Ani DiFranco will perform solo at the USM Field House in Gorham on November 11, Gorham Events Board announced last Wednesday. According to GEB chair Kelly Locke, it will be the biggest concert USM has ever held.
It will also be the most expensive concert ever held in Gorham, Locke said. The total cost of holding a DiFranco concert, including booking, insurance, staging, advertising and other incidentals, is normally about $40,000 — $5,000 more than Gorham Events Board’s annual budget of $35,000, funded through the Student Senate. But the cost to GEB will be substantially less than normal under an agreement reached with concert promoter Joe Fletcher. Fletcher owns Joe Fletcher Presents, a company based out of Barrington, New Hampshire. Locke did not give a specific figure, saying many of the expenses have yet to be worked out.
GEB was not planning or even considering bringing a national music act to Gorham this fall, when they received a call out of the blue from Fletcher. He asked if they’d be interested in having DiFranco come perform at USM. When he outlined the costs at $20,000 for booking and an additional $20,000 for other fees, board members responded that that would take their entire budget, and they explained their financial situation.
Fletcher replied that he could work something out that would be within their budget. After further talks and a two and half hour meeting, they came out with an agreement. Fletcher contacted DiFranco’s management to make the offer, and the offer was accepted 20 minutes later.
Regarding their decision to hold the Ani DiFranco concert, GEB chair Kelly Locke points out that the singer has sold out her past shows in Portland. And “even if some people aren’t happy [with the choice], there are a lot of people who will be. She’s really big. We’ve never had anyone with this status [perform at USM], so we’re pretty excited about it… it was too good to pass up.”
Locke said she was told that DiFranco didn’t want to play at Merrill Auditorium in Portland this year. “It’s not that she doesn’t like Merrill, but that she wanted something different,” Locke said. DiFranco played at Sullivan Gym about seven years ago and loved it, Locke was told during negotiations with Fletcher.
In addition to the booking expense (still unspecified), GEB is required to cover a wide range of additional expenses. Catering and lodging must be provided in accordance with DiFranco’s specifications. They will also have to rent the Field House and pay for tarp. “That’s a couple thousand dollars right there,” said Locke.
Other expenses are advertising, staging, security, and insurance coverage for performing on campus. Locke said the cost of staging is a big issue – a 40′ by 30′ stage is required, with a height of four to five feet. So far GEB hasn’t heard back from any company that can supply that size, although they are still waiting for responses from Cumberland County Civic Center and Portland Exposition.
Locke also said she hopes to continue working with Fletcher in making plans for a spring 2004 concert in April, if all goes well financially with this event. Acts that Gorham Events Board brought to campus in past years have included Rocktopus, Even All Out, Jill Sobule and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Tickets go on sale Friday, September 19 and will be available for cash only at the offices of both Brooks Student Center in Gorham and Woodbury Campus Center in Portland. They will also be available at the USM Gorham Bookstore and all Bull Moose Music locations. The price is $20 plus a $2 handling fee for students, and $30 plus a $2 handling fee for non-students. The handling fee goes to Gorham Events Board. It was unclear at press time whether the same fee would be charged for purchases made at Bull Moose Music, or if the retail chain would charge their own handling fee. A total of 3,200 tickets will be for sale.
Doors will open at 7 p.m. on November 11, and the opening act will begin at 8 p.m. DiFranco’s performance will begin at 9 p.m.
Brian O’Keefe can be contacted at [email protected]