Assembly May Call Off May 3 Benefit Concert

The Student Assembly will cancel the Pousette-Dart/Livingston Taylor benefit concert for the American Cancer Society if it does not sell half the 3000 tickets by Monday.

As of yesterday the group had only sold 450 of the $6.50 and $7.50 tickets for the Saturday, May 3 Bright Hockey Rink concert, Leslie A. Cornfeld '81, president of the assembly and a Crimson editor, said yesterday.

If the concert materializes, the assembly will hold a benefit concert each year in memory of the late Jonathan R. Grandine '68, former assistant professor of English Literature.

Through a $10,000 letter of credit issued by Charlesbank Trust/Harvard and guaranteed by ten area businesses, the assembly is financing the $12,000 concert. The cost includes the entertainers, 30 policemen, electricians and publicity, Michael J. Urfirer '82, the concert's organizer, said.

Form

The assembly plans to sign a contract, which includes a clause agreeing to pay even in the event of cancellation, with the band and Taylor on Monday.

If the assembly were to cancel the concert after Monday, the area businesses who signed the bank notes would have to cover the costs already incurred, Cornfeld said.

She added the assembly will cancel only if 1500 tickets are not sold prior to signing the contract, to free the businessmen from any contractual obligations.

Because of Harvard student's apparent lack of interest in the concert, the assembly Tuesday began selling tickets at other area schools.

Urfirer, who is frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm for the concert, said yesterday, "If the concert doesn't come off, there will never be another concert."

Buy in Advance

Assembly members stressed that students should buy concert tickets well in advance. "Students want to got but think they can wait until the last minute," Urfirer said.

If the concert sells out, the assembly will donate over $6000 to the American Cancer Society, Cornfeld said.

The businesses which signed $1000 notes guaranteeing the bank's extension of credit include Goods Department Store, Brine's Sporting Goods, 33 Dunster St., Club Casablanca and the Harvest Restaurant.

The concert is planned as part of a spring weekend, which the assembly hopes will become a Harvard tradition along the lines of Dartmouth's winter carnival.