Spring Break
EDITORIAL: Variety of venue sizes lacking
Brandeis needs more space
Editorial | 9/23/08
Posted online at 1:10 AM EST on 9/23/08
Last week's Pachanga-related incident may have been largely a result of poor planning, but the long line of partygoers waiting outside the Levin Ballroom for hours was indicative of another problem. Our campus has really only three places to hold parties and concerts -- Cholmondeley's, the Levin Ballroom and the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Chum's can hold about 150 to 200 at most, if you go against the fire department's advice. Levin's capacity is 750, and Gosman's is 2,500 with bleachers, 1,600 banquet.
While these venues allow both small-scale and large-scale events to take place, the lack of variety in size is a major constraint to student event-planning groups. A concert in Chum's that attracts 300 people will create a line of at least 100 waiting outside the Castle, but that same concert in Levin would seem a failure because the room would be less than half full.
Similarly, a party like Pachanga that can clearly oversell Levin poses a problem to student groups wishing to book Gosman instead but for different reasons.
Because Gosman's floor was resurfaced last summer, it must be protected with a tarp during any parties or concerts. This is reasonable, but since the University doesn't own the tarp, which costs $20,000, it must be rented anew for each event at a cost of $6,000.
Because of these constraints, student groups sometimes resort to having events, including holding concerts, in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.
While some may enjoy stumbling upon a rock band while walking into the campus center to buy a bagel or do homework, many others may find such a presence distracting while they write papers in the Shapiro library or work on club-related matters in the many student club offices in the campus center. Likewise, bands need not have to compete with Einstein Bros. Bagels for attention. The University needs to create another mid-size venue between the sizes of Levin and Chum's for events so groups don't have to take over the Shapiro Campus Center.
While these venues allow both small-scale and large-scale events to take place, the lack of variety in size is a major constraint to student event-planning groups. A concert in Chum's that attracts 300 people will create a line of at least 100 waiting outside the Castle, but that same concert in Levin would seem a failure because the room would be less than half full.
Similarly, a party like Pachanga that can clearly oversell Levin poses a problem to student groups wishing to book Gosman instead but for different reasons.
Because Gosman's floor was resurfaced last summer, it must be protected with a tarp during any parties or concerts. This is reasonable, but since the University doesn't own the tarp, which costs $20,000, it must be rented anew for each event at a cost of $6,000.
Because of these constraints, student groups sometimes resort to having events, including holding concerts, in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.
While some may enjoy stumbling upon a rock band while walking into the campus center to buy a bagel or do homework, many others may find such a presence distracting while they write papers in the Shapiro library or work on club-related matters in the many student club offices in the campus center. Likewise, bands need not have to compete with Einstein Bros. Bagels for attention. The University needs to create another mid-size venue between the sizes of Levin and Chum's for events so groups don't have to take over the Shapiro Campus Center.
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