Those looking for a free concert will find one tonight in the Landon Pigg and Ben Lee performance in the Shriver Center, co-hosted by Miami University AfterDark and MIOX Records.
The concert will take place in the Shriver Multi-Purpose Room and will feature Miami's own Evan McFadden as the opening act.
Pigg is best known for his song "Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop," which was featured in a commercial for De Beers diamond corporation, while Lee's song "Catch My Disease" was in a 2007 episode of Grey's Anatomy.
The concert is part of AfterDark's weekly schedule of Friday events and was made possible with the help of MIOX Records, a student-run recording company founded last year.
"It's a co-sponsorship," said senior Katie Graebe, a member of AfterDark. "AfterDark planned it, but we sought out MIOX to help out and get some of their artists to play."
McFadden, a sophomore, will be the opening act and play directly before Pigg. McFadden has been working with MIOX since last year.
"Last year, when we started off, we held open auditions where students could come and play for us," said sophomore Dan Albert, president of MIOX. "Evan was one of the few students in the group who stuck out and we decided he definitely had a lot of potential to be a great musician."
According to Albert, McFadden's music is similar to that of Jack Johnson and is a laid-back, acoustic rock.
"We thought his music would fit well (with Pigg and Lee), so we decided to give him a shot," Albert said.
Graebe said AfterDark is also excited for McFadden's opening performance.
"We want to support getting our local performers out," Graebe said.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
MIOX is completely student-run and was founded last year by Albert and fellow sophomore Eric Sunray during their first-year. Sunray is the vice president of MIOX.
According to Sunray, as the organization has become more well known, they've become more involved with organizations such as Program Board, Relay for Life, and AfterDark to book artists.
The concert is another opportunity for MIOX to popularize its name on campus.
"The concert will definitely associate us with up and coming artists and national artists," Albert said. "It helps gets our name out there and shows the school what MIOX does-that we support music in general."
Graebe said that MIOX was an asset to planning the event.
"They're very helpful and will do anything to promote music," she said.
Both MIOX and AfterDark have high expectations for the event.
"Usually for concerts we get a pretty big crowd, but the Miami crowd is hard to cater to," Graebe said. "It's just really hit or miss."
The event is free for all students and doors will open at 8:30 p.m.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.