This Wednesday, the Humphrey Coliseum will be abuzz, but not with dribbling basketballs. Grammy-winning band Fun. brings its rousing anthems and sing-along choruses to Mississippi State University to take homecoming week by storm.
Music Maker Productions has already sold 1,000 discounted student tickets to Fun.’s performance. Even though so many seats are alrady filled, Sarah Margaret Hewes, MMP president, said the members expect to have tickets available the day of the show.
The timing of Fun.’s performance presents a new situation for the members of MMP.
Normally, the committee does not intentionally schedule concerts the week of homecoming, but the members of MMP said they see new opportunities arising in the arrangement of the show.
Alissa McKinnon, a member of MMP, said the timing of the Fun. concert during homecoming week works well because it allows the members of MMP to add to the festivities.
“When we found out the show was during homecoming week, we were so excited,” McKinnon said. “Homecoming is an important tradition for so many, and to be able to contribute in any way feels great for us.”
While the members of MMP work hard to sell Fun. tickets on the Drill Field each week, McKinnon said the members of MMP did not strive to bring Fun. to MSU.
McKinnon said Fun. approached MMP about coming to MSU just before winning its Grammy awards. Since then, McKinnon said the band’s popularity has risen and increased interest surrounding the show.
“They came to us really wanting to do a show here. It was right before they won their Grammy awards, so it was just a perfect storm,” McKinnon said. “The band is so successful, so for them to want to come here on their own was a great moment for everyone all around.”
Fun. won two out of its six Grammy nominations in February. The band took home “Song of the Year” and “Best New Artist” awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
Since the band won its awards and earned increased radio play, hype has risen across Mississippi over its show at MSU. The excitement has expanded the concert to a size and magnitude of show that McKinnon said does not happen often at MSU.
“This is the first full-size Hump show we have had in about a decade, meaning it will be the biggest show in many years,” McKinnon said.
Wednesday’s show is part of the “Some Nights” tour, a tour which Nate Ruess, the lead vocalist for FUN., said the band members have big plans for, according to Billboard.com’s “TMI: The Music Insider” video series.
“One of the fantastic things about any of this type of success that we’ve had lately means that we just get to up the stage show,” Ruess said. “There’s already six of us on stage when we are performing. Now we get to have things like lights and other things. Half of us is punk rock, and the other half of us is super theatrical and wants to bring a Queen vibe to the show.”
Regardless of what Fun.’s performance brings Wednesday night, whether punk-rock or glam-rock, Fun. brings a high-caliber, high-profile concert not seen often in Starkville.
Openers for Fun.’s performance include Gulfport, Missississippi-based rock band Rosco Bandana and indie-rock band Hunter Hunted.
