By Anastasia Brown · Community Editor
This school year, the Student Involvement Council (SIC) has sponsored many concerts, and the spring lineup starts off strong with next Saturday’s concert by up-and-coming indie hip-hop artist Connor Flanagan.
Connor Flanagan will perform at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 in Crawford Auditorium as part of his SEASONS tour. Tickets are on sale now and can be found through the QR code below.
A concertgoer who attended the fall semester’s Campus Nights tour suggested Flanagan to SIC. “We try to pay attention to what concert attendees say they would like to see, and Connor Flanagan was mentioned,” Eric Fehr, the student involvement director, said.
“Fresh off the release of his ten-track album that tackles anxiety, fear and trusting God through life’s changing seasons, Connor’s music bridges genres, drawing on influences like Macklemore & Toby Mac to Jon Bellion & Mat Kearney,” Flanagan’s website describes.
The set list includes a “combination of both his own songwriting and composing, but also stuff he has produced for other artists,” Fehr said. He has toured with several other artists who have come to Grove, including Strings & Hearts, but this is his first time on campus. His stop here in Grove City is not a school-specific concert, but the college will “help with ticket sales and serve as a location for his tour — so members of the community are welcome,” Fehr said.
This is the college’s first time hosting a Christian hip-hop artist. Fehr understands this is a step away from the the student body’s usual musical listening palette, but hopefully, this diversity will strike a chord with a variety of attendees from across campus. Although the genre might be different, Fehr is still confident that Flanagan aligns closely with what Grove City students love to hear — music with “compelling lyrics,” which points to “the good, the true, the beautiful.”
God’s love and power are major themes within Flanagan’s discography. As his SEASONS tour website says, “this isn’t just a concert — It’s an evening of authentic worship, powerful anthems, and encouragement to pursue the purpose God has placed on your life.” Fehr built on this by painting his ideal concert experience for campus: “young adults, teenagers, anyone who is into hip-hop can appreciate (the music) — and feel like they are known and loved by God.”
Greg Colbeck, an indie folk singer-songwriter from Northern Ohio with a background as a worship pastor, will open Flanagan’s concert. These dynamically different artists will share the stage to “seek similar conclusions — that you are known and loved by God,” Fehr said, and to deliver “a message that resonates deeply with college students navigating their own seasons of growth and calling,” as the website says.
Flanagan’s show will certainly start this semester off on strong footing, and, as Fehr reminds, SIC is always open to hearing names of potential artists for campus concerts. “Drop us a line if there is someone you would like to see on campus!” he urges. “We are already working on the fall lineup, and we will have an amazing announcement coming out later this semester!”
