ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS TO HEADLINE APRIL CONCERT AT UNK

Tim Danube
associate director of the Nebraskan Student Union, 308.865.8523

Alternative rock band All-American Rejects will perform live at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Health and Sports Center this coming April.

The group was selected by the students involved with the Loper Programming and Activities Council (LPAC). They chose four bands and surveyed the student body via Facebook and e-mail, according to Tim Danube, associate director of the Nebraskan Student Union.

“There’s always some form of voting and various surveying every year for the performance,” Danube said. “We’ve done it through Community Assembly Night (CAN) or the Greek system, then LPAC reviews the data and decides.”

The group will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 5. Tickets for UNK students are $12 and will go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 15. General admission is $25, and tickets will be available beginning Monday, Feb. 27. Tickets can be purchased at the Nebraskan Student Union Welcome Desk and Hastings Entertainment, located at 9 West 39th St. in Kearney.

The band, which is from Stillwater, Okla., was formed by Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler in 1999. The band consists of Ritter, lead vocalist and bass guitarist; Wheeler, lead guitarists and backup vocals; Mike Kennerty, rhythm guitar and backing vocals; and Chris Gaylor on percussion. Former bassist of Taking Back Sunday, Matt Rubano, joined the band last November to play bass for their live performances.

Their first hit single, “Swing, Swing,” from the “All-American Rejects” album went platinum in 2003. Their next album, “Move Along,” produced three hit singles and went double platinum.

Ritter has also worked in film and television as an actor. He was in the television drama “House M.D.,” with his band members in the show “Smallville,” and has also appeared in the movie “The House Bunny” with actress Emma Stone.

In 2010, the band performed at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. They also played at this year’s Super Bowl Fan Jam with Gym Class Heroes and B.o.B.

The All-American Rejects released their most recent album, “Kids in the Street,” last month.

Students who will chair the upcoming concert are Alyse Andreasen of Genoa, Chelsea Svoboda of McCook and Abby Rosenbaum of Sidney.