In recent years, Fairfield students have seen everyone from Dave Chapelle to the Roots to Dane Cook. This fall it will be Guster. Is there a method to the madness?
Here is an inside look.
By the time late fall rolls around, FUSA members are already beginning to plan the Spring Concert. At a general programming meeting, members of FUSA will typically go over a campus-wide survey that is occasionally put out as a way to get a feel for the type of entertainer Fairfield University students want to see.
More often than not, the same types of soft rock bands emerge, according to Caitlin Conway ’06, FUSA’s executive director of programming,
But the surveys are difficult because they typically give students a list of three or four artists or comedians to choose from, and then a blank spot for the student’s own choice, said Conway.
People then get angry when their personal choice for the concert is not the performer FUSA ultimately decides on, she said. But FUSA still anticipates putting out a survey soon to help with planning for the spring concert.
The choices for the concert are eventually narrowed down to three or four top choices on FUSA’s “wish list.” Conway says that the students’ input is always their top priority, but that most of the time when FUSA cannot book a group it is because of a budget or scheduling conflict.
The students ultimately in charge of what groups will get a bid to play at Fairfield are Conway, FUSA President Jessica DiBuono ’06, and FUSA Concert Directors John Velotta ’07 and Michael Mancini ’07.
According to Conway, FUSA works through a booking agent. For this fall’s concert they used a division of Clear Channel Broadcasting called Tea Party Concerts, which is based out of Boston. The FUSA members put in their number one choice from their wish list, along with their budget, which is usually about $21,000. Then they hope for the best.
This year, Guster worked out perfectly. According to online music source, All Music Guide (AMG), Guster is an alternative pop and rock band with a large college student following. Guster plays an annual concert at Boston College and played at Stagstock here at Fairfield during the 2000-2001 school year, according to Conway.
They seem to be booking consistently at other sites around Fairfield. They played at Gettysburg College on Nov. 5 and have played at other venues in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and New York in recent weeks.
DiBuono has high hopes for the band.
“For this year, I’m thrilled by the response that Guster has gathered from the student body. People have e-mailed, called, and stopped me on the way to class to ask me questions about it and tell me how excited they are.”
Along with Guster, other acts that have performed at Fairfield in recent years include Dane Cook, The Roots, Third Eye Blind and Dave Chapelle. Rusted Root and Howie Day performed in 2002, and LL Cool J, 112 and Billy Joel have played at Fairfield in years past.
But Guster, just like any performer FUSA books, does not appeal to everyone.
“I’m not going because I’ve never really heard their music before,” said Caroline Quinn ’09. “It seems like a lot of other people really like them so I wouldn’t be opposed to going, but I’d rather go see a band that I’m more interested in. I’d like to see bands like OAR or maybe Jack Johnson next year.”
But in general, students seem to be anxiously anticipating FUSA’s choice for tonight’s show.
“I think that FUSA worked very hard to bring the students something that they want to see and hear. I’m looking forward to watching Guster put on a great performance,” said Ben Welch ’08.
Brittany Sohn ’08 feels the same way.
“I think FUSA does a good job,” she said. “They seem to be good at picking up on popular demand.”
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