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Dan + Shay = lively night of country at Brick

Duo Dan + Shay will perform 9 p.m. Wednesday at Brick Street Bar.

Photo contributed by Dan + Shay

By Rachel Tracey, For The Miami Student

Though they have never been to Oxford, Dan + Shay are no strangers to the top of country charts. The group best-known for their hit, "19 You + Me" is perfoming here for the fist time 9 p.m. Oct. 29 at Brick Street Bar.

"We're gonna bust out some fun toons," Dan Smyers, one of the two lead singers of Dan + Shay, said. "We might throw out some 80s songs."

Smyers and Shay Mooney met December 2012. Although they had both been recording separately since they were teenagers, their music came naturally, Smyers said. In the first couple months, the duo wrote roughly 80 songs. From there, they signed with Warner Brothers Records and were the opening act for Hunter Hayes and Blake Shelton.

Smyers said the band really bonded with both Hayes and Shelton, and they look forward to "passing that torch along" to new artists as they further their music career.

"I have to pinch myself," Shymers said. "It's so incredible and we're so lucky to be here."

Will Weisman, owner of Brick Street, said, "We booked Dan + Shay because they are consistent with our strategy to bring up-and-coming country artists."

As a new band, Dan + Shay stay in touch with their social media and talk to their fans as much as possible.

"We love listening to our fans. They are the best indication of how we're doing," Smyers said.

The boys spend much of their time talking one-on-one with their fans, including responding to tweets on a daily basis. Smyers says meeting fans in person has a huge impact on their inspiration to continue writing songs.

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"We do meet and greets until our bus leaves," Smyers said. "If you come to our concert, there is a way to meet us."

Now on their own tour, Dan + Shay has creative mobility to make their show the way they want. While neither has been to Oxford, they both look forward to performing at Miami.

"All of the pretty girls from my high school went to Miami," Smyers said. "I went to college and I know what the college life is like. I hear great things about Miami."

"Students will enjoy this show because it appeals to country fans as well as fans of pop rock," Weisman said.

For the years to come, Dan+Shay see themselves still putting out albums for their fans.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at www.brickstreetbar.com, 1-800-594-tixx or at Brick Street.