Plain White T's return home tonight to perform at Morton Arboretum
The Plain White T's have come a long way since their beginnings in Villa Park.
With chart-topping hits like "Hey There Delilah" and "1, 2, 3, 4," the pop-rock band has toured the world, appeared on television shows and earned Grammy award nominations.
Despite their success, the guys have stuck to their roots and still call Chicago home.
Tonight, the Plain White T's will play at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle as part of the museum's "In Tune With Trees" outdoor summer concert series. The concert, which also includes a performance by Lovehammers, opens at 7 p.m. at the arboretum's concert lawn, 4100 Route 53, Lisle.
With four of the five band members hailing from DuPage County, the show will be particularly special.
The Plain White T's came together in 1997 shortly after lead singer Tom Higgenson and guitarist Dave Tirio graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park. They later were joined by guitarist Mike Retondo of Addison and drummer De'Mar Hamilton of Elk Grove Village. Tim Lopez, the band's bassist, hails from Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Daily Herald recently caught up with Higgenson to talk about what the band has in store for tonight's show.
Q. How does it feel to play at home?
A. Chicago is great. When we're here we're usually playing the Metro or the Taste of Chicago, but when we play in the suburbs it's really crazy. We grew up playing every little suburb - that's where it started for us. Everywhere there were venues, we played shows. It's totally cool to be able to come back and play in Lisle.
Q. You'll probably be playing in front of a lot of familiar faces. What can the crowd expect?
A. It's crazy. I think my grandma bought 19 tickets, so there should be a lot of family and friends at the show. Plus our families with little kids can come, too.
Recently we've been doing our "Three Part Harmony" shows where we break it down to three different parts, so we might incorporate some of that into Friday's show. I think we'll be blending some songs together with cool interludes.
The biggest thing is just to have fun. We'll be at home playing in front of our friends, so I think it will be the most fun we have all summer.
Q. The band has probably never played an arboretum, so how will this venue be different?
A. We've definitely never done that before, but we do lots of outdoor stuff. We've done everything from Warped Tour to the Taste and other festivals. It won't be too much different - maybe a little prettier. The arboretum is gorgeous.
Q. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
A. I think I described it recently as "heart rock." It's very sincere and romantic rock 'n' roll. We write all of our own stuff.
Q. The band has gone through a lot of changes over the years, especially with members. What made this group of guys finally stick?
A. Dave and I started the band. We went to high school together. After touring for a couple of years and roughing it out in a van, a couple of the guys quit. It just wasn't the lifestyle they wanted. At that point there was no proof or signs we'd make it.
With the guys now, we knew they were in it just like we were. They were in it because they loved playing music and they wanted to do this for the rest of their lives. When we were all on the same page, that's when things really started happening for us.
Q. What's coming up next for the band?
A. We're doing a tour in September and October with the band Snow Patrol. I think we're planning to be home for the holidays, then we'll go into the studio in January to record the new album.
Q. The tour doesn't stop in Chicago, so will you be playing any other shows at home?
A. We're playing a benefit at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago on Aug. 28 (for Rainbow Hospice's Good Mourning bereavement program). It's for siblings and parents who have lost family members. I've had friends go through the same kind of loss, so we were quick to get involved.
We'll also play a show on Aug. 24 at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. It will be acoustic, so it will be different from the arboretum. It's a charity show for the Chicago Independent Film Society, so it's a good cause. It's really a chance to see a different side of the band.
If you go
The Morton Arboretum's "In Tune With Trees" summer concert season continues with three performances this weekend at the outdoor museum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. For details on all shows, call (630) 725-2066 or visit www.mortonarb.org.
Who: Plain White T's and Lovehammers
When: 7 p.m. today
Tickets: $23 for members, $28 for nonmembers and $30 day of show
Who: Shawn Colvin and Nanci Griffith
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $40 for members, $45 for nonmembers and $47 day of show
Who: Disney's High School Musical: Summer Celebration
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $22.50 for members, $25 for nonmembers and $27 day of show