"I think they are one of the most popular acts that we've had since I've been here. " - senior Sarah Epps 30 II student life entertain Excitement surrounds both Nickel Creek performances S weet sounds of the mandolin blended with a funky violin moved students out of their seats to jam to Nickel Creek's rhythm and blues banter in the Benson Auditorium and Midnight Oil, a local coffeehouse, Nov. 7. After performing for a crowd of more than 2,000 people in the Benson that evening, the group made its way over to Midnight Oil for an acoustic enchore for hundreds of students who scrunched into the small coffeehouse. "Midnight Oil was packed - standing room only," Dustin Vyers, student activities coordinator, said. "We walked them in through the back and they made their way to the center of the shop." The group's Friday night entertainment didn't end at Midnight OiL The group also was found throwing a football around at the Radio Shack parking lot on Race Street after the coffeehouse enchore, which lasted more than an hour. Mandolin player Chris Thile, guitarist Sean Watkins and fiddle player Sara Watkins formed the band more than 12 years ago. "Nickel Creek's music reaches a wide range of people," Vyers said. "T think a lot of people are into guitar and playing their own instruments, and they respect artists like Nickel Creek who play their own instruments." Senior Mark Smith agreed with Vyers. "I am a musician myself, and I have a lot of respect for people who can play an instrument and sound good," Smith said. The anticipation for Nickel Creek's concert began at the Welcome Center in the Ganus Athletic Center Aug. 25. It was there the Student Activities Committee announced the forthcoming concert. "We had a table set up to buy the Pass/' Vyers said. "They [students] go to the calendar first to see who's going to be here. A lot of them were very excited." Senior Sarah Epps was one student who waited in anticipation for the concert. "I [was] excited that Harding [had] such a great band come," Epps said. "I think that they are one of the most popular acts that we've had since I've been here." The group released fou r albums, "Little Cowpoke," "Here to There" and its self-titled album in 2000, which went Gold in 2002. The group's most recen t album was "This Side." - Renee Lewis Transforming his vocal cords into Scottish bagpipes, senior Jerrad Powell performs with the Firemen at a concert in the Administration Audi– torium Oct. 10. The concert was the group's final periormance at Harding, as the group split up this year. (Photo by Renee Lewis)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==