The excitement peaks Saturday when Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers roll into Carbondale, bringing their rich musical heritage and exciting musical style. The concert is the first to take place at McAndrew Stadium and the largest concert ever sponsored by the Student Programming Council. And folks, it’s free.

Out of all the bands we have brought to Carbondale, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers has caused the biggest hype, said SPC’s director of campus events Andrew Daly, a sophomore in mass communications.

Phones are ringing off the hook with people requesting information about this weekend’s concert and the surrounding events, he said.

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Daly said contrary to rumors floating around, the concert is not indoors.

The stage will be set up in the north endzone at McAndrew Stadium. Half of the football field and all of the bleachers, which hold 17,500 people, will be available for seating.

This should be more than enough room for both the Carbondale and the SIUC community to enjoy the concert together, Daly said.

SPC’s hard fought fund-raising battle to have the concert was fueled by the fact that they knew an artist like Ziggy Marley would draw a large, diverse crowd.

Money was an issue, Daly said. You get what you pay for, and Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers are one of the best.

We rearranged everything we could to bring Ziggy and his musical legacy to Carbondale.

The Marley’s road to Carbondale led the band on a reggae-rocking journey through Michigan State University, Chicago’s Park West and Bradley University. Saturday, it will be Carbondale’s turn to sample the sounds of reggae royalty.

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Even in death, Bob Marley father of Ziggy and Sharon, Stephen and Cedella of the Melody Makers remains reggae’s largest musical icon. His voice and music were powerful tools used to fight for the Third World’s freedom and to tell the world stories about its self-determination. Ziggy sometimes covers his father’s more popular songs in concert such as No Woman, No Cry or Redemption Song.

In the case of Ziggy’s original music, the coconut has not fallen far from the tree. The world beat of the Melody Makers is still used as a political influence and a weapon to fight social injustice.

On their compact discs, Ziggy and the Melody Makers like their father’s band, the Wailers know how to lay down some fat, ganja-stoked rhythms.

The appeal of Spring Thing ’98 is further heightened by the surrounding events around campus and town. The fun-filled Saturday starts off with the Cardboard Carboard Boat Regatta, and after we find out who floats or sinks, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers will sail into McAndrew Stadium.

The gates will open at 1:30 p.m., and the concert is scheduled to start at 2:45 with opening act Kathleen Wilhoite.

Wilhoite is a singer/songwriter who is probably better known for her acting roles on L.A. Law and ER and also in films like Road House and Fire In The Sky.

On her latest album, Pitch Like a Girl, Wilhoite unveils an intensely personal mix of songs capturing love and loss with honesty and wit.

Wilhoite has been touring with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers since April 15th and will continue to open for the reggae group for two shows down the road.

Later that night, in musically gigantic events not related to SPC’s Spring Thing, Chicago native rapper Twister will perform at 7 p.m. in the Blue Apollo at Shryock Auditorium. And the cool, yet smooth rapper Vanilla Ice will be at the Copper Dragon, 700 E. Grand Ave., Saturday about 11 p.m.

After selling around 10 million of his debut album, To the Extreme, which people sometimes deny buying, Vanilla Ice’s popularity plummeted fast.

After fighting huge battles within the media about the his image, Vanilla Ice went on the down low. In an attempt to regain his image, he came back with a second album as a hard-core gangsta poppin’ pot fiend in his album, Mind Blowin’, which fell faster than his debut.

Recently, the ice man was featured on Boom a track on an album by the Blood Hound Gang.

SPC Campus Events committee member Jimmy Martinez, a junior in advertising, said SPC did not plan the weekend to be surrounded by such an array of high-profile events.

Spring Thing was originally scheduled on the 18th, maybe it was fate, he said. But whatever the case, I hope everyone’s ready for a weekend that few will soon forget.

Factoid:For further information on Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, call 536-3393.

For information regarding the Vanilla Ice show, call 549-2319.