Friday, March 7, 2008
When members of the KU Drumline heard they would have the opportunity to perform along country-music star Keith Urban, many didn’t even know who Urban was, let alone count themselves among his fan base.
“To tell you the truth, none of us on the drumline were the biggest Keith Urban fans,” Ian Rocker, Garnett junior and bass drum player, said. “I don’t really think we realized how famous he was until we got there.”
Wednesday night, 18 KU Drumline snare, bass and symbol players became the latest college or high school drum corps to perform alongside Urban as part of his 24-city tour. The opportunity arose after Urban’s representatives contacted drumline instructor Greg Haynes.
Members of the KU Drumline performed at the Sprint Center Wednesday with country-music star Keith Urban, playing a quick set between two of Urban’s songs.
Haynes said he didn’t even know who Urban was before being contacted. He said it was initially a challenge to find members to perform because it was the drumline’s offseason, but once members found out about the opportunity to perform at the Sprint Center, all but two committed to participate.
The drumline performed a short segment during the middle of Urban’s show, providing a transition between two songs. Although the performance lasted only a few minutes, Andrew Jackson, Overland Park freshman and snare player, said standing three feet away from Urban was a thrill.
“We were all getting pretty into the music,” Jackson said. “And then all of a sudden it happened, and it was kind of like a roller coaster. It was over before we even knew what was going on.”
During the show, members sat in a reserved section near the front of the stage. Rocker said the atmosphere was definitely different from where the environments the group normally performs in − Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse.
“You are on stage, everybody is focused on you, expecting you to perform and do what you do,” Rocker said. “It’s a little more nerve-racking I would say.”
He said although the crowd seemed surprised to see the group on stage at first, they gradually warmed up to their performance. Jackson said he was impressed with how involved and enthusiastic the audience was once they got over their initial shock.
“The fans were screaming so loud we really couldn’t even really hear ourselves playing,” he said. “They screamed the whole minute and a half we were up there.”
Rocker said even though he wasn’t an Urban fan, performing alongside Urban was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“Its going to be cool to look back and tell your kids that you played in front of 25,000 people in a drumline,” Rocker said.
—Edited by Jared Duncan
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