<< Front page News December 12, 2003

’Sco: Famous, but out of cash

When the music is over: The Sco will be hosting fewer bands next semester.
 

After a very successful semester, the ’Sco will be booking fewer guest bands in the spring as progressive budget cuts begin to take their toll. The College hangout has attracted nationwide attention for the number and range of popular bands that have recently performed there, and the decision to cut back may affect the ’Sco’s hard-earned eminence.

Despite its popularity, the budget for the ’Sco has been decreasing over the past few years, according to ’Sco manager, senior Brad Walsh.

“The deal is that we have a budget and we can invite bands,” Walsh said. “If we sell tickets, the money goes to this program budget.”

Last year the ’Sco was apportioned $18,000 by the College, although the standard figure used to be $20,000. The ’Sco management appealed and was able to get an additional $6,000.

“The budget was small, so we appealed and got some money,” Walsh said.

This year, the management appealed again, but was only given an extra $1,000.

“They usually know what they are doing,” Walsh said, referring to the Student Union, which sponsors the ’Sco.

He expressed unhappiness about the current cut, especially in light of the ’Sco’s surge in popularity and Spin Magazine’s recent article applauding its management’s efforts.

Spin magazine voted the Oberlin campus as having the best concert board,” Walsh pointed out. “They mentioned bands [who have performed here], and Oberlin and the ’Sco received recognition.”

Spin praised the ’Sco’s organizing committee and their ability to deal with students’ interests in booking campus acts that are “a who’s who of bands on the brink of making it big.”

Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of bands who have expressed interest in playing at Oberlin for a low price.

“We have the reputation of a cutting-edge venue now,” Walsh said.

He also enumerated some bands that came to this part of Ohio during the past semester. Peaches played exclusively in Oberlin, while Rapture wanted to start their tour from Oberlin.

Walsh felt that the Student Finance Committee, which determines the ’Sco’s budget, should build on these developments.

“SFC should jump on the idea that the ’Sco is drawing attention to Oberlin,” Walsh said. “We used this [reason] as a part of the appeal [for an increase in the budget].”

The ’Sco is suffering as much as other departments from the prevailing financial crisis in the College, he explained.

“$15,000 might sound like a lot of money to someone, but they don’t know what it is to organize a program,” he said.

At present, the ’Sco is sponsoring activities such as the annual Drag Ball, and a dance marathon as well.

“It definitely doesn’t mean we we’ll have no programming during the second semester,” Walsh asserted. “We’ll just have less. We still have some money but some of it is promised to different places.”

One of these “places” is supposed to be a great surprise for everyone. The anticipated guest is very popular in Oberlin, Walsh said with a smile.

   

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