Are you happy now? The University Programming Council and Ohio University's Office of Public Occasions have the remedy for the lack of a performance on Homecoming weekend.
Michelle Branch and Jason Mraz will be performing at OU's Convocation Center October 11 in conjunction with Homecoming festivities, said assistant director of public occasions Andrew Holzaepfel. UPC and Public Occasions representatives had been searching nine months for someone to fill the weekend's spot and finally reached a deal with both performers last week.
It's a challenge when you're looking for one date in the rock and roll world
he said. Most times you offer several dates but we only had one to work with this time. It also was difficult because we had to work on such short notice.
Some present and former OU students expressed surprise and excitement that a bigger name would come to the university.
That's awesome
said recent graduate Kate Hockman, a native of West Chester, Ohio. The last people of any note were Sugar Ray
but that was a long time ago.
Hockman said she would return to see the show even though she's graduated.
I'd definitely come back for it. It's so good to see such a big name come to OU
she said.
Holzaepfel said officials considered entertainers such as David Copperfield and Bill Cosby, but restricting the performance date and the market size of Athens and OU shied some performers away. If a musician or act does not think Athens would draw a large enough crowd size, they pass it up, he said.
Organizers will be using the Convo for the concert. About 5,500 tickets will go on sale and Holzaepfel said up to 6,000 might be sold if demand is high enough. No more than 6,000 can be sold due to the size and organization of the venue. The Convo last was used for a concert in May of 1999 when Sugar Ray and Orgy played with MTV's Campus Invasion Tour.
Using the Convo as a music venue also will allow UPC and Public Occasions to gauge what kinds of costs are involved with producing larger-scale concerts at OU, Holzaepfel said.
A Convo concert is different for everyone -- it ups the risks for us and the stakes for the performer
he said.
OU junior Fletch Zimpher said using the Convo as a venue makes much more sense than Mememorial Auditorium.
Mem Aud is so constrictive
he said. If you're in a bigger place
you get a larger amount of people and bigger names.
He said he would not attend the Branch/Mraz concert, but would appreciate it if OU brought in different genres of music.
I'd like to see The Roots or Phish
but that'd probably be hard
he said. I wouldn't just see someone because of a name
