For Dixie State University students, the band with the catchy, new chart-topper may play the soundtrack to spring in more ways than one.
Meshing the annual spring concert with disc jockey Marcus Wing’s Uprising: The Paint Fight, DSU Student Association overcame numerous planning hurdles, from the combined concert with Southern Utah University falling through to scheduling conflicts with potential acts. Selecting a music act for the event became particularly difficult, but now students can expect a breakout band to take center stage: American Authors.
Student Body President Carlos Morgan, a senior communication major from Santa Clara, said DSUSA finally found a bit of luck when booking American Authors. The band, with its hit single “Best Day of My Life” climbing the charts, agreed to play right before its popularity rose.
“We booked them for a really cheap price because [we heard they] are going to be big, and [now] we see them pop up on ‘David Letterman,’” he said. “Their song was featured on ‘The Voice,’ and you hear them on the radio a lot now; it’s really cool.”
With a contract in place, Morgan encouraged students to become more familiar with American Authors’ work so they can connect with the performance as much as possible. But that won’t be too difficult with the band’s music popping up everywhere, he said.
“We want to get [their music] out to the student body to familiarize with them,” Morgan said
Although students have counted on a concert each spring, this semester’s event has a twist or two that Morgan said benefits students from both a financial and entertainment standpoint. Mixing the concert and paint dance will allow a larger portion of attendees to enjoy the spring concert, he said.
Morgan said DSUSA leadership collaborated once other plans fell through and came up with the half-concert, half-dance idea. Wing’s Uprising: The Paint Fight builds on aspects that make traditional dances popular by implementing outlandish touches like BMX riders executing tricks and aerialists performing, he said. Students can expert American Authors’ performance to kick off the event, and Uprising: The Paint Fight will follow.
In addition, Morgan said students don’t have to wait until the concert to involve themselves in other DSUSA events. Continuing Wednes “D” activities, student government is holding the Battle of the Sexes event tonight, with Dew Pong and Bingo Night thereafter.
