Brooklyn-based dance-punk duo Matt & Kim will headline this fall’s Major Activities Board (MAB) November 5 show in Mandel Hall after an opening set by U of C band Squat the Condos.
MAB Chair and fourth-year Sam Abbott said that the group’s wide appeal among students was a chief consideration for its selection.
“We’re always on the hunt for artists who have particularly fun and engaging shows,” Abbott said.
Despite being hampered by revenue loss from last year’s Summer Breeze concert, MAB will still be able to offer reduced ticket prices. Heavy rain during the spring concert led MAB to refund over 1,000 of the typical 2,200 tickets sold.
“Something I do not think most people realize is that we do not make any profit from these shows,” Abbott said. “All of the money received from ticket sales, in addition to whatever funding is granted from the student activities fee, goes to the cost of the show. From the lighting and sound system to the artists themselves, there are a lot of costs to be weighed up.”
MAB, an RSO with a student board, has been organizing campus events for over 25 years and usually produces a fall concert, winter comedy show, and Summer Breeze. Previous fall show artists include Common in 2006, The Decemberists in 2008, and Big Boi—with whom Matt & Kim have collaborated—last year.
Friends since college, vocalist Matt Johnson and drummer Kim Schifino formed Matt & Kim in 2005. Drawing from an eclectic blend of punk, indie, and pop influences, the duo is known for its engaging live shows.
The duo has recently enjoyed a massive leap in fame: Its 2009 single “Daylight” reached the Billboard Top 100 in June of that year, and 2011’s “Cameras” was featured in a variety of commercials, trailers, and soundtracks.
“Matt & Kim always put on a really great show,” second-year Dylan Harris said. “They’re still a ton of fun to see live because they’re so energetic when they’re up on stage— they’re probably the happiest band out there.”
Squat the Condos will play for the first half-hour of the show, followed by Matt & Kim, who will play for one full hour. Tickets go on sale next Monday in the Reynolds Club, and will cost $5 for students and $10 for faculty members in advance and $10 and $15 at the door.
