University of Virginia Library

The Temptations

There will be no Homecomings concert
this fall. The Temptations' agent told
the University Union earlier this week that
an appearance in Charlottesville would be
"exhausting to their schedule."

The William Morris Agency of New
York informed Union Director John Herring
of this decision despite agreements made
over the telephone as far back as last
April and despite a telegram sent late this
summer telling the Union there was no need
for hiring a "back-up" band.

Suspicions as to the intentions of the
popular singing group arose early this fall
when the agent delayed returning the signed
contract the Union had sent him, and they
were confirmed this week by his outright
announcement.

In the opinion of Union officials, the
agency acted in bad faith. There remains
the suspicion that if the Temptations were
offered more than the $5,000 or 60 per
cent of gross box office receipts they had
informally agreed to, they might find a
sudden burst of energy.

Even if the agency did make an honest
mistake, it indicates a startling lack of
coordination between him and the performers-a
very poor way of running a
business.

As Mr. Herring has expressed it, "It
is certainly unfortunate that an agency can
wait until approximately three weeks before
concert time to notify the University Union
that such a concert has to be cancelled.
Once they make a date, they should see
that they do not make other commitments
which would prove 'exhaustive'."

The Union, meanwhile, was left with the
dilemma of whether or not to put on a
Homecomings concert. A day of telephoning
New York agents, however, revealed that
not a single "name" group was available;
every other college in the East, it appeared,
had already booked the better known entertainers
for the weekend of October 14.

The only sort of concert the Union
could have produced would have been one
combining two or three lesser bands few
students had ever heard of or ever would
hear of again.

We think the Union was wise in deciding
against such second-rate entertainment.
While there are probably many students
who would go just to be going, the Union's
reputation for sponsoring concerts of a
higher quality would have suffered.

The Union instead will try to schedule
a concert the weekend of October 28 (Commonwealth
Day) or the weekend of
Christmas parties to make up for the lack
of one Homecomings.

There are several lessons to be learned
from the whole affair.

First, the Union should know better next
time than to rely on a verbal agreement for
such a long period of time.

Second, the members of the Union Program
Board should support Mr. Herring
in his "disinclination" ever to deal with the
William Morris Agency again.

Finally, the Union should resist the
popular clamor for bringing the Temptations
to Charlottesville for some other weekend
this year. However much students might
like their singing, there is no reason the
Union-or the dance societies or any other
organization sponsoring a concert-should
deal with a group that has treated the University
in such a shoddy manner.

We hope students agree with us, at any
rate, that the Union is doing us a service
by providing nothing at all for Homecomings
rather than inferior talent.