American Authors: Program Board Plays It Safe With Capital Fest Choice

By Maria Rodriguez

The news is out: American Authors will be the performer at CUA’s second annual Capital Fest.
The success of last year’s performance ensured a repeat appearance of the fall musical event. Aside from Luaupalooza in the spring, the University has not offered many opportunities for concerts on campus, unless you count the music school, but glo-paint has yet to show up at Ward Recital Hall.
American Authors has more to their repertoire than “Best Day of My Life.” Not too much more though, as they only have one album and an EP to their name.
Whether you know them from “Best Day of My Life” or “Believer,” there is a good chance you have heard some of their music before.
With a sound like an auto-tuned Mumford and Sons turned stateside, their aggressive happiness makes them a good fit for our religiously focused school. Given the good reception COIN and Walk the Moon had last year, it wasn’t a surprise that Program Board went with a similar sounding band. Spotify lists Walk the Moon, Bastille, and Imagine Dragons as artists related to American Authors.
It’s a safe sound to choose. That alt-pop-rock vibe dominates the radio waves these days. There are fewer hard rock bands commanding arena sized crowds. Those that thrive do not look to radio play to build their fan base. The radio is the domain of the bass-drum kicking, mandolin plinking, power strumming, computer enhanced folk pop bands. That is just what American Authors is: a band for the masses, and for mass approval by the student body.
Here’s to another school year started right with a band to usher in the many frantic nights of late night writing. Perhaps in those moments of chaos we can turn back to the memories of another good time.