Emory Report

September 18, 2000

Volume 53, No. 4

Indigo Girls return for Emory concert By Eric Rangus An appearance by Atlanta's-and Emory's-own Indigo Girls will certainly be one of the high points of the Year of Reconciliation's full cultural schedule. The Nov. 28 show at the Woodruff P.E. Center will mix music with a question and answer session. The theme will be reconciliation and how the Indigo Girls' music relates to that wider idea. When planning for the Year of Reconciliation began, the feeling at Emory was that the Indigo Girls-Emily Saliers and Amy Ray-would be the perfect artists to kick off the festivities. The duo, who grew up in Atlanta, have strong Emory connections and their blend of activist folk-rock makes for an ideal fit. Over the summer, Reconcil-iation co-chairs Chancellor Billy Frye and John Stone, associate dean and director of admissions for the medical school, approached theology Professor (and Emily Saliers' father) Don Saliers and asked him to inquire whether the group would be interested in contributing to the events. Not only would the group be a thematic fit, the thought was, but it also would be an immediate draw for students. "Emily was immediately interested, then she mentioned it to Amy, who was equally interested," Don Saliers said. "Their loyalties to Emory run very deep. Plus, you can see the theme [of reconciliation] throughout their work." The relationship between the Indigo Girls and Emory dates back to the 1980s and is well documented. Emily Saliers '85C and Ray '86C played gigs in many campus hangouts before becoming a national act in 1989 with the release of their CD Indigo Girls. Playing various college campuses is old hat for the Indigo Girls. In fact, in late October, they will play a string of dates at West Virginia University, Appalachian State and Wake Forest. Two student groups, the College Council and the Student Programming Council (SPC), are co-sponsoring the event. Some minor details need to be worked out, such as payment, but none of them endanger the show. "It should be a good event-everyone is really excited about it" said SPC President Om Kakani. Return to September 18, 2000 contents page