| RELATED INFO |
| * Purdue Convocations |
| * Dierks Bentley |
| * Bucky Covington |
| * Luke Bryan |
January 17, 2008
Country singer Dierks Bentley to perform at Elliott Hall of Music
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
Purdue Convocations is presenting the performance in cooperation with Bravo Entertainment.
Often called the "hardest working guy in country music," Bentley debuted in the country music world in 2003 with the single "What Was I Thinkin'?" Since then he has charted five No. 1 singles and two No. 1 albums on the Billboard country charts, including "Long Trip Alone" most recently. With the return of his arena headlining tour, he said he is spending this spring focusing his attention on connecting with his fans in larger rooms.
"We aren't at the level yet where we have the hi-def video screens or pyro or some crazy light show, so it's just up to me and the guys in the band to go out there every night and connect with everyone in the audience … even the folks up in the nosebleeds," Bentley said. "If that means crowd surfing or pulling people up on the stage to dance, we'll do whatever it takes."
Music critics across the country are taking notice of Bentley's high-energy set, calling him "a consummate showman" and his 18-song set a "breathtaking barn-burner of an affair," said Kerry Schutt Nason, Purdue Convocations director of marketing.
Special guest Bucky Covington is adding a new twist to the notion that winning is everything, she said.
The eighth-place finalist on the fifth season of the hit TV show "American Idol," Covington has now parlayed that into a burgeoning country music singing career with his first hit single "A Different World."
Even before his first Capitol Records Nashville single "All My Friends Say" had been sent to country radio, Luke Bryan was already earning media attention, including being named one of Billboard magazine's new faces to watch in 2007. He was the only country music performer selected for the honor. Bryan also was included in Country Weekly's Who's Hot in 2007 feature and the single was chosen as an iTunes Discovery Download of the week.
Tickets are $36.50 for the general public and $29.50 for Purdue and Ivy Tech students and children under age 19; prices include a facilities fee.
Tickets go on sale to Purdue and Ivy Tech Lafayette students, and Purdue faculty, staff and retirees with a current identification card at 10 a.m. Feb. 15 at the Elliott Hall of Music and Stewart Center box offices or at (765) 494-3933. Tickets for the general public go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 16 through Ticketmaster at (765) 743-5151 and at https://www.ticketmaster.com. Friends of Convocations may order advance tickets through 5 p.m. Feb. 11 by calling (765) 494-9712.
Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu
Source: Kerry Schutt Nason, Purdue Convocations director of marketing, (765) 494-5045, knason@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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