Shawna and Keifer Thompson are used to putting their relationship front and center and did just that Sunday, sharing a pair of center-stage microphones at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.
The married couple, which comprises country act Thompson Square, sang songs of their relationship and journey to country music’s No. 1 duo spot with toe-tapping enthusiasm, much to the delight of the 1,288-person crowd.
They began the show hidden from the audience, singing while rising from the stage to an elevated platform that was flanked by their keyboardist and drummer.
Their set list consisted of hits “I Got You,” “If I Didn’t Have You” and “Glass” and was interspersed with the duo’s lesser-known songs and covers of fun.’s “Some Nights” and Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven.”
The duo ended its performance with the No. 1 hit “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” which was greeted with fervent enthusiasm from its fans.
Keifer was quick to express his adoration for MemAud and its occupants.
“When we play these theaters you all feel so close — like we’re in our living room,” he said.
The performance might as well have been, as he and his wife interacted freely with the audience, intermixing heartfelt messages with lighthearted, sometimes sarcastic quips.
“We should just load you all up and take y’all to our next gig,” Shawna said.
Fans Taylor Shears, a sophomore studying psychology, and Taylor Mess, a sophomore studying social work, would happily oblige, having seen the duo once already when it was touring with country superstar Luke Bryan.
They sat in the front row and got a personal shout out from Keifer for their enthusiasm — one of the highlights of the show, Mess said.
“The atmosphere was just awesome — everybody up and singing,” Shears said.
Opening act Chris Cavanaugh kick-started the show with a mix of songs from his new EP Country As I Wanna Be and crowd-pleasing covers, including a medley of Kenny Chesney’s hit “How Forever Feels,” Toby Keith’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” and Joe Diffie’s “John Deere Green.”
Fan turnout was better than expected, having been spurred on by a late surge in ticket sales, said Andrew Holzaepfel, director of the Ohio University Campus Involvement Center.
Thompson Square was paid $22,000 for its appearance, and opening act Chris Cavanaugh received a $500 payment, Holzaepfel said. He also noted that OU made at least a $2,500 profit from the show.
jr992810@ohiou.edu
@Jimryan015
