By: Dan Kaplan
Posted: 3/17/09
Alternative rock acts Ben Folds and Guster will perform at this year's Block Party concert on April 26, University Union announced Monday.
Folds returns to Syracuse University after more than four years away. He played a sold-out show in Goldstein Auditorium in January 2005.
"Our surveys showed that he has a good following," UU President Gustavo Melendez said of Folds. "Out of what we have, he does appear as one of the top artists students request. It definitely was something we needed to follow up on."
Folds is best known for his 2001 solo hit "Rockin' the Suburbs," as well as his work with the trio Ben Folds Five in the 1990s. His most recent release, 2008's "Way to Normal," hit No. 11 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Guster's alternative rock sound dates back to 1991, when the band formed as students at Tufts University. They have had two albums make the Billboard 200.
The two acts represent a change in direction for Block Party. This year's concert will be the first since 2003 that will not be headlined by a hip-hop or pop act. Past headliners have included Snoop Dogg in 2005, Kanye West in 2006, Lupe Fiasco and Ciara in 2007 and, most recently, Fergie and Sean Kingston in 2008.
UU director of concerts Kelly Bertog said that the organization was looking forward to a different atmosphere at the event, and seeing what kind of crowd the concert would draw.
"We're really excited to have actual bands as a part of Block Party. That never happens," Bertog said. "We've never had a headliner that wasn't a hip-hop or a pop act, so we're finally getting the campus something a little bit different."
Another difference comes in the timing of the concert. Last year, the show was held the same day as and co-sponsored by MayFest. This year, Block Party will be held the Sunday after the event - now called SU Showcase - and will be presented exclusively by UU. Bertog said that UU preferred the weekend date for the show, because there would be less conflict with other events throughout the day.
"Last year, it made sense (to combine with MayFest)," he said. "This year we're just doing our own thing."
Before UU confirmed Guster for Block Party, SU Showcase organizers had tried to secure the band to deliver a keynote speech at the event. The negotiations ultimately failed because Guster had a concert scheduled in Fayetteville, Ark., the same day, Bertog said. But because UU had switched Block Party to the following Sunday, the band was able to play at SU.
In addition to the concert, Bertog said UU was planning activities on the Quad the day of the show to lead up to the concert, part of Guster's "Campus Consciousness Tour." On the tour, the band is promoting eco-friendliness and sustainability on college campuses, and Bertog said the afternoon's events would follow a similar lead, making a whole day of the event as opposed to just a concert.
Both Bertog and Melendez declined to reveal the cost of bringing the two acts, but Melendez did say UU Concerts was awarded nearly $170,000 in funding from Student Association in November, and that the typical rate of rental for the Carrier Dome is around $90,000.
Folds had previously played at Syracuse University in January 2005, when he performed to a sold-out Goldstein Auditorium. Bertog said that because that show had sold out immediately and many students were unable to get tickets, it made sense to upgrade Folds' venue to the Dome this time around.
"He consistently sells out 3,000 to 3,500-seat venues across the country," Bertog said. "Last time he was here, there were a lot of students that couldn't go that probably wanted to, so it's nice to have a venue that, theoretically, everyone that wants to go will be able to."
Block Party will be open to the public. Student tickets will be $15 with an SU ID, and presale will begin online March 19 at the SU Athletics Web site. Tickets for the general public will be $25, and will go on sale at the Carrier Dome box office on March 27.
sdkaplan@syr.edu
