Josh Fields/Arizona Daily Wildcat Nate Ruess, the lead singer of the band The Format, sings to a crowd of nearly 2,000 in Centennial Hall yesterday evening. ASUA and the University Activities Board brought The Format to the UA after the group took a six-month 'retirement.'

Nearly 2,000 attend on-campus concert

The soft strains of a piano flowed from the Green Room of Centennial Hall last night.

Forty feet away, the bustle of the crowd could be heard as fans of The Format shuffled to their seats.

Two opening bands and 90 minutes later, the crowd of nearly 2,000 erupted with the deafening sound of cheers and whistles as a single light illuminated the drummer for the Phoenix-based pop-punk band.

The crowd reached a fever pitch as the first few notes were heard of The Format's first song of the night, "The First Single."

The barefooted lead singer, Nate Ruess, walked up to the crowd of screaming fans as he sang the first few songs of the band's set.

Dressed in a dark jacket and a Cubs Little League shirt, Ruess used a bullhorn to sing parts of his songs, and the glow from cell phones and cameras could be seen sprinkled throughout the crowd as fans recorded the performance.

Students, like Mike Davee, an undeclared junior, eagerly anticipated the Format's appearance.

"I just wanna hear them play," Davee said. "Every time I hear their music it's amazing."

Davee thought the opening bands, The Dares and Tickertape Parade, showed a lot of potential and thought they were worth buying merchandise.

"I'm probably gonna get a CD from each of the bands," he said.

John McElligott, a public health graduate student, was also impressed by the opening act.

"It's amazing to see a high school band (The Dares) play Centennial Hall," he said.

Leslie Walker, who introduced McElligott to The Format, also liked The Dares.

"They were cute," said Walker, a public administration graduate student. "They held their own up there."

McElligott, who had previously only heard a few Format songs online, was happy to be at the concert.

"It's a nice time during school to get out of class and go to a concert," McElligott said.

Prior to The Format's performance, ASUA President Cade Bernsen addressed the crowd.

"As long as the students and the community show their support, the student government will continue to bring musical talent," said Cade, a political science senior.

The Associate Students of the University of Arizona was responsible for bringing The Format to campus.