For the first time in a long while, the student body is getting excited about WILD. Congratulations would be due to Team 31 for its often under-appreciated efforts, but all current excitement is based purely on hearsay and rumor. It would be mutually beneficial for Team 31 and the student body to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding WILD band selection, for opening up the decision-making process and all its difficulties would increase the level of student involvement, lessen the hype and relieve the burden on Team 31.

The rumors are inescapable: Jurassic 5 and Black Eyed Peas are headlining WILD. Anyone who knows these bands is excited, and a wonderful buzz has been making the rounds on campus: this semester, unlike the past two, copious amounts of fun (and beer) will be had at WILD.

But what if the bands aren’t J5 or Black Eyed Peas? Then Team 31 is blamed for everything. This is unfair; there are many unpredictable events that can derail booking a band-not to mention clauses that allow bands to cancel in some cases as close as two weeks to the event-and if Team 31 has to salvage an event, the school would be able to better sympathize with the organization’s situation if properly informed.

This open communication would benefit the students as well as Team 31, simply because knowing the story behind the event makes the community feel more involved and less resentful of its planners.

Team 31′s secrecy only digs its own grave. Even if excellent bands are selected, their greatness is downplayed by the rumors of more popular, overpriced bands headlining.

Now there certainly can be some fun with keeping a secret, but unfortunately at this school the secrecy of WILD only fosters uncomfortable anticipation and strange resentment. With the secrecy removed from the hype of the event, Team 31 can be less stressed and students can focus on more important things, like drinking.

That said, it is now appropriate to commence the Annual Things We Want Different About WILD List:

Most importantly, this entire culture of hype surrounding the band selection stems from too great of a focus on the music in general. True, most people severely disliked Crazy Town, but the most annoying part was that the music was inescapable. WILD is only partially a concert; it is even more so a party. There should be speakers in only the front part of the quad, not on the path in the middle, so that the rear of the quad can be used for mingling.

Second, though this publication has called numerous times for allowing kegs at WILD, it is pertinent now to call for the appropriate safety measures that keep such an allowance in check. Food, water and other non-alcoholic beverages should be available not just at the beginning of the event, but until the end.

Lastly, never has there been a better time to unveil a recycling program than when hundreds, if not thousands, of aluminum cans and plastic cups litter the school’s most sacred and public space and go to waste. Some caring souls have picked cans up on their own accord; this policy should appropriately be handed down from up on high.

All in all it sounds as if Team 31 has really listened to the student criticism over the past year and brought us chill music and plenty of beer, and for that they do deserve great support. The question is why don’t they want to take the credit for it?

Background on the most rumored bands for WILD

JURASSIC 5
Hip-hop group out of Los Angeles that scored big with their hit album Quality Control, following up on their first self-titled EP, Jurassic 5
Formed in 1993 out of conglomeration of Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee
Next big performance: Coachella Music Festival in Indio City, CA on April 27, 2002

BLACK EYED PEAS
Hip-hop crew whose members include an African-American born in east Los Angeles, an Asian- American born in the Philippines, and a Native-American of Hispanic descent
Group first formed in 1989 and have produced two albums, 1998′s Behind the Front and 2000′s Bridging the Gap

BILLY GILMAN
A 12-year-old country-music virtuoso hailing from Hope Valley, RI, whose inspirational first album One Voice has sold over 2 million copies
Cites country singer Pam Tillis as a major influence
Enjoys in-line skating, surfing the Internet and playing his Playstation 2 in his spare time

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