Ohio State Lantern, Friday, July 01, 1977; Page: 3


St. John s ceiling hangs Yes concert


By Ken Kronenberger

Yes has decided to say "no" to Ohio State.

The Yes concert scheduled for Sunday, July 30 at St. John Arena has been canceled. Tickets can be turned in for refunds starting today at both the Central Ticket Office, 7 E. State St., and Mershon Auditorium on campus. Tickets must be returned to the office from which they were purchased.

YES CANCELED when their management was informed that St. John Arena cannot hang lighting and sound equipment from the ceiling, a stage technique that has become increasingly popular in the last few years as concerts have become more and more elaborate.

Gary Cheses, part owner of Your Friends Promotions, scheduled the group for St. John Arena more than three months ago. "Premier Talent, a New York based booking agency, didn't notify Yes of the problem when they asked them if they would play here," Cheses said.

"The building is not rigged for a stage production," Smith said. "The ceiling is made of a very light material, and it's hung by wires."

THOMAS B. SMITH, associate vice president for physical facilities at Ohio State, said the controversy began with the Jethro Tull concert in 1975. A study was conducted to determine whether or not the-group could hang equipment from the ceiling, and when the results came back negative the concert was cancelled.