NCAA® 2007 Men's College World Series - Omaha, Nebraska

Free Performance is Part of 2008 CWS Opening Celebration Activities June 13

(OMAHA, Neb. – June 3, 2008) – Rock band Candlebox will headline this year’s The Road to Omaha® Jam Powered by Pontiac on June 13 starting at 7:30 p.m. Candlebox’s performance will be free to the public.

; The concert will be followed by the Opening Ceremonies inside Rosenblatt Stadium starting at 9 p.m. where teams participating in the 2008 NCAA® Men’s College World Series® will be introduced with highlight footage shown on the stadium’s video screen. 

“With Pontiac, it’s all about the music and we’re thrilled to welcome Candlebox to the stage,” said Pontiac Advertising Manager Jennifer Nardicchio. “Pontiac continues to be highly successful in providing a nationwide platform for emerging artists of all genres – from pop and hip hop to rock and country.”

Candlebox, formed in Seattle in 1991 in the midst of the city’s grunge era, offers a polished, blues-based sound. Their 1993 self-titled debut album, featuring hit singles Far Behind and You, helped the band climb to the top of the charts. Candlebox toured with Living Colour, Rush and Metallica, and after their single Far Behind reached No. 7 on the charts in 1994, the band landed a headlining spot at that year’s Woodstock . The album Lucy, released in 1995, went platinum and 1998’s Happy Pills launched a nationwide tour. After selling more than 6 million records, the group disbanded in 1999.

In 2006, singer Kevin Martin and guitarist Peter Klett, the songwriting team that formed Candlebox, were reunited with original drummer Scott Mercado to record Best of Candlebox. “The fans came out and it was very validating,” Klett said. “We started writing together again in early ’07 and it was beautiful.” The band’s latest album, Into the Sun, is set for release on July 22 and features the hit single Stand. Martin’s punk and Klett’s classic rock roots have woven to form a collection of bold, eclectic tunes.   
 
Candlebox’s performance concludes an afternoon of great music on the Pontiac stage featuring some of Omaha’s best local bands. The Road to Omaha® Jam is part of a full day of Opening Celebration activities that begin at 9 a.m., when individual teams will practice and participate in Autograph Day, presented by Pontiac, the official performance machines of the NCAA®. Each team will sign autographs for a half-hour following its practice. Individual team practice schedules and autograph sessions will be announced as soon as the qualifying teams are decided.

From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 13, the NCAA® Men’s College World Series® Fan Fest will get underway in the southwest parking lot of Rosenblatt Stadium. This free, interactive area allows fans to experience the excitement and spirit of college baseball and other NCAA sporting events. 

Candlebox will perform at 7:30 p.m. At approximately 9 p.m., the action will move into the stadium, where the eight participating teams will be introduced "Olympic-style" with team highlights on the stadium’s video screen, followed by a fireworks finale.

College World Series of Omaha Inc. is a non-profit organization and the local organizing committee for the annual NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series. This year’s event gets underway with Opening Ceremonies on June 13 and concludes June 24 or 25 with the Championship game.

About the NCAA
The NCAA® is a membership-led non-profit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 380,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. NCAA® and Men's College World Series® are registered trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.