Eager EMU students packed into the Main Stage Theatre to see their campus favorite, Vineyard 55, open for the touring band AG Silver. Vineyard 55 played a short set to get the crowd warmed up on Monday, November 16.

AG Silver lights up the stage in the theatre for a good cause; clean water for Africa. (Photo:Katie Landis)

Then, AG Silver took the stage to arrange their instruments and quickly scuttled off for a costume change before they began their set. The lights were out and the audience could hear instruments being played very low. Then green and blue lights began flashing on the four members who stood in a zombie-like position. The band then exploded into their first song, “All That to Say.”

AG Silver, a mixture of Alternative, Indie, and Christian rock, has a unique stage presence, constantly moving and dancing in strange robotic fashions. EMU Senior Ashley Hevener, who was in the audience, liked the band, saying, “I thought that their dance moves were some of the best I’ve seen in my four years here!” In addition, the band had a very stylish wardrobe for their performance. It appeared as though they had spray painted their suits and vests silver, which Hevener thought was “genius.”

As far as their talent goes, lead singer Jon Ornee has a powerful voice with a lot of range reminiscent to that of Bono or Isaac Slade of The Fray.

Along with their dance moves, AG Silver also inserted many instrument changes into their set. After a song, they would dance their way around stage and pull out snare drums, additional guitars and even an accordion to transition into the next song. At one point, they played a brief cover of the Kanye West song, “Love Lockdown.”

When they let their instruments rest to engage with the crowd, the singer told about the purpose of their current tour. The “Clean Water for Africa Tour” is partnered with the Blood: Water Mission to bring clean drinking water to areas of Africa that are in dire need.

As he spoke, Ornee told how often he takes drinking water for granted, especially as an on stage vocalist. He told of the moment he learned that it only takes one U.S. dollar to provide clean drinking water to one person for a whole year in Africa.

To help the cause, concert goers could purchase special stickers at the AG Silver merchandise stand for one dollar after the show, and all the proceeds would go to the Blood: Water Mission.

After giving their message, AG Silver lightened the mood and played several more songs. Sophomore Whitney Miller also enjoyed the music AG Silver played. “Their performance was a bit unique, as well as their fashion sense. Overall it was a great performance, and I like what they stand for,” says Miller.

After the show, they invited fans to stop by backstage and engage with them briefly to share stories.

Junior Paul Goliwas said that was his favorite part. “The concert was pretty awesome, but the best part (for me) was the after show, where I found time to meet members of participating bands at a more personal level,” exclaims Goliwas.

AG Silver will continue their Clean Water for Africa Tour to universities around the country, and their EP “Love Keeps No Score” can be purchased on iTunes or at .

Dan Gardner, a 1993 graduate of EMU and winner of NBC Television’s Today Show “Today’s Superstar” competition, will return to his alma mater to give two concerts during fall homecoming weekend.

Gardner will perform a wide variety of popular music, including original compositions, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 8 – 9, in Lehman Auditorium, and be available to sign CDs after each show. The EMU Chamber Singers will join him on some selections.

A resident of Atlanta, Ga., where he taught private voice lessons and at a music school before becoming a full-time recording artist, Gardner received the top award on the Nov. 21, 2002 broadcast of the program in New York City. The process included being chosen from among 4,000 audition tapes, performing as one of six finalists and taking part in three weeks of performances. More than 700,000 votes were submitted on-line throughout the contest.

Born in New York City, the liberal arts major was raised in Goshen, Ind., the youngest of five siblings. At EMU, he was a voice student of music professor Kenneth Nafziger and a member of the Chamber Singers, which Dr. Nafziger directs.

“Dan is a remarkable person,” noted Dr. Nafziger. “He came to EMU knowing what he wanted to do and never wavered from those intentions. I had never worked for an extended period of time with a singer who wanted to do pop music, so working with him was a real education for me,” he added.

Nafziger noted the “intensity” with which Gardner could communicate a song, whether to an audience of one in a music lesson or to an audience of many – as in his senior recital which packed out Lehman Auditorium.

As Today’s Superstar, Gardner was featured in a live outdoor concert in December 2002 outside NBC’s Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza and was awarded a recording session with Warner Brothers Records.

Gardner now has a production company (DG Productions) and a Web site . He still lives in Atlanta, but travels frequently to New York and Los Angeles and gives concerts around the country. He has appeared on national radio, on national television at a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial event and at the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

His debut album, “More Than Life,” features many songs written or co-written by Gardner. As vocalist, songwriter, performer and producer, Gardner mixes elements of pop, blues, jazz and rock in this varied collection of ballads, high energy and mid-tempo tunes. His first single off the album, “More Than Life,” climbed to No. 12 on the adult contemporary radio charts.

Admission prices vary. Persons are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by calling the EMU box office, (540) 432-4582. Tickets will also be on sale at the door.