The Daily O’Collegian

Orange Peel is back.

After a year off and some major changes that left some skeptical of Orange Peel’s future, the student-run pep rally returns tonight.

Some have doubted whether Orange Peel would have student support behind it after canceling last year, then moving the event inside to Gallagher-Iba Arena and dropping the capacity of the event to more than 7,000 nonrestricted view seats.

Clayton Cotton, the executive director of Orange Peel, said those doubts were resolved soon after tickets went on sale this fall.

“Some students and alumni didn’t have a lot of confidence when they heard we were moving {Orange Peel} inside,” he said.

But then all nonrestricted view seats were sold in the first three weeks of ticket sales and nearly 500 restricted view tickets were sold on top of that.

Those still without tickets might not necessarily be out of luck now that the booth is no longer in the Student Union, and no other tickets are available.

Cotton said about 140 premium tickets were set aside for the artists to give to friends, family or whomever else they choose.

The tickets are rarely sold out and might go on sale right before Orange Peel at regular price.

“Artists are only required to tell us 15 minutes before the show, so there might be tickets within the first 10 rows that will just be tossed back in,” Cotton said.

And don’t let recent talk of Jennifer Nettles, Sugarland’s lead singer, being sick get your hopes down.

The band has canceled all show dates up until Orange Peel, but has said it is definitely going to be there.

Other than that momentary scare, the process of moving the event indoors presented some other technical issues.

“Moving into Gallagher definitely presented some new problems that weren’t present at Boone Pickens,” Cotton said. “We had to figure out a lot of technical and logistical differences but that should make it easier for the directors in the future.”

Otherwise the preparation process has gone well, due in part to the support staff behind Cotton putting forth an extra effort.

”I knew coming in that {being the executive director} was going to be a difficult and demanding job,” he said. “But the assistant directors have all done incredibly well. If we had anybody else other than these people here, putting Orange Peel together would have been a lot more difficult.”

Because of all that hard work, there is nothing left now but to set the stage and get the artists inside and ready to go.

This Orange Peel might be one that students look back on as the event that turned everything around. The relatively smooth setup process and the ticket sales have brought continuity back to an event that couldn’t even be held last year.

Cotton said he believes this edition of Orange Peel will mean a lot for its future.

“After cutting the capacity in half and all the changes, there were questions as to whether the students, faculty and alumni would be behind it,” he said. “I think that this year will ensure that the community and sponsors understand that Orange Peel is back.”

Through the years

2008

Sugarland, Ashton

Shepherd, Kellie Pickler and Motion City Soundtrack

2006

Bill Engvall, Alan Jackson, Hero Factor

2005

Jason Mraz, Lit,

Pablo Francisco

2004

Incubus, Jim Breuer, The Walkmen

2003

Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds, Better than Ezra, Sinbad

2002

Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Kevin Nealon,

Vanessa Carlton

2001

Blues Traveler, Sister

Hazel, David Spade

2000

Collective Soul, Damon Wayans

1999

Faith Hill, Sinbad

1998

Randy Travis, Anthony Clark

1997

Blackhawk, Jeff Foxworthy

1996

Dog’s Eye View, Norm McDonald, Bill Cosby