It may be called Old Duke, but the celebrations in Keohane Amphitheater Friday also marked a new era in student government.
The annual outdoor concert, which featured a performance by rock band Sugar Ray along with free food, beer and T-shirts, was Campus Council’s last major event following its merger with Duke Student Government and Duke University Union in February. DUU will take over the programming aspects of Campus Council, with the rest of the council’s former responsibilities falling under DSG.
Approximately 2,500 students attended the event, said junior Betsy Klein, programming chair for Campus Council, noting that the audience extended into standing room only sections.
“I think that the turnout in both the number of students and the diversity really reflects a lot of the work that Campus Council has done,” said Campus Council President Stephen Temple, a senior. “It achieved both breadth and depth in the amount that it was able to accomplish as well as the amount of students it was able to touch.”
This year’s event was a success, with $500 worth of beer kegs empty within an hour and all 400 T-shirts distributed, Klein said.
“It was a really lively atmosphere,” she said. “I’m so proud of my committee. There was a really great turnout, and it was an amazing show.”
Klein, also a member of the 2009-2010 Last Day of Classes committee, was instrumental in bringing Sugar Ray to campus. She said after students were disappointed when the group canceled its Spring performance last year, she wanted to bring them for Old Duke this year.
“When [Sugar Ray] got here they were so easy to work with,” Klein said. “[Lead singer of Sugar Ray] Mark McGrath is the nicest person.... [They were] so interested in learning about tenting, what do we do for fun and what we enjoy—they were just very interested in what we had to say and thrilled to be in a college.”
Klein noted that the band also “loved” that students in the audience knew all of the words to their songs.
Students agreed that the concert sparked some nostalgia.
“I really enjoyed Sugar Ray,” said freshman Minshu Deng. “There were a lot of songs from your childhood you used to listen to but forgot existed.”
Other students expressed concerns that the event would not return, such as sophomore Emmanuel Lim, who wrote in an email that he has enjoyed Old Duke for two years and hopes to see it continue.
Although Campus Council’s executive board ended its term April 1, Old Duke’s future is secure, as incoming DUU President Rachel Sussman, a junior, confirmed DUU will sponsor the event next year.
“We decided at our last meeting to continue Old Duke,” Sussman wrote in an email Sunday, noting that the group’s Joe College Day committee will plan the event to compliment the committee’s Fall programming.
Klein said she is excited to see DUU’s plans for the event, and she is glad Campus Council went out “with a bang.”
“It was my first Old Duke, and it was very entertaining, very fun and the performances were really high energy,” said freshman Collins Mbonu. “It was a really enjoyable experience, a nice event for relaxing and relieving stress.”
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