More than 1,000 people were in attendance at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium last night, but the audience members kept chanting only three letters: O.A.R.
The band took the stage last night with special guest Kingsfoil.
“We sold over 1,000 tickets for this show, and the main floor was completely filled,” said Andrew Holzaepfel, associate director of the Campus Involvement Center and booking agent for the Performing Arts Series.
Profits from ticket sales covered the show’s $46,000 price tag, Holzaepfel said.
The audience sang and danced along to old tracks such as “Hey Girl” and “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker,” as well as “Heaven,” the band’s newest single.
“It was definitely worth the wait,” said Madison Stricklin, a 17-year-old Athens resident. “Now I’ll have to go home and download their new music.”
Last night was O.A.R.’s first performance in Athens since the late ’90s, when the band took the stage at Palmerfest. Although it’s been more than a decade since it last played in Athens, O.A.R. saxophonist Jerry DePizzo said the city holds a special place in the band’s heart.
“I’ve probably been to Athens 20 or 30 times, but I never noticed how beautiful it looks,” DePizzo said. “It took 10 years for me to actually look around and notice it, but it’s stunning. It’s a charming place to go to college and have that experience.”
The crowd featured both college-age and older members. Although security was forced to remove several intoxicated attendees toward the beginning of the night, Holzaepfel said he was pleased with the audience.
“I loved the crowd’s reaction to the show,” he said. “It was great to get them back in Athens. I think both the band and audience enjoyed (the show).”
The headliner opened with “Dangerous Connection,” in which DePizzo shined with a brilliant solo. A later crowd pleaser was “Shattered (Turn the Car Around),” off the band’s 2008 album All Sides.
Kingsfoil, the show’s opener, also announced during the concert that it will return to Athens Feb. 23 to perform in the newly renovated Baker Center Lounge.
kr257109@ohiou.edu
