Students who proudly don "Don't mess with Texas" T-shirts or are corralled by the sound of country music can purchase tickets today for the April 7 Pat Green concert at Stepan Center, co-sponsored by the Student Union Board (SUB) and Texas Club.
A major country act and Grammy nominee, singer-songwriter Pat Green has sold out large-scale venues including the Houston Astrodome and is currently on tour with fellow country music superstar Keith Urban. Green's hit singles include "Wave on Wave" and "College."
SUB invited Pat Green to campus as a response to student demand for a country show - part of the group's continued commitment to bring headlining entertainment to the Notre Dame community.
"Programmers and committee members have been dedicated to reach our goals, and efforts have resulted in such successes as Vince Vaughn, Better Than Ezra and now Pat Green," SUB director Jimmy Flaherty said.
Born in San Antonio and raised in Waco, Texas, Green was the eighth of nine children. His long musical career has included the sale of nearly 200,000 independently released records and a lengthy list of tour stops since he first hit the road in 1995. According to Country Music Television's Web site, Pat Green "sells out every venue in his home state, even the cavernous Billy Bob's in Fort Worth."
SUB concert programmer Chris Lund said student outreach and polling indicated a "substantial country following on campus."
"The Texas Club approached SUB about collaboration in the past," he said. "When the opportunity came to bring Pat Green, we jumped at it."
Texas Club president Chrissy Williford said her club is excited to co-sponsor the upcoming show.
"Pat Green has become so famous and we are unable to afford him on our own," she said. "[Texas] Club has been saving money and now we can put those funds to use. As co-sponsors, we are helping funding with a special emphasis on advertising - particularly word-of-mouth advertising - through our [more than] 400 members."
Flaherty said Green has a "huge following" on campus that has only been augmented by his popularity in Texas and the large number of Texans who attend Notre Dame.
"With the popularity of country music at Notre Dame, Pat Green will definitely energize the campus," sophomore Chris Mueller said. "It is going to be a must-see show."
Junior Ryan Larson, a self-proclaimed "country music-loving kind of guy," said he appreciated SUB's initiative to bring diverse talent and cater to all musical tastes at the University.
"The $10 tickets are a steal for this major performer coming right here to Notre Dame," he said.
Students are encouraged to purchase tickets immediately, as SUB expects a high for the limited number of seats. Tickets are on sale for $10 at the LaFortune Box Office for all Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross students with a valid ID. Students may bring up to four IDs, and each ID may purchase one ticket.
