Penn College News

Switchfoot Headlines Centennial Concert in Bardo Gym

Friday, February 21, 2014

Switchfoot, a 2011 Grammy Award winner for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album, continued its month-old winter tour with a Thursday gig at Pennsylvania College of Technology. Marking the college's yearlong centennial – and the recent release of its "Fading West" album – the quintet was joined by the Kopecky Family Band for a performance in the college's Bardo Gymnasium. "It was a great way to celebrate the college’s centennial," said Sara Hillis Ousby, associate director of student activities. "Concerts are one of the events I regularly hear from students that they wish we did regularly. Hopefully, this is the start of a new Penn College tradition."


– Photos by Marc T. Kaylor, student photographer




 

 ... the crew makes sure all is in order.

... the crew makes sure all is in order.

An artful tech crew plies its craft.

An artful tech crew plies its craft.

T-shirts commemorate the featured act's fledgling

T-shirts commemorate the featured act's fledgling "Fading West" tour.

Anticipation mounts during the late-afternoon queue.

Anticipation mounts during the late-afternoon queue.

Testing the calm preshow waters ...

Testing the calm preshow waters ...

In

In "Event Staff" attire, members of the campus community keep everything running smoothly.

Tour trappings, by the crateful

Tour trappings, by the crateful

Taking home a few souvenirs

Taking home a few souvenirs

Posters advertise the opening act.

Posters advertise the opening act.

Dining Services' Jason K. Eisensehr and Rick D. Wyland accent the show's energy with snacky sustenance.

Dining Services' Jason K. Eisensehr and Rick D. Wyland accent the show's energy with snacky sustenance.

Excited about the show, students ascend the gym's stairway.

Excited about the show, students ascend the gym's stairway.

Checking out the band's wares at the

Checking out the band's wares at the "merch" table

Colorful stage lights bathe the Kopecky Family Band.

Colorful stage lights bathe the Kopecky Family Band.

Free student tickets add to the celebratory air.

Free student tickets add to the celebratory air.

A dash of horns spices the Kopeckys' indie-pop intro.

A dash of horns spices the Kopeckys' indie-pop intro.

The Kopecky Family Band offers a prelude ...

The Kopecky Family Band offers a prelude ...

... serving up its unique Nashville sound.

... serving up its unique Nashville sound.

Satisfaction, by the numbers

Satisfaction, by the numbers

A centennial success

A centennial success

The Kopecky Family Band opens the show.

The Kopecky Family Band opens the show.

Settling in for the show

Settling in for the show

Rockers gather for an evening's entertainment.

Rockers gather for an evening's entertainment.

Switchfoot entertains gymnasium audience.

Switchfoot entertains gymnasium audience.

Crimson theatrics drench the house.

Crimson theatrics drench the house.

Attendees crowd the Bardo floor for one of the college's first major concerts in years.

Attendees crowd the Bardo floor for one of the college's first major concerts in years.

Million-selling musicians please the crowd.

Million-selling musicians please the crowd.

Capturing a memory

Capturing a memory

A visual shout-out to the tech crew, whose lighting design enhanced the performance

A visual shout-out to the tech crew, whose lighting design enhanced the performance

Jason K. Eisensehr, a Dining Services manager, and Allison A. Bressler, assistant director of Student Activities for programming and Greek life, staff a Bardo hallway.

Jason K. Eisensehr, a Dining Services manager, and Allison A. Bressler, assistant director of Student Activities for programming and Greek life, staff a Bardo hallway.

Students gain access to Grammy winners during a

Students gain access to Grammy winners during a "meet and greet" event.

Visible at right, the evening's guiding light (Sara Hillis Ousby, associate director of student activities) facilitates fans' enjoyment.

Visible at right, the evening's guiding light (Sara Hillis Ousby, associate director of student activities) facilitates fans' enjoyment.

"Meet and greet" gives more students access to be envied.