A Concert for Virginia Tech to be held Sept. 6

2 Aug 2007

On September 6, Virginia's own Dave Matthews Band along with John Mayer, Phil Vassar, and Nas will join together in "A Concert For Virginia Tech" at the university's Lane Stadium. Free tickets will be made available to all current students, faculty, and staff. Coming at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year, the concert was conceived as a way to help the university community move forward in the aftermath of the April tragedy at Virginia Tech.

Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Phil Vassar, and Nas have waived their fees for the event. Corporate sponsorships and the sale of commemorative concert items will help to cover the expenses associated with the logistics of the concert. No funds from the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund will be used to cover expenses for this concert.

“We’re extremely grateful for the compassion and generosity of these artists who wished to create a very special event where our students, faculty, and staff can come together to celebrate the spirit and resiliency of our university community as we begin a new academic year,” said Charles Steger, President of Virginia Tech.

“We have a profound respect for the incredible resolve and unwavering sense of hope the university community has shown, and are honored to have the opportunity to share this evening with Virginia Tech,” said Carter Beauford, drummer for Dave Matthews Band.

“The concert will provide a great outlet for all of the Virginia Tech community to come together once again,” said Adeel Khan, president of Virginia Tech's Student Government Association.

“While we obviously will never forget those lost or affected by the events of April 16, this concert will help us to honor Virginia Tech’s enduring Hokie Spirit,” said Scott Cheatham, president of Hokies United. Hokies United is a student-driven volunteer effort organized to respond to local, national and international tragedies that may impact the Virginia Tech community.

One free ticket will be made available for all students enrolled for fall semester 2007, including full and part-time students, both undergraduate and graduate; all Virginia Tech faculty and staff, including full, part-time, wage, and emergency hires; and 2007 spring and summer graduates of Virginia Tech. An option to purchase one (1) additional ticket will be offered and randomly assigned to all applicants within the above groups. Tickets will be general admission zoned seating to offer maximum flexibility while maintaining security and fairness to concert-goers. Tickets are not being made available to the general public at this time.

For further details about “A Concert For Virginia Tech” and information on how to claim your ticket visit the Concert for Virginia Tech website.

About Virginia Tech: Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech is the most comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is among the top research universities in the nation. Today, Virginia Tech’s eight colleges are dedicated to quality, innovation, and results through teaching, research, and outreach activities. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.

About Dave Matthews Band: Formed in Virginia in the early 1990’s, the Grammy award-winning Dave Matthews Band is comprised of Carter Beauford (drums), Stefan Lessard (bass), Dave Matthews (vocals, guitar), LeRoi Moore (saxophone) and Boyd Tinsley (violin). Dave Matthews Band has sold a collective 35 million units (CD and DVD combined) and is consistently one of the top draws on the concert circuit with over 14 million tickets sold. 2005’s Stand Up, the group’s most recent studio album, was Dave Matthews Band’s fourth consecutive studio album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. It was followed in 2006 by the band’s first-ever retrospective--The Best of What’s Around, Vol. 1--a double disc set capturing many of the band’s hits, including "What Would You Say," "Crash Into Me" and "American Baby."

For additional information on Dave Matthews Band, visit: www.davematthewsband.com and www.warehouse.davematthewsband.com.

About John Mayer: John Mayer's most recent release, the Grammy-winning Continuum, showcases rich lyrics, the groove of the guitar-slinging bluesman and the vocals of the soulful crooner. Rolling Stone Magazine featured John Mayer on their February 2007 cover, naming him one of today's "New Guitar Gods," and in May 2007, Time Magazine placed him on their Time 100 list with today's most influential thinkers, leaders, and entertainers. His many collaborations have defied genre and include Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, Dixie Chicks, Kanye West and Alicia Keys, among others. In 2005, Mayer, along with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino, formed the John Mayer Trio, whose live album TRY! featured searing blues and rock. From his acclaimed debut Room For Squares in 2001, through Heavier Things, to the John Mayer Trio in 2005, and now with Continuum, the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter has earned five Grammy Awards and sold over ten million albums.

For additional information on John Mayer, visit http://johnmayer.com/.

About Phil Vassar: Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Phil Vassar moved to Nashville and was writing chart-topping hits for artists such as Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Jo Dee Messina and Collin Raye by the late 1990’s. Since the release of his self-titled debut album in 2000, the award-winning singer/songwriter/pianist has been topping charts himself with a string of hit singles that includes “Carlene,” “Just Another Day in Paradise,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “American Child,” “In a Real Love” and “I’ll Take That As a Yes.” His latest single, “This Is My Life,” is from his forthcoming album, Prayer of the Common Man, due out later this year on Universal Records South.

For additional information on Phil Vassar, visit www.philvassar.com.

About Nas: With a storied career that began with 1994’s classic Illmatic and has spanned the last decade with over 12 million albums sold, Nas is hip hop’s foremost lyricist and thinker. And, some would argue, hip hop’s conscience. With 2006’s Hip Hop is Dead, Nas challenged the sonic norms, ignited an impassioned debate--and proved that hip hop is still very much alive.

For additional information on Nas, visit www.defjam.com.

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