By Crystal Luong
News Assistant
AM Radio, the opening act for Third Eye Blind, will bring along a special guest on the Elektra Records label for the March 29 concert — the band’s long-time supporter, Weezer.
Student Government Association officers said Weezer will be in attendance at the concert and may possibly come on stage with AM Radio during its set.
“Weezer is currently recording and was unable to play (in concert at Pepperdine), but they are hoping to come out and show their support,” SGA Concert Committee Chair Jimmy Hutcheson said. “AM Radio has been championed by Weezer, and the lead singer of Weezer has heavily supported the band from the start.”
Weezer’s lead singer Rivers Cuomo signed AM Radio onto his new record label in June 2002 and took on managerial duties for the band. According to AM Radio’s Web site, Cuomo and AM Radio’s frontman Kevin Ridel have also been friends and influences on each other since their teen years.
The possible addition is a bonus for concertgoers.
“I’m excited about Weezer,” sophomore Adrianne Lyau, public relations major, said.
The Third Eye Blind concert in Firestone Fieldhouse has the capacity for 2,500 people.
Primarily through on-line sales, tickets are almost sold out, Hutcheson said. Tickets cost $15 for Pepperdine students and $20 for all others in the community.
Third Eye Blind’s concert at Pepperdine is one of the band’s few West Coast appearances before their new album comes out May 13.
“I hope we get a big turnout,” said David Lock, concert committee director of Printing, Graphics and Designs, and Administrative Services and Sponsorships. “It’ll make it a lot smoother to bring bigger bands in the future.”
In the past weeks, the committee has faced problems with printing posters and promotional materials, which arrived nearly a week later than anticipated. Lock said the cut down of five to six days on valuable promotion time may lead to a loss in ticket sales.
However, the committee plans to resume with its standard promotion schedule. Two dorm storms were planned for this week on campus and university street teams are being sent to UCLA and USC for concert promotions.
In general, students are looking forward to the Third Eye Blind Concert.
“I’ve listened to Third Eye Blind for quite a while,” freshman Kati Morton said. “I’m hoping they’ll play some old and new songs.”
Freshman John Szabo questions some of Third Eye Blind’s lyrics, but expresses excitement for the event. “There’s some stuff in their songs that I don’t know how Pepperdine let them come here,” he said. “I’m definitely excited. It’d be neat to see them in concert.”
In other concert news, there will no longer be a concert scheduled in April at Pepperdine due to time constrictions and recent events in correlation with the Sum 41 and Ataris tours.
Tickets for the Third Eye Blind concert can still be purchased on-line at www.pepsga.com, or at the SGA Office in the Tyler Campus Center. Doors open for the concert at Firestone Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m. March 29.
March 20, 2003