PMARTIN@SRI-AI.ARPA (07/30/85)
From: Paul Martin <PMARTIN@SRI-AI.ARPA> What happened to the Frosties? The following article is by MARSH McCALL, from the July 23 issue of the Stanford Daily, a student-tax supported newspaper. The Stanford student mentioned, Patrick McCrystle, will be a senior next year, so the threats at the end of the article may affect next year's shows. A spokesman for Bill Graham Presents charged that the ASSU Concert Network was responsible for the cancellation of two Grateful Dead performances scheduled for ths week. In his first Daily interview since the cancellation of the concerts, Bill Graham Presents promoter Bob Barsotti said that plans for the shows were halted because of ``lies'' told by the Concert Network. Barsotti said that earlier this month Concert Network Director Patrick McCrystle had assured him that the University had approved of plans to present the Grateful Dead a Frost Ampitheatre July 27 and 28. ``He told me yes,'' Barsotti said, ``and then he changed his story.'' The Concert Network has maintained that a misunderstanding led to the printing of tickets for the shows and caused Bill Graham Presents to announce the concerts on the Grateful Dead hotline. ``Barsotti's trying to save his butt,'' McCrystle said in response to Barsotti's statements. ``He's not telling the truth. In my view he's acted in a very irrational and immature manner.'' Barsotti claimed that during a phone converstion McCrystle agreed to go forward with the shows. ``I asked him `Are you sure you got everyone's approval?' and he said `Yeah.' Then I asked `So I can call the band?' and he said `Yeah.''' Barsotti said he is unenthusiastic about working with the Concert Network in the future because ``McCrystle lied'' and the Concert Network ``chose to believe him.'' He said the Concert Network reimbursed Bill Graham Presents for half the cost of printing the tickets for the two shows. ``They must have felt partly responsible,'' he said. ``I couldn't imagine working with the Concert Network right now,'' Barsotti added, ``And I'm never working with McCrystle again.'' Concert Network Adviser Suzanne Becker acknowledged that she had authorized partial reimbursement for the ticket printing costs as a ``goodwill gesture,'' but denied the Concert Network was at fault. ``We share the responsibility for the mix-up,'' she said, ``but we're not saying Patrick lied.'' Becker added that the Concert Network ``didn't initially feel''' a reimbursement was appropriate. Barsotti was unsure about future plans to present the Grateful Dead at Stanford, acknowledging that although the Concert Network had done an ``excellent'' job presenting the Grateful Dead shows last April, new personnel had taken over since then. ``I don't work with liars,'' he said. Becker was more optimistic about future Dead concerts at Stanford. ``If the Grateful Dead wants to do a show at Frost, Bill Graham will present it,'' she said. Becker added that by next spring, the traditional time for Dead concerts at Stanford, ``Barsotti's feelings will have diminished.'' Our thanks to Andy Freeman for sending in this story, and my apologies for being on the wrong coast to forward it more promptly.. Paul -------