Despite the short notice, tickets for Wednesday’s A&O Ball featuring Zwan and Queens of the Stone Age have been selling fast.
The annual concert was not finalized until late last week, which prevented A&O Productions from advertising the event until Sunday. In the past, tickets for A&O-sponsored concerts have gone on sale about a week before the concert.
“We are frustrated that we couldn’t publicize and start selling tickets earlier,” said Jonathan Berman, the group’s chairman. “At the same time, we’re hopeful because (Zwan is) such a big name.”
Students buying tickets at the box office expressed enthusiasm for the concert.
“I was definitely surprised (A&O) brought such a big act,” said Rakesh Baruah, a Weinberg sophomore.
Formed in 2001, Zwan features former Smashing Pumpkins band members Billy Corgan on vocals and guitar and Jimmy Chamberlain on drums. Heavy-metal act Queens of the Stone Age formed in 1997. Both bands have released albums in the last year to glowing reviews.
“Both albums are critically acclaimed,” said Bockrath. “Chicago has been foaming at the mouth about who can get tickets.”
When the Norris Box Office closed Monday, 838 of 1,200 tickets available for the show had been sold. The tickets are $10 each and went on sale at 10:30 a.m Monday. Doors at Patten Gym open at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Communication junior Alan Lawrence said the opening act lured him to buy a ticket.
“(I think Queens of the Stone Age) should be the headliner personally,” he said.
Although A&O started planning the event last November, Berman said contract issues delayed finalizing the concert, but declined to elaborate on the difficulties.
“We’re basically reduced to being a middleman between the university, the artists’ agencies and the students,” said Berman, a Weinberg senior. “We have to … please everyone.”
A&O also had looked at off-campus venues such as the Riviera Theater in downtown Chicago but then found out the two bands only wanted to play on campus. The group then decided to hold the concert at Patten.
But the Evanston fire department recently reduced the the maximum capacity of Patten from 1,800 to 1,200 people. A&O had planned the concert under the impression that Patten’s capacity was 1,800 until the policy suddenly changed, said A&O member Brian Bockrath, a McCormick sophomore.
“It will certainly be a more intimate event,” Berman said.
Because of Patten’s change in capacity, A&O leaders said the group will make changes in their funding plans so they can request a wider range of venues for future concerts.
“Patten may not be the best venue anymore,” Bockrath said.
