Just because the spring football game had to be cancelled due to ongoing renovations at Willy B doesn’t mean any festivities and good vibes need to be halted as well! On Saturday, April 11, Colonial Life Arena will be hosting Garnet and Black Spring Fest, a concert headlined by Darius Rucker, renowned worldwide for his solo work and two-time Grammy Award-winning group, Hootie and The Blowfish. Rucker's performance in Columbia will be far from a foreign venue to him; his road to fame was paved right here on the University of South Carolina's campus.
The old Honeycombs, situated where the current Honors Resident Hall is located, was where Rucker took his first steps to being the prominent musical figure he is today. Rucker's vocal abilities were immediately recognized, even as a freshman when Hootie and The Blowfish was formed. Going from playing frat basements to bars and eventually, small venues, Hootie and The Blowfish's discography stood out from the crowd. Cutting through the status quo of grunge and post-punk of the '90’s, hits like “Only Wanna Be With You” and “Hold My Hand” instantly stood out in the music scene, stretching far beyond Columbia. On the worldwide stage, Darius Rucker and his band ended up winning two Grammy Awards, including one for Best New Artist.
Both during the height of the band's popularity and after its brief breakup in 2008, Rucker explored his solo career. Tracks on Rucker's albums would consistently break Billboard's Top 100 country songs list. Rucker’s cover of the song “Wagon Wheel” was a fan favorite, racking up 981 million listens on Spotify alone. Hootie and The Blowfish recently reunited and is playing many music festivals around the US such as Oceans Calling in Maryland and Bourbon and Beyond in Kentucky. Rucker still performs solo as well, performing both his solo tracks and his work with the band.
Darius Rucker never forgot his humble beginnings in the USC dorms. A proud alum, we welcome Darius Rucker back for the Garnet and Black Spring Fest. Make sure you get tickets to see him and his opener, Lauren Alaina, at Colonial Life Arena at 7 p.m. on April 11 here.