North Central already looking to future after first outdoor concert

Most people would never guess Sunday's Lifehouse concert at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium was North Central College's first large-scale outdoor musical event.

With perfect weather and an estimated 2,200 people in attendance, the show went off without a hitch.

"It went very well, definitely better than expected," said Michael Squire, director of community development at the Naperville school.

Lifehouse, a multiplatinum-selling rock band famous for hits like "Hanging by a Moment" and "You and Me," was a perfect choice for the event, Squire said.

The band's broad appeal brought people of all ages to the football stadium at 455 S. Brainard St.,

"We had exactly the type of crowd we were looking to bring in," Squire said. "Everyone had positive attitudes and everything went great."

Self-proclaimed "Lifehouse freaks" Kim Smykowski and Nancy Kalebich drove from Crestwood with their two daughters to catch the show.

"We love them," Smykowski said. "We love their music, we love their lyrics, we love that they are down to earth."

The four women have seen Lifehouse four times in the past year, and were lucky enough Sunday to have their picture taken with some of the band members.

"We've met them before and they're always so personable," Smykowski said.

Best friends Khyrstin Loree, 18, and Sarah Burke, 17, of Naperville were so excited about the concert they made glittery, pink T-shirts that read "Lifehouse Who We Are," in honor of the band's most recent album.

"They're amazing," Loree said. "We are both involved at church and we listen to them a lot there."

Two local bands, The Lady Upstairs and Sleeping at Last, opened the show for Lifehouse.

The Lady Upstairs, founded by North Central students in 2002, received a particularly warm welcome.

Lead singer Mike Kulbeda told the crowd the band was happy to be back and "sticking to their roots." He also plugged their debut album, aptly titled "Coming Home."

In addition to bringing a large crowd onto the campus, Squire said it was important to use the stadium's proximity to the downtown area to bring in new business for the city.

Nearby restaurants like Jimmy's Grill, 245 S. Washington St., and Potter's Place, 29 W. Jefferson, attributed their Sunday night crowds to the beautiful weather, but others credited the NCC event.

Quigley's Irish Pub, 43 E. Jefferson Ave., served guests until it closed at 1 a.m.

"We had a great Sunday dinner crowd and a pop of people after the show let out," said manager Ben Baggett. "We normally slow down earlier on Sundays."

With their first outdoor concert experience now under their belts, Squire said organizers have learned more about the logistics of putting together such an event.

"With the crowd we had, we were able to iron things out and understand the process," he said.

Because of the last-minute scheduling of Lifehouse, Squire said most of the planning was done rather quickly. In the future, he said, he would like to have more time to communicate with the college's neighbors.

Based on the reception and success of the Lifehouse concert, Squire said the school would "absolutely" have another outdoor concert in the future.

NCC organizers also have been discussing the possibility of using the school's new residence hall and recreation center for events.

Squire said officials are hoping to book a marquee band for the school's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2011.

"We saw that it can be done," he said, "and it can be done even better."