As Mardi Gras parties raged on Bourbon Street Tuesday night, Page Auditorium played host to another kind of party-a benefit concert focused on substance abuse prevention featuring a former member of American indie band Dispatch.
The event, titled "Our community. Our choices," featured the band Braddigan, two Duke student bands-Panda Force and Tauri Wind-and a conversation with football head coach David Cutcliffe. After planning the event for nearly a year, DUU Major Attractions Director Vincent Ling said the event achieved its goal of presenting a difficult topic in a way that would be interesting for students.
"Before this show I was not a drug and alcohol awareness advocate, but as I was planning it I realized it is an issue Duke tries to address," said Ling, a senior. "But I do realize now it's definitely an issue students should be thinking about. I drink, too, so it's not like I'm telling people not to drink-nobody's telling anyone not to drink-but to maybe think about our actions differently and how they affect the community."
Ling estimates that between 600 and 700 students attended the event, which was co-sponsored by a host of student and administrative groups.
DUU President Chamindra Goonewardene, a senior, said DUU reached out to the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council both for funding and attendance purposes.
"With Spring semester, with rush and pledging you see a lot of alcohol and drug abuse. We thought it would be best for the University if we addressed these problems in a very creative way because it's a concert and a conversation," Goonewardene said. "I know IFC and Panhel have events like this for their pledges, so it made sense to tie with that and reach a wider audience."
IFC required its new members and chapter leaders to attend the event as part of new member education. Panhel will host its own new member education event this weekend and did not make concert attendance mandatory.
Outgoing IFC President Lee Hathaway, a senior, said he hopes new members and chapter leaders carry the messages from the concert back to their chapters.
"It's not like, 'Let's eliminate drinking from Duke's culture.' It's, 'What are some ways toward drinking a little bit less?'" Hathaway said. "And it's a way to help new members learn about the Duke scene and learn some new ways to drink a little less."
Students trickled out of the venue as the event continued, which Ling said he expected to happen on a Tuesday night during midterm period. Several students said they attended in order to see Braddigan in concert, although they noted after the show that they appreciated his message.
Brad Corrigan, lead singer of Braddigan, said in an interview with The Chronicle that he was encouraged by the event even though only about 100 students remained by the end of the three hours.
"I would trade thousands for hundreds who get it and who are ready to start living a different life," Corrigan said. "It's just so meaningful when you know your message and your music has been made a part of people's lives."
Corrigan said he abused alcohol in college and as a Dispatch member, which motivated him to raise awareness about substance abuse.
Tickets for the event were free, but Ling said DUU took donations on the West Campus Plaza, at the door and after the show. All proceeds will benefit Durham Together for Resilient Youth, a local nonprofit organization with which Tom Szigethy, associate dean and director of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Center, works closely.
The awareness campaign will continue Wednesday, with a screening of Corrigan's documentary about his service work in Nicaragua and a question-and-answer session with the musician.
Advocates for Drug and Alcohol Awareness were the event's masters of ceremonies and gave out iPod nanos throughout the show. The night included a video presentation of administrators' and K-ville residents' opinions on substance abuse at Duke, a live interview with Cutcliffe called "34 Years of Sunday Morning Phone Calls" and a talk by Corrigan about substance abuse. Brandon Busteed, Trinity '99, founder and chief executive officer of Outside the Classroom, which produces AlcoholEdu, also gave a brief PowerPoint presentation titled "Counterintuitive Thinking on Alcohol Usage."
Corrigan focused his portion of Tuesday's event on encouraging students to find their true identities, after which he said they will not want to dull their lives with drugs or alcohol.
"You guys in college have got a humongous opportunity to either walk out of here trying to make money or trying to figure out what your dream is," he said. "There are people in this room who are like, 'I don't have a drinking problem, I'm just doing college.' Man, you're in for a long ride if you're thinking like that."
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