[review]Carlton to perform 'V.I.P.' concertMajor label acts such as Incubus, Ludacris and Evanescence have all graced Halenbeck Hall in the past few years.
However, this spring, things will be a little different.
For the April 16 spring concert put on by the University Program Board (UPB) Concert Committee, Vanessa Carlton will join the list, but the venue will be moved to Ritsche Auditorium to give students a V.I.P. atmosphere.
"We decided to go for something a little bit smaller and aim it just towards our students," UPB Concert Committee coordinator Amanda Griffith said. "Hopefully this will be a students only show since it's paid for by student activity fees."
Tickets went on sale to SCSU students March 25, the day the concert was announced, and will not be opened to the public until April 8.
"If there are tickets available we'll open them," Program Advisor Angee Bombard said. "Assuming that there will be some, but hopefully not a lot. Hopefully students get the first dibs."
Tickets are general admission for the auditorium venue, which seats approximately 850. Students will get a discounted rate on tickets at $13 in the balcony or $15 on the lower level with their student IDs. The general public will shell out $18 or $23 respectively per ticket.
There is a limit of two tickets per student ID.
The choice of hosting the concert in Ritsche is not a new concept for the concert committee. Griffith and Bombard said that the idea of bringing in more intimate acts has been discussed before. This time, they decided to give it a shot.
"People thought it would be really cool for their experience to be in Ritsche and just something different," Bombard said. "It's a female, it's not a rock band or a rapper, it's just something different."
Carlton brings an intimate, storytelling performance to the stage, Bombard said. She is probably most well known for her number one single "A Thousand Miles" and top-10 single "Ordinary Day," from her 2002 release Be Not Nobody.
Her new CD Harmonium is currently on the shelves and was produced and co-written with boyfriend and Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins.
Harmonium is Carlton's message on bringing difficult, chaotic things, things that have trouble fitting, together to achieve harmony. It has been described as musical landscapes climbing from intimate plains to moving mountains.
Bombard spoke from experience when she said Carlton puts on a worthy performance.
"We know it's quality because we got to see her," Bombard said about seeing Carlton perform for a programming showcase earlier this year. "The whole storytelling aspect of it is neat too."
According to Carlton's biography, she has also found inner release in reclaiming her lyrical dance style, which is featured in her video "White Houses."
Bringing her piano and vocal driven intimacy to SCSU, Carlton's performance is best suited for an acoustics-based performance that would not succeed in Halenbeck's echoing gymnasium.
"Ritsche is way more intimate," Griffith said. "She would just kind of drown in Halenbeck as far as sound goes."
The acoustics of Stewart Hall's auditorium lends itself for a good view whether on the lower or upper deck.
"There's no bad seat in Ritsche Auditorium," Griffith added.
Although there is some concern for selling tickets in three weeks, Griffith and Bombard do not foresee an issue.
"We're going to really push it on campus, but we are leaving the last week of sales open to the public," Bombard said. "We'll see how it goes, but we'll be ready to really push it towards the public."
The concert announcement also came the Friday before Easter, which may have dampered getting the word out to students.
Carlton's opening act has yet to be announced, but will likely be a local performer with a name for themselves. Local or national, the act still has to be approved. The announcement should come later this week.
Griffith said booking this show has been like none before for her at SCSU. The change is welcomed.
"It's a very positive change for the concert committee to go to something they have never tried, different venue, different style of artist, different everything," Griffith said. "It's a good experience to find out how well this is going to work."
Bombard recognized the change as a motion to expand the horizons for UPB.
"Sometimes you feel like you can only bring the big people and with this we're showing we can bring anyone," Bombard added. "Tell us who you guys want and we can see if we can bring them."
MMF Concert Posting
UPB has also announced their line-up for Mississippi Music Fest on May 1. This year's festival, which turns 20, includes headliner Josh Kelley.
Also on the bill is Kip Blackshire, Minnesota favorites Heiruspecs, all female rock/folk group Raining Jane, Diamondback, a cappella emcees Four Shadow and battle of the band winner Doorstep Paradise.
Mississippi Music Fest is free and open to the public.
Vanessa Carlton
If you go...
Where: Ritsche Auditorium
When: April 16
Tickets: $15 (Lower level)
$13 (Upper level)
On sale at the Atwood Help
Desk. Limit two per student.
Public tickets on sale April 8.
http://www.universitychronicle.com/news/2005/03/31/Diversions/Carlton.To.Perform.v.i.p.Concert-908306.shtml
