Tickets sold out quickly for The Roots concert. In two days, all tickets, students and general public, were gone. So around the Syracuse area, give-aways and raffles were the only way to acquire them.

But for those who were too late to buy tickets from the Schine Box Office and too cursed to win a raffle, there is one way to still get tickets, and for near cover price. University Union Concerts is selling the last five pairs of tickets on eBay, and as of 11 p.m. Monday night, they were $25 for a pair (student tickets were $12 apiece at the Box Office).

It’s probably the only way left to get to see The Roots, the emerging Philadelphia-based rap group performing tonight at 8 p.m. at Goldstein Auditorium. All 1,500 tickets sold out for the show, which is part of the Beats for Peace tour The Roots and rapper Common are currently on.

‘We’re really excited for the show,’ said Sarah Usher, director of public relations for UU Concerts. ‘I think there’s been a buzz around campus. People have been trying to get The Roots here for a while.’

Now that they’re here, tickets are scarce. To buy from eBay is the only legal way remaining. And proceeds benefit the Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter, which promotes peace through programs around the world.

‘The Roots are a legendary act,’ said Sherlen Archibald, co-chairman of UU Concerts. ‘They’re very big, and we listen to any influence we can get, through surveys and just talking to people. There were tons of people who approached us for more tickets. This was an overwhelmingly big artist, so we jumped when we had the chance.’

The Roots, comprised of Black Thought, ?uestlove, Malik B., Kamal, Hub and Rahzel, has earned a respectable fan base in Philadelphia. Tonight they hope to rock Syracuse.

Between its first release, ‘Organix,’ and its latest, ‘Phrenology,’ The Roots has evolved from underground cult-followed band to one flirting with mainstream music. Originally, The Roots’ following included devoted hip-hop buffs and a handful of alternative rock fans.

Two songs of The Roots’ latest CD are singles, ‘Break U Off’ and ‘The Seed 2.0.’ While expanding their audience with 2001 release, ‘Things Fall Apart’ (and ‘Phrenology’ in 2002), The Roots has still stuck with its unique rap-rock hybrid, keeping its devoted fans from when the group lived on its underground base.

‘In the hip-hop world, you have a lot of people who play behind synthesized beats,’ Archibald said. ‘The Roots is one of the few artists that have combined a band with hip-hop. So they stand out even more because of that.’

Opening for The Roots is Common, a Chicago-area rapper who won Source magazine’s Unsigned Hype contest. Nine years later, he finally signed a major record deal with MCA.

Booking the show wasn’t remarkably hard, Archibald said. Relations with managers, as well as timing, allowed UU Concerts to book the act rather easily.

And Archibald is pleased with the strong response.

‘They blend funk to jazz to hip-hop,’ Archibald said. ‘They have a history and a track record of putting on great shows. So we’re happy to have them.’

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Beats for Peace Concert, featuring The Roots and Common

WHEN: Tonight, 8 p.m.

WHERE: Goldstein Auditorium

TICKETS: Sold out, five pairs currently being auctioned on eBay

Published on April 10, 2005 at 12:00 pm