With acts such as Kacey Musgraves and Sara Bareilles bringing their own flavor of modern pop, the next act in the Performing Arts Series lineup will be a throwback.
Under the Streetlamp, a four-piece doo-wop group, will take the stage with their charm and oldies hits as they serenade a crowd at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on Tuesday evening.
However, if people are expecting a stodgy oldies tribute band they’ll be surprised, said Michael Ingersoll, one of the members of the quartet.
“We’re not a stand-and-sing kind of group,” Ingersoll said. “By the end (of the act) the audience is as exhausted as we are … in a good way.”
The four men met as leading characters in the musical Jersey Boys. The group has been together for four years and has been touring nationally for about two.
Ingersoll said Under the Streetlamp hits about six to 12 college campuses per year and he’s found there is a market amongst college students for the type of music the group performs.
“It’s typically a great atmosphere,” he said. “They’re excited to have good-quality music. They’re very enthusiastic.”
Ingersoll said he has personal ties in the Ohio area as an alumnus of Miami University.
Andrew Holzaepfel, senior associate director of the Campus Involvement Center, said the show should appeal to both college students and community members, which is a goal he said he always strives for when scheduling the acts on the Performing Arts Series lineup.
“When we do a six to eight show series, it has to be as eclectic as the community,” he said. “Athens is a pretty eclectic place. We have to do a pretty broad swipe.”
Although Ingersoll said some of the songs on the lineup should be a surprise, he said the group’s setlist pulls from the ’50s and ’60s, which typically includes a fair amount of Motown tunes. Covered artists typically include names such as The Beach Boys, Frankie Valli and Etta.
His favorite part of performing, Ingersoll said, is the stuff that comes between the songs. He added the group has a vibe reminiscent of the Rat Pack, a popular ’60s group of charismatic performers including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop.
“We’re always making jokes between songs … really trying to get the audience involved,” Ingersoll said. “It’s a storytelling show.”
@EmilyMBamforth
eb104010@ohiou.edu
