Openers announced for Saturday’s Roots concert

Posted on March 18, 2010, at 3:13 a.m.

Boston-based hip-hop / jazz group Re-Up will be opening for The Roots on Saturday in the University of Maine Field House. According to Vice President of Student Entertainment Patrick Nabozny, the band has performed numerous times at the Berklee School of Music, opened for The Gym Class Heroes and will be opening for Big Boi of Outkast later this year.

Despite the numerous Maine-based bands that attempted to get the opening slot, Nabozny decided to go with the Boston band because of the strength of the city’s music scene.

“I’m trying to keep things as local as possible,” Nabozny said. “We’ve gone with a lot of local companies to provide production for the show. I’m not bashing any bands from Maine but I really think that people will be much more satisfied with this band than one from Maine.”

The contract agreed upon said that the opening act must be “mutually agreeable.” According to Nabozny, The Roots loved the band’s sound.

Re-Up features a full band complete with horn section and turntablist.

“The band presented a surprisingly sophisticated blend of hard-hitting rap and soulful jazz, with an unbeatable combination of great lyrics and a laid-back attitude onstage,” wrote Lisa Kong in a review of their performance at William and Mary College on the college radio station’s blog.

Tickets will be available for sale in the Memorial Union on Thursday and Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. According to Nabozny, tickets sales are approaching the sold-out mark of 3,000.

Student Entertainment has also confirmed The Machine, a Pink Floyd tribute band, for a performance in the Collins Center for the Arts on April 29. The band will be stopping by as part of a nation-wide tour. The show is described as being heavily laden with lasers and lighting effects.

“I wasn’t just going to invite any Pink Floyd tribute band,” Nabozny said. “I wanted to make sure that if we were going to try to sell tickets that they sounded like Pink Floyd. They do sound pretty good.”

The revenue earned will contribute to booking larger acts next year, according to Nabozny.

A Facebook group petitioning for the ’90s band Smash Mouth to perform at UMaine has prompted Nabozny to consider a ’90s music festival next year.

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