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So what is your favorite Cat Power song? Oh, you don't know who they are? Neither do we. And there's a good chance most Penn students have never heard of the act that is opening the Spring Fling concert. The headline act is not much better.

While VH1 dubbed Sonic Youth "one of the most unlikely success stories of underground American rock in the '80s," the underground punk-rock group will only appeal to a small constituency at Penn.

And that's too bad for a Fling concert that should, in theory, be an event that a majority of students will enjoy.

SPEC Concerts puts in a lot of work each year to put on the Fling show, among others. But with $70,000 to spend, they are coming up short in providing a concert students will be eager to fork over $20 to see.

Some are understandably upset over this choice and, more significantly, SPEC's lack of concern for public opinion. Brown and Cornell announced more prominent acts months ago. The Shins -- a group SPEC sought to headline Fling -- will be opening for Ben Folds in Providence.

Lesser-known groups are certainly talented and can surely put on a good show. But for the marquee event of the spring at Penn, Sonic Youth is disappointing.

SPEC Concerts could learn a lot from SPEC Connaissance -- which recently announced Martin Sheen will be speaking at Penn -- about what appeals to students.

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