Numerous pictures on the PDF

Sponsor of the big Barton concerts is the Cornell Concert Commission, a group of about 100 students whose main purpose is to entertain the campus community. They start setting up the stage early in the morning on concert day. The musicians' equipment generally arrives around noon.

The the performers stage a trial run to test Barton for sound. For her sound check, Joni Mitchell asked that the hall be completely cleared of bystanders, and the commission conducted a thorough dragnet to nab anyone who might be hiding under bleachers, in restrooms or behind curtains.

Security during concerts is another responsibility. Some commission members work at keeping fans and cameras away from the performers, and prevent spectators from taping the concert — to which performers object. Others are assigned to making the stars' stay in Ithaca as pleasant as possible. And at the concert's end, an army of broom handlers is needed to rid the hall of debris left by capacity crowds.

The commission is a non-profit organization. That means, a spokesman said, any money made on one event is used to make up a loss on another, or to provide free concerts, or to equip future events. With proceeds, the commission recently bought $10,000 worth of new lighting equipment.