Honesty and pride will find musical voices at Simpson this Friday.

“Nothing we do is scripted or pre-fabricated – it’s all about giving the audience an honest theatrical performance,” said Scott Terry, singer for Red Wanting Blue.

Red Wanting Blue is a five-piece band hailing from Athens, Ohio.

“We’ve been a four-piece band in the past, but after writing our new record, we decided we wanted a fifth guy,” Terry said.

Rhythm guitarist and keyboard player Greg Rahm, is Red Wanting Blue’s newest member, joining Terry, bassist Marcus McCullough, guitarist Brian Epp and drummer Mark Stepro.

“We started the band when we were in college, but we didn’t start taking it seriously until about five years ago,” Terry said.

Terry said the band’s sound is a blend of modern rock, alternative and a bit of adult contemporary delivered with the sincerity of classic rock.

“I had not heard of the band before, but they had good stage presence,” senior Jon Bailey said. “They brought a lot of energy but without that rock-star mentality.”

Bailey saw Red Wanting Blue live when he and several other CAB members traveled to Minneapolis, Minn., in February for the National Association for Campus Activities Conference.

“They had more of an acoustic sound,” Bailey said. “It wasn’t like coffee-house acoustic, but it was a very clean sound.”

Terry said one of the reasons people enjoy Red Wanting Blue’s live show is the honesty with which he delivers the lyrics.

“I write about everything in life,” Terry said. “Whether it be things that plague us in the world today or what’s on the front page of the newspaper or even love, it all comes down to what inspires you.”

According to Terry, the band’s latest album deals with pride.

“There’s a song on the album called, ‘Pride is a Lonely Blanket,’ and that is the cornerstone of the album,” Terry said. “Pride is what pushes you forward and pushes you backward at the same time.”

Terry said the band’s goal is to play all over the country and put its name out there.

“We’re not about fame and fortune; if it comes, it comes,” Terry said. “We care very much about the music we write and it’s important that people hear how we feel about these things.”

Audiences should expect a spontaneous show, according to Terry.

“We try to conjure some type of emotional response from the audience,” Terry said.

Red Wanting Blue was chosen by CAB after student ambassadors listened to various acts at NACA. Later on, they decided which acts were suitable for a performance at Simpson.

“We wanted some variety with the bands we bring to campus to make sure the students would be interested,” Bailey said. “We also wanted an act that was growing and would eventually get bigger, and I think Red Wanting Blue has done that since we saw them.”

According to Rich Ramos, assistant dean of students, Red Wanting Blue was one of many different acts students chose from.

“The conference lasted five days and students were able to preview 60-70 different live acts,” Ramos said.

Red Wanting Blue will perform in Brenton Student Center tomorrow at 10 p.m.