By Brian Roe, Student Reporter
Student attendance was low when Christian bands Jars of Clay and Caedmon’s Call took the stage last weekend in Moody Coliseum, according to the Students’ Association.
SA provided the concert for ACU students and Abilene citizens but estimated only about 200 of the 1,600 people in attendance were ACU students.
The concert cost $20 for reserved seats and $15 for general admission, and Keith Clark of the SA entertainment committee said enough tickets were sold to break even financially.
“We made a lot of effort to bring this concert to ACU,” said Clark, sophomore Christian ministry major from Jackson, Tenn. “This tour is expected to be a top-five Christian tour this year. We are talking about award-winning bands.”
Jars of Clay is a multi-platinum selling band and was honored Sunday by winning a GRAMMY at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards.
It was the third consecutive year the group won the award for “Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.”
Low student attendance has SA concerned about future concerts and events, Clark said.
Even though student attendance was low, there is still student interest, said David Etheredge, sophomore business management major from Irving.
“I have a Jars of Clay CD and wanted to go to the concert,” said Etheredge, “but my schedule was too busy that weekend. I think maybe if the concert was advertised better I might have known about it before and rearranged my schedule.”
Clark said he had also hoped for better advertising from local media outlets.
“We didn’t get as much [advertising] as we had hoped. I mean it seems to me like this would be a big event for ACU,” he said.
Clark said that less than 10 percent of colleges in the nation are able to play host to a concert on this tour.
The bands will next take the tour to Texas A&M, Central Florida and Wake Forest.
Clark said students could get involved in future concerts by volunteering to move equipment, assisting in planning and doing other behind the scenes work.
“The biggest help would come from more students buying tickets though, so we can continue to bring popular bands to ACU,” Clark said.
