Posted by Kara Clark
Beatlemore Skidmania, one the College's most reputable events, will undergo several changes in operation and presentation this fall. Professor Gordon Thompson and students involved with the project sat down with Skidmore News to discuss these changes.
Thompson has enlisted students Sam Hoffmann '13, Xan Goldberg '13,
Cody DeFalco '14, Matt Kugler '14 and Oliver Mashburn '15 to organize and manage the concert this fall. The students will receive credit for the endeavor as an independent study.
Beatlemore will add another night show exclusively for the college community, extending its run from two nights to three. Tickets for this show will only be available at the Box Office and require a college ID for purchase. "The challenge [will be] to have a concert that is [only] known on campus," said Thompson, who has decided to omit this performance from the event's official press release. "I like the idea of having the last show largely for Skidmore students," he continued to say, "there's just going to be a lot more energy in the room."
"It's just something we noticed about being in the show last year," said Goldberg, who acts as the program's recruiter. He explains that an audience with students as the minority lacks energy, as opposed to an audience filled with his peers. "There wasn't the same kind of fire that you get when you're friends are in the audience," he explained.
Beatlemore will also hold viewing parties for Alumni to watch the community-only show. These will take place in Boston and New York.
Thompson went on to mention that the proceeds of the Saturday college-only show will be given to the Office of Financial Aid, so "when the college starts handing out [aid] to students, there's some extra money there to help." The last time Beatlemore donated its proceeds to financial aid (in 2009), the concert earned around $1,000. "[That will be] cool because it's the college show," said Goldberg, "it's the community specifically contributing to that cause to help bring people into the community."
The college-only show will also sport limited edition merchandise, thanks to the cooperation of Art Professors Sang Wook Lee and Deborah Hall. Lee's textile class will create limited edition silkscreen T-shirts for the event, while Hall's Communication Design class will provide a small selection of posters. "That will be nice because they're designed by students for students," says Hoffmann, who predominantly manages publicity for Beatlemore.
Perhaps the most significant change to Beatlemore's operation was the decision to accept auditions via video submission. The Beatlemore student coordinators reviewed close to 32 auditions, the selection process taking almost five hours to complete. In the end, 17 groups were selected. The final program features college-affiliated groups such as The Accents and The Bandersnatches, as well as student formed bands like Los Elk and Bo Peep and the Funk Sheep.
Last fall auditions occurred in person, and were managed by students enrolled in the Beatles music seminar. This process proved arduous for all parties involved. "We spent a total of twelve to thirteen hours sitting through auditions," Goldberg said. "Many people didn't [even] show up for their slots."
Beatlemore Skidmania will take place at 8 p.m. on Nov. 16 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 17. The college-only show will begin at 8 p.m. on Nov. 17 as well. Tickets are currently available at the Zankel Box Office as well as online - with the exception of Nov. 17's last performance.