By Emily Rachelle Russell | Echo
Folk rock musicians The Oh Hellos will perform in concert in Rediger Auditorium at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 4.
The concert was organized by Mainstage, a Taylor student organization that plans dances and concerts on campus. Their goal is to bring people together with shared experiences that build relationships. Joshua Clement, president of Mainstage, hopes students find fun and joy during the concert and are able to have deeper conversations afterwards.
While several music groups were considered for concerts on campus, The Oh Hellos were chosen for a number of reasons. According to Clement, a survey of student interest showed the folk rock band at the top of the results, and Mainstage's graduate assistant Sara Bretz had enjoyed seeing them perform before.
"They combine really meaningful lyrics . . . with (a) really exciting performance," Clement said. "They combine a depth for people who are interested in really reading into songs, as well as an excitement for people who are just coming to the event to have a good time."
According to junior Alex Francis, a member of Mainstage, the Mainstage team has been contacting the band manager to coordinate with The Oh Hellos, reaching out to local news stations to advertise and coordinating with the KSAC and local hotels to provide accommodations to band members. She believes the group is a good fit for the Taylor audience; they are Christians but not in the Christian music genre, and they are well-loved on campus. Providing this concert is one way Mainstage is working to engage with what students want.
Fellow junior and Mainstage member Nate Dehmlow appreciates that The Oh Hellos' sound can fit a variety of settings, from late nights studying to socializing with friends. He feels their work can reach a broad audience and is consistent with the folk style currently popular on campus.
"Music is something that kind of transcends a lot of the divisions that are felt on campus," Dehmlow said. "It's something that can bring the whole campus together."
Students who want to hear The Oh Hellos' music before the concert can find their work on Spotify, YouTube or their website (theohhellos.com). Francis and Dehmlow love the song "Wormwood," off the album "Dear Wormwood."
Concert doors open at 7:15 p.m. Tickets will be sold online until Saturday, March 3 at midnight, and cost $15 for Taylor students, $20 for faculty and $25 for general admission. Tickets will also be available at the door with a $5 increase in prices.
