Headlining this year’s fall concert is Los Angeles pop rock artist Andy Grammer, best
known for hit songs “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine By Me.”
“One of the greatest things about him is his energy,” said senior Claire Cummings, SGA vice
president for social affairs. She believes that his positive lyrics and upbeat performance
personality will draw a big crowd to Reitz Arena on Oct. 26.
This year’s concert will be an “innovation with tradition” according to Cummings, as SGA
continues to experiment with different genres. In past years, Loyola has hosted the Goo Goo
Dolls, Sammy Adams and Wolfgang Gartner, so this year Grammer may attract a different
audience.
“You can never get an artist or a genre that will satisfy everyone, but we do believe his
type of music is broad enough that [a lot of] people will really love it,” said Cummings. “We
believe it’s important to offer different types of music and test the waters… If you look at
the progression, we have touched different veins of music [over the years].”
The reviews she consulted about Grammer’s performances highlighted his energy and
talent covering other artists’ songs—allowing for the show to be more interactive. Even if
students aren’t familiar with all of Grammer’s own work, they’ll likely be able to sing along
with other songs on the set list. “I think he’s going to know our audience,” said Cummings.
Booking the fall concert this year was a challenging feat for the programming and
marketing crew, and there were many hands on deck throughout the process. We have to
consider “what Loyola can provide in availability, feasibility and finances,” said Cummings.
With our recent entry into the Patriot League, there were a lot of games to consider in
scheduling the arena, in addition to the routine concerns of budget and artists’ availability.
“I’ve come to really value and appreciate the work that people have put in in years past,”
Cummings said, explaining that everyone she’s collaborated with during this process
has been accommodating and excited to see it through. Even the marketing strategy for the
event was redeveloped this year—keeping the energy up before the release (and limiting
the number of rumors that leaked beforehand). SGA is also reaching out to Notre Dame of
Maryland University and other local schools to market the event, so there may be some
new faces in the crowd.
The concert will begin at 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, and tickets will be $15 for Loyola students and
$22 for non-Loyola students. Stay tuned for the date tickets go on sale.