Whitman ups its indie cred as ASWC invites Vancouver-based indie rock band The New Pornographers to campus on Thursday, May 5.

The New Pornographers, a talented conglomeration of Canadian musicians, according to Keith Phipps of The Onion, “writes big, catchy pop songs : and the occasional heartbreaking ballad : and delivers them with flash, filigree, and a healthy sense of pop history.”

The band is known for being a ‘supergroup’ of already-successful solo artists including AC Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar (aka Destroyer).

“I’m excited to see a higher profile band come to Whitman,” said WEB Chair Matt Coleman. “It’s always exciting to see a band whose solo projects are just as famous as the group itself.”

The concert will open with Portland indie pop band Dirty Mittens.

“The opener, Dirty Mittens, is this fantastic little band,” said WEB Music Chair Carissa Wagner. “They’ve got a really complementary sound to the New Pornographers, and they’re super excited for the show as well. I think they’ll be really well received at Whitman.”

Over winter break, Wagner worked with WEB and ASWC members to select a group from a huge pool of possible bands that would appeal to students. New Pornographers was the committee’s all-around favorite and, luckily, were available during the concert slot.

“I’m pretty much excited for everything about this show at the moment. I’m just happy that we’re able to bring such a big band [thanks to ASWC],” said Wagner.

Wagner also noted that it’s important for students to recognize “how awesome it is to be at a school that coordinates so much excellent entertainment at no extra cost to them.”

While thrilled with the amount of student interest, WEB faces concerns with ticket availability, coordinating the large number of musicians and garnering enough security and event volunteers as the concert draws nearer.

“We may need some help with security, and without student volunteers … we can’t have this show,” said Coleman.

The concert will occur on May 5 in the Reid Ballroom. Tickets will be on available for free from May 2-5 at Reid during lunch with a student ID. The doors will open at 7:30 p.m., with Dirty Mittens opening at 8 p.m. Students may also contact Wagner at [email protected] for more information or to volunteer for the event.