Rock the Vote concert tanks

Guitars in hand, the bands for the Rock the Vote concert played for four hours, cut against a blue Saturday afternoon sky in the Wynn Commons. To the side stretched a line of tables manned by Penn's political groups and cluttered with pamphlets, buttons and stickers urging young people to vote. The only thing missing at this weekend's Rock the Vote concert were Penn students. On Saturday, Penn became Rock the Vote's 22nd stop in its campaign targeted at encouraging youth electoral turnout. The Rock the Vote concert ran from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., featuring the bands Angry Salad, Big Gank, Weston, Smooth Approach and Waterface. While many students called the event "a great idea," they expressed disappointment with the low turn-out. At any given time, the concert held no more than 35 people -- a large number of them being SPEC members who were directly involved in overseeing the concert. Several students thought the event wasn't publicized enough. "I didn't hear about it until I heard the music," said Engineering sophomore Dmitry Koltunov. But College senior Micah Westerman blamed the poor attendance on "the general political apathy on campus." "I think it's good that Penn is doing something like this. People need to know what's going on before they vote, but it's just too bad more students didn't show up," Westerman said. According to SPEC Concerts Co-director Kyle Turley, SPEC put about 500 Rock the Vote posters on campus a week before the concert. "It's a little disappointing, but we're definitely getting the message out," the Engineering senior said. Co-director of SPEC Concerts and College senior Matt Dicker cited the lack of big-name bands and the time of the concert -- "right in the middle of exams" -- as reasons for the low attendance. While students found the concert entertaining, most didn't think the event would change students' level of political activism. "I don't think that anyone who isn't already interested in politics is going to be because of this event," Wharton sophomore Glen Cutler. "People are here for the the music." At one point, in an interval between two bands, a Rock the Vote crew member urged the audience of about 20 students to "vote your conscience." Instead of tuning in, however, students filtered out within minutes. But other people believed the event succeeded in informing people about the election process. "I think it'll get more people to vote and actually get registered," College freshman Tonia Sabino said. According to College senior Mona Mohajer, a member of Penn for Gore, a number of students didn't realize November 7 was election day before they stopped by the booths. Sponsored by e-campus.com, the 2000 election tour began June on 25 and will continue "right up to election day," said Margo Stern, field coordinator for Rock the Vote.

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