Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Opinion

"Won't you help to sing the songs of freedom?" - Bob Marley
Rest in peace, Art Attack of yesteryear. Your former glory will sorely be missed. We'll always remember those days when you magically transformed McKeldin Mall from a homely art bazaar during the day to a comely creature of the night.

We'll always remember those hot evenings of late spring, when dusk would darken the land and your stage would light up the hordes, people who came from all-over for your music, your atmosphere, your excitement.

We'll always remember the magic of those nights, nights like the one pictured here in 2000, when you brought the Bloodhound Gang and Outkast - Outkast - to thrill an audience of 15,000 people on the mall.

You introduced countless students to this university; high school students who came to see you came to love the school and began a lifelong association with the university. You've made Terps out of so many.

It's been a long good-bye, and it's been painful to see what Student Entertainment Events has done to you. First, they moved you from the mall to Byrd because you were too loud. Next, they started requiring tickets for attendees. Then, they started charging non-students. Now, they are charging students entry fees. You are no more, just an ungainly shell of your former self.

The world just doesn't make sense anymore. SEE says students would rather pay for good acts than see mediocre ones for free. This is why we're paying 5 dolla dolla bills y'all to see Wyclef Jean this year. Why? He came before, in 2002. What did SEE charge for entry to see him back then (back when he was more popular)? Nothing. The concert was free. The crowd was free-flowing. Life was good. And those days are gone.

Why? Increasing production costs they say. Rubbish. Get rid of overhead. Get rid of tickets. Get rid of restrictions.

Lobby the administration to bring the concert back onto the mall. Give the people what they want. Resurrect yourself from the ugly underworld of commercialization and co-sponsorship. It is too late this year, but come back to us next spring. Spring forth and come back to reunite with a university that loves you.

Policy: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback's editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

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