The next time the Northern Star decides to do an editorial about why the Dave Matthews Band isn’t playing the Convocation Center, it should check its facts first.

The reason that the Dave Matthews Band isn’t playing at the Convocation Center, or anywhere else in Illinois, is because the band is part of the “Vote for Change” tour this fall. The tour, which is actually six miniature tours, includes acts such as Pearl Jam, Dixie Chicks, R.E.M., James Taylor, John Mellencamp, Death Cab for Cutie and Bruce Springsteen. These musicians will hit the swing states – Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota and Wisconsin – and hopefully get voters out to select John Kerry this November for president.

This letter, however, isn’t a political one, so I’m going to veer away from politics. Even if the Dave Matthews Band opted to play in Illinois, why would it choose DeKalb? The band could easily shoot down Interstate 88 and play at either Allstate Arena or the United Center, which can easily hold double the number of fans.

We should be lucky that we even have an arena for big-name acts to perform here at NIU. I have friends who go to smaller, private colleges and are lucky if they get even one musical act on campus each year. Last year alone we had O.A.R., Staind, Jason Mraz, Michelle Branch, Phantom Planet, The MTV Campus Invasion Tour, Brooks & Dunn, Bob Weir and Ratdog and Ludacris.

And seeing as all I have been reading about these past few days is how NIU students are “strapped for cash,” a Dave Matthews Band show would set them back about $50 for one ticket. Most CAB shows are under $15, and most of those artists are nice enough to come out afterward and sign autographs.

So next time before you go about belittling a band because it doesn’t play where you want it to play, check your facts first.

Collin Quick

Junior, English