The catchy beats and smooth harmonies of a capella music will soon fill the air of Minot State University's Ann Nicole Nelson Hall when The Coats, a Seattle-based a capella group perform a concert for the Minot community.
As part of its fundraiser, the Minot State Club of Physical Educators (MSCOPE) is promoting The Coats concert held Monday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Advanced tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for MSU students, which can be purchased at Jacobsen's Music and NorthWest Music, and tickets at the door are $25 for adults and $15 for MSU students. Tickets at the door will be sold from 6 to 7 p.m. and it's open seating for the concert.
The Coats, a four-member group who have been singing together for more than 20 years, getting their start on street corners in Seattle have toured college campuses nationwide as well as won numerous vocal competitions. They came to Minot over five years ago through the International Artist Series and did some workshops in the schools, said Terry Eckmann, professor at MSU in the department of teacher education and human performance. "People in Minot absolutely loved them. It was a packed house," she added. The Coats appeal to all ages and have great stage presence and energy, Eckmann said. They get the crowd involved and will put on a two-hour show on Oct. 22.
Article Photos
Jill Hambek/MDN
Jayme Albright and Sarah White, members of MSCOPE, Minot State Club of Physical Educators, discuss the look of the fliers they’re going to use for the upcoming concert of The Coats, an a capella group from Seattle. The concert, which will take place on Monday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the club. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at Jacobsen’s Music or Northwest Music for $20 or at the door on the night of the concert for $25.
The Coats have also shared the stage with Olivia Newton-John, Hall & Oates, Toby Keith, and the Beach Boys, Eckmann said. They sing a little bit of everything, including oldies, country and some of their own original pieces.
To give back to the community, The Coats will also give workshops the day after the concert. They will be giving workshops to the Central Campus choir and have invited the choirs from Jim Hill Middle School and Erik Ramstad Middle School, Eckmann said. The Coats will also be giving a workshop to the Do Re Mi's at Edison Elementary.
Eckmann said bringing The Coats here as part of a fundraiser for MSCOPE was her idea since one of the band members is her cousin. Her cousin asked if the club would be interested in hosting their concert and Eckmann in turn enlisted members of MSCOPE to make it a go.
The MSCOPE club has 15 active student members and about 15 non-active student members, which is a larger group than they've had in a long time, Eckmann said. The club likes to focus on giving back to the community and promoting physical activity, she added, and their fundraisers help members be active in certification in instructing yoga or Zumba. MSCOPE also promotes fitness week on campus, Eckmann noted, having different activities each day. Members in the club have also traveled and presented at conferences with money raised from past fundraisers, which also opens doors for them, she continued.
Funds raised from The Coats concert will go toward student professional development, Eckmann said, which will give members a leg up in their job searches and career paths. MSCOPE is hoping to raise $5,000 from this concert fundraiser, she added.
Eckmann said that the MSCOPE club just recently started working on this current fundraiser and September had been so busy. The only difficulties the club members seemed to face were with getting the ball rolling and letting people know that The Coats are coming. "The Coats haven't been here for five years and Minot has changed, so a lot of people now don't know about them or remember them," Eckmann said.
It's Eckmann's hope that MSCOPE members will gain new opportunities and new experiences from putting this event together. Students are doing all of the promotion for the concert themselves, including the marketing and organizing, she noted.
"Music is really therapeutic, so going to a concert like this will help you feel good," Eckmann said. "This music makes you feel like getting up and dancing."