Vacationer, The O’My’s to perform at Benefit

Alternative-pop+band+Vacationer+will+headline+Benefit+2015%2C+A%26O+Productions+and+Dance+Marathon%E2%80%99s+annual+fundraiser+for+DM.+Chicago-area+band+The+O%E2%80%99My%E2%80%99s+will+open+the+concert.+

Source: Vacationer on Facebook

Alternative-pop band Vacationer will headline Benefit 2015, A&O Productions and Dance Marathon’s annual fundraiser for DM. Chicago-area band The O’My’s will open the concert.

Matthew Choi, Reporter

The band Vacationer will perform at Benefit 2015, A&O Productions and Dance Marathon announced Wednesday.

Alternative-pop band Vacationer will headline Benefit and soul group The O’My’s will open the concert. The event this year will be held Saturday in the Louis Room in Norris University Center. Usually Benefit is held on the Norris East Lawn, but expected inclement weather forced the change of venue, A&O spokeswoman Abiola Aderonmu said.

This is not the first time Benefit has been moved indoors due to weather, A&O chairwoman Tracy Kopulsky said.

“Three years ago we had to do the same thing because of rain,” said Kopulsky, a Communication senior. “It still worked out to be an exciting show.”

DM and A&O plan to have additional activities at the event, DM special events co-chair Connor Smith said. Outdoor activities such as corn hole and KanJam were originally planned, but new ones are being organized due to the venue change.

“It’s a little trickier when we move things inside,” said Aderonmu, a Communication senior. “But it will be fun nonetheless.”

Vacationer, a group based out of Pennsylvania and New York, is known for touring with groups such as Body Language, The Naked and Famous and St. Lucia. A&O decided to book the group because it fits the mood of music commonly performed at Benefit, said Communication senior Morgan Hecht, A&O concerts director.

“For benefit, we like to look for an exciting, upbeat energy, but also kind of like a chill, sitting-on-the-Lakefill kind of music,” Hecht said. “They just fit of vibe of having high energy but also relaxing at the same time. And they’re great musicians and they’re very fun to watch live.”

The O’My’s, a group native to Chicago, is known for its collaborations with Chance the Rapper and Yo-Yo Ma. A&O looked for a local artist and was drawn to The O’My’s, as the band is well-known in the Chicago music scene, Hecht said.

“We had a list of amazing, amazing Chicago artists and The O’My’s were at the top,” Hecht said. “They’re very established within Chicago and we thought we might as well take advantage of having someone who’s local who’s really talented and fits the vibe, too.”

This is the fifth year A&O and DM have co-hosted Benefit. Kopulsky said she looks forward to what the event can accomplish.

“This concert is something we’re always very excited about because we are always excited to offer free programming to the student body,” Kopulsky said. “The money that is donated to this concert is able to benefit a philanthropic organization, in this case, Dance Marathon, which is also such a strong presence at Northwestern. … It’s definitely a tradition we’re really proud to uphold.”

Smith, a Weinberg junior, also said he was excited for the concert.

“It’s really cool to be able to start raising money even before we have a beneficiary announced,” Smith said. “Just so we can really start get it going for DM 2016.”

The event will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday. Admission will be free, but a $5 donation is encouraged. Kopulsky said she expected around 500 students to come based on past attendance.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MatthewChoi2018