The Quad

Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Features

The Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity hosted their first annual "Skullfest" on Friday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. in the Sykes Student Union ballrooms as a benefit concert with all of the proceeds going straight to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Phi Kappa Sigma, also known as the Skulls, of West Chester University hosted this concert to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as their national philanthropy.

With a limit of only 500 tickets for the event, they were sold at the door and also at the Sykes Student Union SSI window for $5.00.

Joe Gagnon, a brother of Phi Kappa Sigma, has been planning this event since August. They were able to get six bands to play at the benefit concert.

The six bands include Sky Vs. Sea, 74 greenlights, The Scenic, Simon Pure, A Motion Picture and Under The Gun.

"All six bands are pretty popular and from around the area," Gagnon said. "All six bands played for free and were happy to help the cause."

All students, and even those who were non-students, who attended the event had to show a picture ID in order to get in. The picture ID could have been a WCU ID or a license if you did not attend WCU. Phi Kappa Sigma was able to build the cost of security into their yearly dues so that all of the money raised at the concert can go directly to the charity itself.

The event was set up by Gagnon and Thom Kissinger of Phi Kappa Sigma. Gagnon helped book the bands and also found the venue space at Sykes in order for the event to be a success.

Kissinger later helped organize the sound systems and helped make other final arrangements for the show.

"It took countless meetings with different campus officials to make it all happen, but it was well worth it," Gagnon said. "It was a lot of work keeping up with the bands and confirming that they actually would play for free."

Kissinger, who was recently initiated into Phi Kappa Sigma this past fall semester, was able to call the Skullfest an experience for him.

"It was my first philanthropic event," Kissinger said. "I learned a lot about myself and the organization in setting the event up."

If you could not make it to Skullfest, all six of the bands who played can be found on myspace, a few of them can be found by downloading itunes and all six bands tour in the United States regularly.

Overall, the event was a great success. Students of WCU and supporters for Phi Kappa Sigma all showed to help the cause. All bands played just as well as expected, and the audience enjoyed it and cooperated the entire time.

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