The Student Programming Council (SPC) announced singer-songwriter Ben Folds as this year’s performer for Spring Band Party as part of Dooley’s Week on March 31.

SPC also announced that the 2012 Dooley’s Week line-up includes comedian Rob Riggle, known for his work on “The Daily Show” and “Saturday Night Live” in addition to several films such as “The Hangover.” The performer for Dooley’s Ball will be announced on Friday.

Folds is known for songs including “Annie Waits” and “Bitches Ain’t S--t,” and he is also currently a judge on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” He will perform on McDonough Field, where doors will open at 7 p.m.

College junior Corey Teich, SPC Spring Band Party co-chair with B-School senior Orie Paul, explained that SPC selected Folds to perform at Spring Band Party due to the fact that rappers such as Big Boi and Wiz Khalifa have performed over the past few years, so Folds would be a “nice change.”

“We wanted a chill, late-afternoon, mellow band to contrast with the rave kind of thing,” College junior and Dooley’s Week co-chair Will Levinson explained.

This year’s Spring Band Party and Dooley’s Week are taking place within the same week because, according to Levinson, the events work well together in terms of artists, and will help attract alumni and extend to a broader reach of attendees.

Riggle, who is also a correspondent on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” was originally going to perform during last year’s Spring Band Party but had to cancel the performance because he was filming a pilot at the time, according to a Feb. 28, 2011 Wheel article. For last year’s event, there was a clause in Riggle’s contract stating that if he were to get the pilot he could back out of the show.

“His comedy is great, and he has good appeal to our age group,” Goizueta Business School senior and Dooley’s Week co-chair Ryan Linkul said. “He will draw a great crowd.”
College junior and SPC Speakers Chair Chris Akavi worked closely with Riggle’s agent to book the event for Dooley’s Week.

Linkul explained that SPC is currently planning to bring food trucks for the Folds concert. While students will have to pay for the food, SPC will subsidize the costs, and free foods such as Uncle Maddio’s pizza will be served.

According to Linkul, SPC is in the final stages of negotiations with a potential DJ for Dooley’s Ball. SPC will announce the DJ later this week. Levinson said this year’s performer will be “refreshing” following DJ mashup artists.

“It will be the greatest production Emory probably has ever had,” Linkul said. “We want this to be as good as any kind of club scene. There will be some parts of this show that will blow people away.”

This year’s Dooley’s Week will take place from March 26-31, and the week honoring Emory’s unofficial skeleton mascot Lord James W. Dooley will consist of Taste of Emory on Monday, trivia on Wednesday, Riggle on Thursday, Dooley’s Ball on Friday and Folds on Saturday.

Levinson noted that no events will take place on Tuesday to give students a breath of fresh air given that many students have midterms that week.

The theme of this year’s Dooley’s Week is “Dooley’s Week 2012: Party ‘Til the World Ends,” which plays off of the Mayan predictions that the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012.

“It should be thought of as a party before the world ends,” Linkul explained, adding that this year’s event will be a “very different kind of Dooley’s Week and a good change of pace.”

For this year’s Taste of Emory, an event allowing students to get food samples from local restaurants, SPC has confirmed 10 restaurants including Doc Chey’s, Alon’s and Yeah! Burger, among others.

SPC also plans to partner with Woblet, a dining deals mobile phone app started by two Emory alumni.

Levinson said that SPC is currently trying to obtain a jazz band for the event. Last year’s Taste of Emory was held on Asbury Circle for the first time, which, according to Levinson, “worked out amazingly.”

SPC is additionally planning to try to develop social media apps that will “permeate throughout the week,” according to Linkul.

He said that SPC is currently looking into developing social media space to get students interested in Dooley’s Week and tell them about giveaways.

Levinson said SPC has been working on developing and organizing Dooley’s Week since October.

“It has been a great experience so far and we’re really looking forward to an unbelievable week,” Linkul commented.

Editor in Chief Molly Davis contributed reporting.

— Contact Jordan Friedman.