American Idol winner, country artist set to headline STAR fall concerts

Students gather for St. Thomas Activities and Recreations' fall 2012 concert in the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. This fall, STAR is planning to have two concerts; one of those being Phillip Phillips who canceled his previously scheduled spring concert at St. Thomas last May. (C.C. Rode/TommieMedia)
Students gather for St. Thomas Activities and Recreations’ fall 2012 concert in the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. This fall, STAR will host two concerts; Phillip Phillips on Nov. 14 and Jana Kramer on Dec. 11. (C.C. Rode/TommieMedia)

St. Thomas Activities and Recreation announced that Phillip Phillips and Jana Kramer will each headline one of its fall concerts.

American Idol winner Phillip Phillips will perform on Thursday, Nov. 14, and country singer Jana Kramer is set for Wednesday, Dec. 11. Both will perform in the Anderson Student Center’s Woulfe Alumni Hall.

STAR Finance and Large Event Intern Chad Berg said Phillips will perform a two-person, acoustic set at 9 p.m. for 900 undergraduate students.

Kramer will have a full band backing her up and a warm-up artist starting at 8 p.m., but STAR is still in the process of choosing her opening act. Because STAR only signed the artist Wednesday, some logistics are still being worked out.

According to her website, Kramer, who was also an actress on the CW’s show “One Tree Hill,” sold 150,000 digital singles in the first six months of her music career. Berg said STAR’s spring survey was instrumental in choosing Kramer as respondents showed high interest in a country artist.

Although the Nov. 14 show will make up for Phillips cancelling his concert last spring due to health issues, class of 2013 graduates won’t be allowed to attend this fall’s performance.

“Although some of their student activity fee goes to this concert, STAR keeps rollover funds every year regardless of rare situations like this,” Berg wrote in an email. “STAR is a programming board for the undergraduate students of (St. Thomas), and unfortunately, we can’t program for students who have graduated.”

Berg said an acoustic set blends well with Phillips’ current national tour.

“I think it will provide a really great opportunity to experience the concert on a more personal level. Sometimes with full band concerts, it is easy to lose that,” Berg wrote.

Associate Director of Campus Life Matt Gustafson said bags and purses will not be permitted into the venue during the concerts.

Anastasia Straley can be reached at stra0669@stthomas.edu.