Brokers and Brokerage

Who said free concert tickets were cool anyway?

Date 11/14/2002 12:00 AM | Topic: Opinion

What a loser Sue Gilbertson is. The SAC concerts co-chump. Fall show blower.

Yeah, she usually works more than 10 hours a week as concerts co-chair without ever getting paid. And works another 10 in the career center. And another 20 selling men's pants at Anundsons downtown and still manages to pull a 3.4 as a magagement major, psych minor. But you wanted the Counting Crows for the fall concert and she got Blues Traveler so she sucks.

Sue has never landed Aerosmith. She hasn't brought back Dave Matthews. She has booked Live, Ben Harper and Jack Johnson, Guster, G. Love and Special Sauce and Jurrassic 5, a resume that would be impressive in L.A. or Minneapolis, but she has never gotten Ani Difranco and that just chaps you.

True, she's the one who goes to all the committee meetings, spends her lunch hour calling booking agents and works on getting a kickass fall concert in the summer when the rest of Luther is working on their tan. She's the one with the dedication of Roosevelt, the one who loves her position so much she dreams of starting her own concert promoting business after she graduates, but she has never talked contract with Eminem's agent so screw her.

OK, she's the one who unfailingly takes the blame personally for not getting the concert you wanted. Even though you didn't go to the committee meeting on possible availabilities for the fall. Even though you didn't know that Aerosmith does stadiums or that Madonna doesn't usually hit Iowa when she goes on the road. She knows you don't know that its not her fault, so she doesn't say anthing when you rag on the upcoming show while she's standing behind you in the caf, or overhearing your conversation in an Olin lab.

"I'll usually hear something about 10 times the week before a show," says Gilbertson. "People don't know who I am, so I usually keep quiet."

If you know Sue, you know that she doesn't lose sleep over you being torqued that John Popper (Blues Traveler) is coming instead of Adam Duritz (Counting Crows). She knows that she is not a Gandolf; that trying to convince big name bands to play in Decorah is about as easy as getting a date with Vin Diesel. That there is a budget and scheduling and a middle agent, and that ultimately it is not her fault that she can't convince Phish to get back together.

Still Sue says that it gets to her sometimes when she's having a bad day. Days like when Less than Jake cancelled last spring, or when the CFL is only open for one Tuesday in March or there is a basketball game the night that Cake says they can come. Days like when students decide to study in the library instead of take a chance on Guster. Or play Playstation in their room on a Sunday instead of going to watch Ben Harper play "Sexual Healing."

"My thing is, it's a free concert," Gilbertson says. "And most likely you didn't pay the $140 students activities charge, so as to why you wouldn't try something out, thats what bothers me sometimes. I just don't get the 'should I read that chapter for Bio, or go see some great free music,' mentality."

But there is so much other stuff going on in Decorah on Sunday nights, remember?

Yeah the chick's cooler than the soft serve machine in the caf. Played a game of P.I.G. with Jack Johnson in the Regents Center before he did sound check. Took Guster to the Villager for lunch and told ghost stories with them in the ice cave. Had a barbeque with Jurassic 5, before they had their own smokeout on the bus before the show.

She always gets free tickets to concerts because of the contacts she has made while interning for promoters. Always takes her friends along too.

She's the perfect person for the job, is more passionate about music than most girls are about their boyfriends and goes to more concerts than most groupies. She works well under pressure and doesn't get ruffled by stuff like when the tour rider for Tracy Bonham (opened for Live) asked for glass pipe and three double A batteries. Or when Live requested neutralized and deoderized carpet in their dressing room.

She knows it's just part of the business, just like the warm comments she gets from her fellow classmates, such as "why can't Dave Matthews come back?' or "who the hell is G. Love?"

Why should you care that Sue Gilbertson cares?

In her three years as concerts co-chair she has never gotten The Roots or The Indigo Girls or Blink 182 so in your book shes lower than an Oompa Loompa's ankle.

Fact is, Luther students need to wake up and (I hate to use this one) hear the music. So often I get a whiff of people knocking other people's hard work, their dedication, without even taking into question how much effort they have put into something (not that I would have any experience with this, being the editor of the paper and everything).

So don't blame Sue Gilbertson. Just forget that you wanted Papa Roach instead of John Popper and go catch some free music this Sunday.

Who knows, you might even have a good time.

--

Nate Peterson
Editor-in-chief

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