Just a year after making its Penn State debut, Zac Brown Band will return at 7 tonight to the Bryce Jordan Center.
After playing a concert during Homecoming weekend last year, the band is back and some students are excited.
“He’s going to be phenomenal,” Katrina Sungail said.
Zac Brown Band, the winner of the 2009 Grammy Award for Best New Artist, burst into the country music scene with its debut album “The Foundation,” which yielded hits such as “Chicken Fried” and “Toes.” The band is back in State College to promote its newest album, “Uncaged.”
Still, the concert is not expected to draw as big a crowd as last year’s show, according to Bernie Punt, BJC director of marketing and sales.
Punt said compared to last year’s crowd, the event is “slightly lower in attendance since it’s not on a weekend.” He said otherwise, fans from all over Pennsylvania will be flocking to the BJC.
Students around campus, like Caitlyn Ruggiero (senior-communication sciences and disorders), said the Wednesday night date does not fit into her schedule even though she’s a big fan of Zac Brown Band.
The Wednesday night date isn’t stopping everyone, however.
Sungail, a self-professed big country music fan, said the concert is worth missing a few hours of sleep.
“I think we’re at an age where we can balance nighttime events and balance schoolwork during the day,” Sungail said.
Although she isn’t a big Zac Brown Band fan, Sungail (junior-hospitality) said, “Apparently, he’s a good artist to see live. He’s good when recorded, but better to see live.”
The promise of an entertaining show was enough to persuade her to buy tickets on Monday night.
Students are optimistic about the diverse acts on the BJC’s lineup this year.
“They continue to switch up genres and bring something for everyone. EDM, hip-hop, country, rock, and pop acts all get near equal representation, which I think is a very good thing that the BJC should continue to strive for,” Mikal Daskivich (sophomore-recreation, park, and tourism management) said.
Tickets for tonight’s event are still available at www.ticketmaster.com and doors open at 6 p.m.
