Last fall, they took home the Streaming Woodie award from the mtvU Woodie Awards 2006 -- meaning that the band's songs were the most streamed.
DiPizzo said the band usually plays 150 to 200 shows a year. Last year, their schedule was a little less demanding, so the band members could spend more time with their families. This year, he said, they'll be much busier.
Throughout their success, O.A.R. has maintained a commitment to social issues.
In 2006, the band headlined a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden, and a summer tour supported efforts to "Save Darfur."
DiPizzo said although there is no specific cause for this tour, a portion of each ticket sold goes into the band's Heard the World Fund, which helps with a variety of other social issues and charities.
Another cause, DiPizzo said considers close to his heart is music education.
"If I wasn't a part of the music programs and bands... I wouldn't be part of it now," he said.
He said in Ohio there is little to no funding for music programs and because the band likes to take a part in things to make a direct impact, they give time and money to the school system he grew up in. The band hopes to enrich the quality of the music education for students.
O.A.R.'s opening act will feature Gomez, an indie-rock band originally from Southport, England. The members of the band consist of: Ben Ottewell (Vocals/Guitar), Ian Ball (Vocals/Guitar/Bass), Tom Gray (Vocals/Guitar/Bass/Keyboards), Paul "Blackie" Blackburn (Bass/Guitar), Olly Peacock (Drums/Percussion) and Dajon Everett (Percussion/Keyboards).
Gomez, who has released eight albums, including Men in a Hut (October 2006) and How We Operate (May 2006), took its name from a case of mistaken identity.
The name resulted after the band posted their friend's name in the window of their first gig to help him find the show, Blackburn said.
The audience assumed that was the band's name, and "it kind of stuck from there," he added.
DiPizzo said he has been a fan of Gomez for a number of years, and since the two bands have the same manager, they were able to work out an eight-show tour.
"I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "Gomez is a great band."
Blackburn said Gomez is also excited to share a stage with O.A.R., especially because of the varying audiences they'll see.
"It should be good fun," he said.
He described his band's style as being pretty all over the place.
"Our style is style with no style, or style executed without style," Blackburn said, who began playing music at 15 or 16 years old.
"I was studying to be a chemist, and playing was more of a hobby, but it kind of fell into place," he said.
After touring with O.A.R., Gomez will co-headline a tour with Ben Kweller, starting in February.
Delanie Bakos (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), who's never seen either band in concert before, said she plans on attending the show Sunday night with five of her friends.
"I like that it is kind of a jam band
and the songs are fun to sing and dance to," Bakos said. "I like that style of music."
According to Punt, ticket sales for Sunday night's show are growing steadily.
"[O.A.R. is] very, very popular," he said. "I'm sure there'll be a few Nittany Lion 'We are... Penn State!' cheers in the audience."
Punt said he has received a few e-mails from students who do not usually come to shows at the BJC because they are excited to see Gomez play for the first time at the venue.
"We have Gomez fans coming out of the closet," Punt said.
He said the show will be intimate rather than arena-style, with closed curtains giving the illusion of a 4,000 seat theatre.
