Good cheap fun costs $5 for students, while SGA picked up a $57,000 tab for this year’s Loup Garou concert, according to SGA adviser David Gunn. The annual concert happened this year at the House of Blues April 15 with bands Better Than Ezra, Baby Bash, DJ Chachi and A-FREE-KA performing.
According to Gunn, the remaining $3,000 out of a $60,000 budget will go back into SGA for their regular program fund as will the money generated from the $5 ticket price.
With their budget, SGA spent $10,000 on the venue. In the past, Gunn said he has done festival shows where the production cost is much higher, but the House of Blues already provided a stage and lights.
Up front, the House of Blues required a $6,000 deposit with a $7,000 guarantee for the venue; this meant that for any money made below $7,000, SGA was then responsible to pay the difference.
The original budget accounted for $4,000 that SGA might have to pay the House of Blues in addition to the $6,000 deposit.
“This year the budget allowed us to put on a show that has a little something for everyone,” said David Zoller, political science senior and outgoing College of Social Sciences president.
Of the bands that played this year, all were contracted through Green Machine Concerts, a company based out of Memphis.
Gunn said Green Machine Concerts provided the link between the artists and the school.
“I setup a committee in the fall semester with some Loyola students to help me choose the artists, band and DJ,” said Maria Rossi, English senior and outgoing SGA vice president. “The majority of the students who sat on the committee were music majors; one or two of them were highly experienced in event planning, which was very helpful.”
Gunn mentioned that SGA paid Green Machine Concerts $46,750 for security, riders for the bands and liability costs.
With $46,750 to Green Machine Concerts, $10,000 for the venue and about $300 for transportation, Loup Garou cost SGA about $57,000.
According to Gunn, they were actually able to save on budget by using existing print resources on campus like the Hub for flyers and other promotional items.
“This is a standard university spring concert,” Gunn said.
For next year, Gunn said he welcomes student support. Gunn said as an adviser, he does not pick the bands, but that this is instead the students’ process.
“This is for the students,” Gunn said.
Russell Shelton can be reached at [email protected]
