the HUPB members worked hard on presenting something other than country to the students this year, but the students have to understand HUPB is working on a limited budget. There are other reasons why the choices are limited as to who BSU can snare for a concert also, she said.
First, Carter said a lot of bands are either touring too far away to make it or some of the artists are not available because they are in the recording studio during the dates BSU has open.
Carter said another concern HUPB has to consider as to the future of the spring concert is that it is a "real possibility" that the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee may decide not to fund next year's concert or SAFAC may allocate the spring concert money on the stipulation that HUPB find a country act. Either way, Carter said she feels this year's outcome will have repercussions for future concerts.
SAFAC Chair Tim Engrav was notified of the possible decision to cancel the concert and was asked to attend the meeting at which the decision would be discussed.
"I told the board that the best thing to do was find which way BSU would lose the least amount of money," he said. "As it turns out, the best way was to cancel the concert. Sure, we are still losing money, but it could have been worse."
Engrav said he believed this year's dilemma would definitely impact future funding decisions for the spring concert. He said this year's SAFAC committee may issue a statement for the record later, but next year's committee will definitely need to discuss the issue.
"I think it will be a big factor in the future. It should be a big factor," Engrav said. "It's a learning lesson, albeit an expensive one, and it's proven what type of music sells in Bemidji. However, we need to keep this in perspective too. We need to make the soundest decision."
Carter said those who purchased tickets may return them to the Hobson Memorial Union Information Desk for reimbursement.
"I think this may have forced HUPB into booking country acts in the future," Carter said. "SAFAC just may put a stipulation on us saying we have to book a country act."
Concert committee member Andy Nordquist summed up his feelings by saying: "I hear from a lot of students that say, 'I don't know who the Bodeans are.' Well, if they are a Top 10 band, and the Bodeans are, they should give them a try. Students always complain that there is nothing to do in Bemidji. Well, this would have been something to do."
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