Sept. 5, 2006 issue
Convocation Center hosts eclectic musical lineup

By Leigh Soltis

 

Fans of pop, country and alternative music are sure to enjoy this year's concert lineup at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. Dashboard Confessional, John Conlee and the All American Rejects are just a few of the performers coming to EMU.

"The Convocation Center is a multi-purpose venue and easily accommodates EMU Athletics, concerts, trade shows, commencements and banquets," said Cheryl Swanson, director of the Convocation Center. "We are proud the Convocation Center is again the site for the Ann Arbor News' Women's Expo and the St. Joseph Hospital Holiday Ball. EMU students will be excited to learn of the latest booked concerts: Dashboard Confessional and All American Rejects. Country music fans can enjoy John Conlee. It is gratifying to meet our goal of serving both the students and the community with a variety of events."

Fall Convocation Center events include:

I CONFESS: Dashboard Confessional will appear at the Convocation Center Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27.50 and go on sale Sept. 15.

Dashboard Confessional comes to the Convocation Center Saturday, Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All tickets are $27.50 and go on sale Friday, Sept. 15, at all Ticket Master locations, www.ticketmaster.com or (248) 645-6666, and through the Convocation Center Ticket Office, 487-2282, or www.tickets.com.

With his latest album, "Dusk and Summer," Chris Carrabba, the creative force behind Dashboard Confessional, is no longer an up-and-coming artist. He has arrived. The former front man of the Vacant Andys and Further Seems Forever made a solo career for himself when he ditched the band and recorded voice and acoustic guitar. "Dusk and Summer" marks the return of the full-band sound and an appeal to wider audiences. The Florida native has performed on MTV Unplugged and opened for U2. His hits include "Screaming Infidelities," "Hands Down," "Vindicated" and "Don't Wait."

The Ann Arbor News presents the second annual "Head-to-Toe Women's Expo" coming Sept. 29-30 to the Convocation Center. This two-day event will offer a variety of experiences, from pre-holiday shopping offered by many area retailers to service information from health and financial experts. It also will feature a series of mini-workshops and demonstrations on cooking, fitness, decorating, gardening, personal finance and more. The expo is scheduled Friday, Sept. 29, 1-8 p.m.; and Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets will be available for $10 the day of the event at the ticket office.

COUNTRY CROONER: Country artist John Conlee comes to the Convocation Center Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and currently on sale.

Country artist John Conlee appears in concert Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at the Convocation Center Ticket Office, 487-2282, or www.emich.edu/convocation. All tickets are $20.

Conlee's success began in the late 1970s, after working in radio for a number of years. He signed to ABC Records, but his first single, "Back Side of Thirty," went nowhere fast. His big hit came in March 1978, when the label released "Rose Colored Glasses," a song Conlee wrote that became his signature song. "Back Side of Thirty" was re-released in 1979, and became a number one record. Many more hits followed, including "Lady Lay Down," "Common Man," "In My Eyes" and "Hit the Ground Runnin."

The National Scholarship Service (NSSFNS) College Fair is designed to facilitate an exchange of information between students and college representatives, and also to assist colleges in recruiting the country's brightest and best students. The sessions are open to high school juniors and seniors at no cost regardless of age, cultural backgrounds, ethnic origins, financial status or gender. Representatives at the College Fair include admissions personnel, financial aid officers and/or alumni. The College Fair will be at EMU Wednesday, Nov. 8, 6-8:30 p.m.

EVERYBODY'S ALL AMERICAN: The All American Rejects headline a concert where four bands will perform Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m., in the Convocation Center. Tickets are currently on sale for $25.

All American Rejects headline at the Convocation Center Monday, Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m. Motion City Soundtrack, The Format and Gym Class Heroes also will perform. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale for $25. They can be purchased at the EMU Convocation Center Box Office or through TicketMaster.

All American Rejects were formed in 1999, when singer Tyson Ritter and guitarist Nick Wheeler moved from Stillwater, Okla., to New York City to record their debut, platinum-selling record. They drove across the heartland with less than $1,000 between them, a notebook full of songs and big rock and roll dreams. With the addition of guitarist Mike Kennerty and drummer Chris Gaylor, All American Rejects was complete. The band toured the world behind the chart-topping success of their debut single "Swing Swing," initially released on Ohio independent label Doghouse Records in October 2002, followed by a release on major DreamWorks Records in February 2003. The band spent ten months writing their second album, "Move Along," which was released last summer.

MUSIC IN MOTION: Motion City Soundtrack is one of four bands that will perform at the Convocation Center Dec. 18. The band makes a return appearance after playing in the Campus Invasion Tour in April.

Motion City Soundtrack returns to the Convocation Center after playing here in April as part of the Campus Invasion Tour. Two years ago, the band released their first album, "I Am The Movie," and shot a video with their friends back home for "The Future Freaks Me Out." That first single, a loud and instantly enjoyable anthem, has become the highlight of the band's live shows. It was so popular that it is no longer sung by singer/guitarist Justin Pierre as much as it is sung back at him. The band's second album, "Commit This To Memory," produced by Mark Hoppus of Blink 182, was released last summer. It's first single, "Everything is Alright," became an instant hit.

Power-pop band The Format specializes in catchy tunes and pop melodies reminiscent of The Beatles and Brian Wilson. After being dropped by their record label twice, The Format decided to write an album anyway. Without a label pressuring them to produce singles, the band was free to create the album that they wanted to. Ironically, the resulting "Dog Problems" consists of 12 songs, almost all of which could be singles. The band's sound is memorable, featuring full orchestration, horns, piano and even handclaps.

Gym Class Heroes, a four-piece hip-hop band from upstate N.Y., fuse crisp guitar rhythms, deep melodic bass lines, head-cracking beats and conscious lyrics to create a sound truly their own. Their debut full-length, "The Papercut Chronicles," has sold more than 32,000 copies, converting anyone within ear shot into fans. Their follow-up, "As Cruel as School Children," features the single, "New Friend Request," which is expected to launch the band to the next level.