Fans looking to get their indie-folk fix need look no further as the Student Programming Association presents a free, ticketless concert from Good Old War.
The Philadelphia-based group will perform at 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 in Alumni Hall as part of SPA LateNight.
The band, which has enjoyed success with its single “Coney Island,” consists of Keith Goodwin, Tim Arnold and Dan Schwartz, Ryan Chisholm, the band’s manager, said.
“All three of the guys sing, and they are able to create really incredible harmonies,” Chisholm said.
Chisholm described the band as a “modern Simon & Garfunkel.”
“They have a folksy, Americana sound that is driven by the instruments,” Chisholm said.
Good Old War has played more than 250 shows in the last year and has toured with bands such as Counting Crows, Dispatch and Dashboard Confessional, Chisholm said.
“They are a touring machine,” he added. “They are one of the most hard-working bands in the business.”
Coming out of Philadelphia, the band has felt a lot of support from the East Coast and is looking forward to playing at Penn State, Chisholm said.
“We love a college audience and being able to put on a fun and uplifting show,” he added.
Megan Mansell, SPA marketing chair, said that she has already seen a great interest from people on Twitter following the announcement of the performance.
“Whenever we put out surveys or ask people what they are interested in seeing, people always ask for a Mumford & Sons or the Lumineers type of band,” Mansell said. “We couldn’t get Mumford, but these guys are pretty similar.”
Corey Jackson, SPA LateNight chair, said that he and his committee have been looking to diversify the LateNight lineup.
“We’ve had hip-hop, rock, and even had some rappers, but we want to include all of the genres that people on campus are into,” Jackson said. “Indie-folk is something that we haven’t had yet.”
The band uses traditional “folksy” instruments such as a small drum set, a banjo and a fiddle, Jackson said.
“This will be a much calmer evening and a great opportunity to enjoy good music with friends,” Jackson said. “People won’t have to deal with the crowds like they do with our other shows.”
Mansell said she is curious to see how people will respond to the performance because it is a departure from what SPA usually does.
“This is our first time having a band of this genre come, so we’re really excited to see what the crowd turnout will be like,” she said.
