News > March 20, 2008

By Lauren Dayton | Staff writer

The university hosted the first annual AfterDark concert March 18 in Wait Chapel. The event was free and included music from Braddigan (of Dispatch), Chi Rho – the university’s male christian a capella group – and a speech from author Joe White. The event was co-sponsored by Student Union.

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Braddigan performed in Wait Chapel March 19 as a part of AfterDark. The event also featured speaker Joe White, a former college football player and coach. (Allison Cox/OId Gold & Black)

Brad Corrigan, a member of the band Dispatch until 2002, founded “Love, Light, and Melody,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to battling the physical, emotional and spiritual affects of extreme poverty.

Corrigan performs at AfterDark concerts to raise awareness about the plight of people living in “La Chureca,” an impoverished community located in the city trash dump in Managua, Nicaragua.

The goal of Corrigan’s work through “Love, Light, and Melody,” is to use music to inform people about the needs of the people of La Chureca. The evening began with three songs performed by Chi Rho, including “Wade in the Water” and “Chariot.”

Then Braddigan took the stage to play their unique blend of rock and reggae peppered with Latin and Brazilian beats.

Braddigan performed with touring musicians Reinaldo De Jesus (from Puerto Rico) and Tiago Machado (from Brazil).

They played “Customs” and “Ileana” from their most recent album, The Captive, released last year.

“Ileana” is dedicated to a young girl Corrigan met on his first trip to Nicaragua.

They also performed “The Prince of Spades,” a Dispatch song.

During the concert there was a slide show of pictures showing life amidst the junk piles in La Chureca.

Corrigan encouraged the audience to pursue occupations that are ethically appealing, and not just financially