Imagine standing in the crowd, letting the music course through you, blinded by flashing colored lights, your lips mouthing well-known lyrics…any of this sound familiar?Name any popular band today, and you’ve got this exact combination. Now add in Hollinger Gym, SGA, and a student body poll and you’ve got O.A.R. coming to West Chester on April 15.
Last week, SGA and Major Entertainment (ME) announced their extravagant opening for Spring Weekend. O.A.R. (aka Of A Revolution) will stop by our campus to promote their latest album, In Between Now and Then, featuring the trendy hit “Hey Girl.”
First meeting in junior high school, best friends Marc Roberge and Chris Culos shared a passion for music. Merging the sounds of their personal favorites, including Bob Marley, Metallica, the Beastie Boys, and Pearl Jam, O.A.R. was formed. Several years later at Ohio State University, the duo met up with now lead guitarist Richard On, and bassist Benj Gershman. The group started out as one of the university’s most popular fraternity bands, but their reputation soon stretched beyond campus borders.
Their first album The Wanderer established a quick grass-roots buzz. The hit “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” led to sold out college venues across the country.
With their growing celebrity status, the band hooked up with saxist Jerry DePizzo, rounding out their sound on their second album, Souls Aflame. In a few short years, the group’s fame sky-rocketed to a national level. In early 2001, they created their own independent label, Everline Records.
Since that establishment, they’ve released three albums: Risen, debuting at no. 11 on the Billboard Charts; Any Time Now, a live-recording; and the most recent In Between Now and Then.
On their latest release, lead singer Roberge states, “We took a lot of what we had already as a base. The island vibe just seems to be what cuts through. But I really do think that our true abilities right now are writing songs that are different across the board, different genres. We like to call it organized confusion.”
Often playing for crowds of thousands, O.A.R. is giving West Chester students a unique and intimate opportunity. Shawn Skjoldal, president of WCU’s ME Organization, asserts that “it’s a great opportunity for students to see a big band at a low price on their own campus. Likewise, ME member Rachel Ring feels that “students are already really excited about the show, so make sure you get tickets fast!”
Tickets go on sale Monday, February 16, in Sykes Student Union. They are $15 with a student ID, and there is a six ticket limit.
Altogether, WCU students are provided with an awesome opportunity to see a popular band without straying too far from home. O.A.R. is definitely something not to be missed.