For Immediate Release—Thursday, September 21, 2006

 

Contact:

Mary E. McCrank

Media Relations Officer

(585) 245-5516

mccrank@geneseo.edu

 

Ben Folds to Perform at SUNY Geneseo Nov. 11

GENESEO, N.Y.—The Activities Commission of the State University of New York at Geneseo has announced this year's annual fall concert will feature Ben Folds at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11 in Kuhl Gymnasium.

Ben Folds, a pianist from North Carolina, started his music career with the Ben Folds Five in 1995. In 2000, the band broke up and Folds took on a solo career. His latest album, "Songs for Silverman," reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200, making it his best performing album on the chart. Folds hopes to improve on this success with his latest album, "Supersunnyspeedgraphic," set to be released Oct. 24.

Ben Folds is known to be highly interactive with the audience and frequently improvisational with his music during shows. He often talks with the crowd and asks the audience to sing background harmonies that are present on his albums. Folds also is known to take live requests and even write lyrics while on stage. Folds performed at Geneseo in the fall of 2002.  

The decision to bring Ben Folds to the campus was made by Kristina Sym, who is the concert chair of the Activities Commission. "A big part of making this decision came from the results of the fall concert survey that we sent to all students last semester," says Sym. "We had over 1,000 students participate in the survey, so it was easy to tell who the student body wanted to see."  The list of artists students were able to choose from came from all different musical genres, including hip-hop, country and alternative.

"The general reaction from the students has been very positive," says Sym. "I had a senior tell me, 'This will be the highest quality and best concert we've had since I have been here,' and I've gotten that same reaction from many students."

Tickets are $15 for students, $18 for faculty and staff and $22 for the general public and can be purchased through the Student Association Ticket Office in person or by calling

 (800) 525-2070 or (585) 245-5876. General public tickets also can be purchased through

www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, contact Carey Backman at backman@geneseo.edu.

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Written by Joe Mignano, public relations intern in the Office of Communications and Publications.