The Avett Brothers and Band of Horses played the inaugural concert last year at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on April 1. Red Mountain Entertainment, who manages the amphitheater, worked with the University of Alabama SGA and the Ferguson Center staff to bring the acts to Tuscaloosa.

The University purchased a block of tickets for students, allowing them to sell the tickets at a reduced student price – $10 compared to the $33 general admission price. All the proceeds from the student tickets went to an SGA scholarship fund.

“We took home $20,000 to put into our scholarship endowment through the SGA, and it was a sold out crowd, we were really pleased with it,” said Peyton Falkenburg, SGA director of programming and advancement.

By this time last year, the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater had announced the Avett Brothers show and the Kenny Chesney show—so far, the Amphitheater hasn’t announced any concerts for the spring 2012 concert season.

Falkenburg said that different things, none of which can be commented on, have to be worked out between the city, University and Red Mountain Entertainment before the SGA can begin to plan a concert with the amphitheater this year. He said he has been in communication with Red Mountain and the city throughout the school year, and once everything is worked out, hopes the SGA can put on another show.

One of the difficulties of collaborating with the amphitheater is finding a band that will appeal to as many students as possible, while still staying in a price range Red Mountain can handle.

“Red Mountain books the band they can get in Tuscaloosa for the right price,” Falkenburg said. “There may be four or five shows in the spring, and one of those acts might be appealing to students.”

The SGA worked closely with Red Mountain in making the decision to bring the Avett Brothers to town based on what seemed to be a lot students’ interest in the band.

“Band of Horses put on a good show, and I wasn’t an Avett Brothers fan, but after hearing them live I became one,” Matt Reid, a senior majoring in marketing, said. “I liked the SGA sponsored concert because general admission concerts are always more fun because you can walk around, and it’s cheaper.”

Falkenburg said students’ opinions of who they would like to see play at their concerts are always welcome, but it’s difficult because many bands students hope to see just aren’t realistic for the amphitheater.

“Obviously we can’t adhere to the majority of students because the majority of students want a Dave Matthews, a John Mayer or something huge that’s so far out of the price range that is feasible at the Amphitheater,” he said.

For now, the SGA is working with Creative Campus to help put on the Druid City Arts Festival. This year’s festival will last from March 19-24. The SGA teamed up with Creative Campus after a senator brought up the idea. They are using their funding to help bring a headlining band to the festival.