Conte Forum: the graveyard

I remember leaving for college with a head obnoxiously full of preconceptions of what the next four years would be like: excessive partying, last-minute cramming, lousy cafeteria food, all sorts of amazing shows and concerts played by bands and artists the students loved ... yep, and I was hoping I'd be wrong about the food. With the fallout from Akon's all-too-brief appearance at Boston College only just subsiding, I thought it might be relevant to take a stroll down the unfortunate hallway of BC concerts past.

Where to begin, ah, freshman year! I was young, poorly-groomed, and the band Third Eye Blind hadn't entered into my consciousness since I had last heard "Semi-Charmed Kind of Life" on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997. That is, they hadn't until Stephan Jenkins, lead singer of 3EB (as their true fans know them) and anti-jumping advocate, tried to pick up a friend of mine in Hillside. Stephan Jenkins is a performer so mediocre that he appeared in the movie Rock Star. Not only did he appear in Rock Star, he played "Bradley," a character who apparently wasn't significant enough for a last name. Aside from inviting an unnerving amount of college girls to their tour bus, Third Eye Blind played a show that did little more than remind most of the student body how long it had been since they'd heard a Third Eye Blind song. So the precedent had been set. It was a precedent so low it seemed impossible to go anywhere but up … and then Saves the Day played Modstock.

I'll be the first to admit, since that year BC has brought in some genuinely good artists. The problem is BC has brought in some genuinely good artists and ruined their shows. Instance number one: The Roots. Here we had a band known for their incredible live performances and great beats to move to. It seemed destined to be a sweaty, sexy, dance-fest on the floor of Conte. It seemed that way straight up until the students filing into the arena were informed that they were required to remain in their seats and could, in fact, get no where near the stage. Like the minister in Footloose, BC had made its stance on dancing clear. The same policy was enacted with Talib Kweli, who it bears mentioning was opened for by the band WHO DEM? as well as "The R&B King of Rhode Island."

The most recent debacle with Akon has pushed things over the edge. Admittedly, I wasn't there because I had my fill of "Konvict Music" two summers ago when it was relevant. Even so, as I understand it, Akon had his mic pulled for being explicit, sexually suggestive, and trying to get people on the floor to dance. In other words, Akon had his mic pulled for trying to have an Akon concert. I'm not sure whether BC thought they were hosting Motorhead, but in my opinion, the worst damage that could have been done at an Akon concert was some dance stank left over in Conte.

It seems to me that BC students need to speak up. A few of you might remember the RJD2 concert in the Rat last fall. By far, it was the best concert BC has ever had and some of the most fun I've had at a concert in years. Every concert at BC should be like that; take them out of Conte for one. Conte Forum is where concerts go to die and we should stop sending them there like a musical gulag. It may be too late for me and the rest of the class of 2010, but you underclassmen still have a chance to see a few great shows while you're here! Speak out! Get loud! Rock out!

Dan Esposito is a Heights staff columnist. He welcomes comments at desposito@bcheights.com.