The Concert Series for Students

             The Concert Series provides free live music for students at the University of Oklahoma at least once per semester. It is a yearlong event that is part of the Campus Activities Council (CAC), which leads 12 other events throughout the year.

            The University of Oklahoma Student Association founded CAC in 1971, in order to create a board that plans and initiates campus-wide events for all students. According to the CAC Web site, it is made up of 23 council members and more than 300 committee members headed by a chairperson elected annually by the student body. Therefore, anyone can join the meetings to help out where volunteers are needed, but there is a small process to become an official member.

            “It takes a bit of work,” said Concert Series Chair Staley Stidham. “You have to fill out an application and go through an interview. Students are chosen based on combined scores of the two. It allows CAC to acquire students who are truly passionate about their branch of the organization.”

            Stidham has helped bring in many bands in the last couple of years including: Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, Jonezetta, Manchester Orchestra, Rocket Summer, Amos Lee, Copeland, Lovedrug, Matt and Kim, Camera Obscura, Owl City, Octopus Project and Yellow Fever.  The shows have been conducted mainly in Meacham Auditorium in the Student Union, but have also been outdoors in front of the Union.  Each show is unique in presentation, derived from the differentiation in performance by the bands.

            “I think my favorite concert was Matt and Kim,” said Stidham. “The energy of the band seemed to permeate the atmosphere of the concert. The crowd was really involved in the show and made it an actual experience rather than a ‘stand and watch’ kind of concert. It didn’t hurt that they were incredibly nice people on top of the great show.”

            The Concert Series gives students an exciting opportunity to see a live show several times throughout the semester, but the students are not the only ones who benefit.

            “I love seeing the end result come together and the happiness it brings the audience,” said Stidham. “Watching a show that you organized and seeing the crowd loving it as much as you do, it kind of unites you with other people. You form a weird, inexplicable connection with everyone there.”

            Stidham also commented about the music scene in Norman outside of the Concert Series.

            “I am really proud of the way Norman has progressed since I was a freshman,” said Stidham. “We now have the Norman Music Festival and great venues like The Opolis. Norman is really lucky to have a few people who are really passionate about music and making things happen.”

Matt and Kim perform in Meacham Auditorium in Fall of 2009. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

The Early Beat opens up for Matt and Kim in Meacham Auditorium. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth