Fling band generates positive response

After last year's Spring Fling concert failed to garner much support, this year's show, featuring rock band O.A.R., is being widely hailed as a major improvement.

O.A.R. -- which stands for Of A Revolution -- will play at the Spring Fling concert on April 7, and many students are pleased with the Social Planning and Events Committee's choice of band and genre.

"It's a step up from last year's choice," College junior David Berger said. "This is a band that people would actually go and see on their own."

Last year's concert featured Sonic Youth, Cat Power and Citizen Cope and only drew a few hundred attendees to Wynn Commons, which can hold an audience of about 2,500.

Engineering senior Peter Aquart said he was much happier with this year's band choice than last year's.

"I'm glad they finally got a decent band," Aquart said. "After the last couple of years, the expectations are so low that it's not very hard for [SPEC] to find a group that will make everyone happy."

College freshman Dan Tavana agreed that O.A.R. is a better choice for Spring Fling.

SPEC "is definitely making up for [last year's band] this year," Tavana said.

The choice of O.A.R. for the Spring Fling concert was posted on Atlantic Records' Web site, which listed the date as part of the band's spring tour.

However, the tour date has been taken off the Atlantic Records Web site since the story first appeared in Friday's issue of The Daily Pennsylvanian.

According to SPEC Concerts co-Director Matt Mizrahi, a Wharton and Engineering senior, SPEC did not request that the date be taken off the Web site, although SPEC did speak to O.A.R.'s agency.

"We brought it to the attention of the agency because it wasn't supposed to be up there to begin with," Mizrahi said.

He did not say what acts will open for O.A.R. and said their names will be released in the coming weeks.

Mizrahi said that O.A.R.'s musical genre should appeal to the majority of Penn students.

"There's no way we can get a band that will be everyone's favorite band. But we try to get a band that will appeal to as many people as possible," Mizrahi said.

Before selecting O.A.R., SPEC Concerts conducted a student survey in November and then ranked artists and genres of music based on the results, taking into account budget constraints.

"We do have some experience putting these concerts together, so we do use some editorial judgement," Mizrahi said.

Once the list was pared down to between 10 and 15 artists, it was approved by University administrators.

Once officials give the OK, SPEC Concerts contacted the groups on the list to inquire about pricing and availability.

"There were lots of bands we'd like to have that are just too expensive," Mizrahi said.

He would not say how much money SPEC Concerts spent on the show.

Mizrahi said he thinks O.A.R. is an improvement upon last year's band choice.

"Even if someone hasn't heard the band, hopefully they will hear it and get into it," he said.

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