Cottey to celebrate new year with picnic slated for Aug. 26

Nevada Daily Mail

The students are back at Cottey College, and a full schedule of events and performances will begin this weekend.

The first event of the year occurs on Suaturday, Aug. 26, with the annual opening of school picnic and concert featuring Syd.

The picnic will begin at 5:30 p.m. at B.I.L. Hill with the concert to follow immediatedly afterward.

With influences ranging from Ani Difranco to Jack Johnson and from Dashboard Confessional to Coldplay, Syd "lives for pop melodies and sharp hooks. With a strong haunting voice that carries his songs and guitar and chaps to boot, this Vermont native is considered a rising star," promoters say.

The Cottey College appearance is part of a solo acoustic tour of colleges and band dates in major East Coast cities including a second annual showcase slot at Boston's Nemo music festival, and Syd's Web site says "Syd shows no signs of letting up. Fall of 2006 will see the release of a new record, a new tour, and another new beginning."

For more information about Syd, visit www.sydband.com.

Tickets for the picnic are $5 per person, and may be purchased at the door. The concert is free.

B.I.L. Hill is eight blocks south of the Cottey College campus on College Street.

In case of inclement weather, the event will take place in Cottey's Raney Dining Room, in the lower level of Robertson Hall on the southeast corner of Austin and Tower streets.