Steve Martin — often known for his appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and movies such as “Cheaper by the Dozen” — is coming to Penn State this summer for a bluegrass performance.
Martin and the Grammy award-winning bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers are coming to The Bryce Jordan Center at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 30. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The band will be performing songs from its new album, “Love Has Come For You.”
The concert will also feature Edie Brickell of the band Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians.
The Bryce Jordan Center employees were very excited to hear that Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers would be coming to Penn State, Bernie Punt, director of sales and marketing, said.
Punt said the concert is essentially a bluegrass show. The show will also involve humor, he said.
“[It will be] an evening of music and comedy,” Punt said.
This show has been selling out all over the country, he said. The performance at Penn State has some of the lowest ticket prices in the country, he added.
For the concert, seating will also be in theater-style. This means that the BJC can be turned into a theater-type performance hall, Punt said. It will be similar to that of the Eisenhower Auditorium performance atmosphere, with about 3,500 seats, he said.
The show becomes more “intimate,” with this setup, Punt said.
Punt said that Martin is a very good musician.
“He is a renowned banjo player,” he said. “He actually played banjo before he was a comedian.”
Punt said that the public has been excited about this concert touring, especially in the area.
“This type of music is very popular in Pennsylvania,” he said.
Bill Hood, president of Second Floor Stand-Up, said that although some may think comedy and music are different, they’re actually very similar.
“Music is just another way to convey ideas,” Hood (senior-broadcast journalism) said. “Popular musical comedy has been around for a while.”
Hood said that with musicians like Weird Al Yankovic, the gap between comedy and music is closing.
Tickets go on sale on 10 a.m. on Feb. 20. They are $59.50 for general admission and $49.50 for senior citizens 65 years of age and older.
