Dave and Licia Radford are not your average couple. For one, Dave made it to the top 20 on American Idol on season five. But together they make a narrative pop-fold duo called the Gray Havens. They will be coming to perform during chapel time and will also be performing a concert in the Hub on April 15 at 8:30 p.m.
Students and community members are both welcome to come to the free concert at the Hub.
“They have a great sound and are really easy to listen to,” said Kendall Stanislav, Assistant Director of Residence Life and Campus Apartments Residents Director. “Their music is rich with theological truths conveyed through a folksy, laid-back sound.”
The Gray Havens are influenced by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
“Patrick Hummel talked to me and asked if I wanted to do a chapel with a concert,” said Aaron Beadner, Director of Student Programs and First-Year Experience. “We looked at our calendar and it worked out so we thought it would be a good fit.”
The Radfords have been performing since 2015 and are known for their imaginative treatment of faith. Their band has a visionary quality that is both playful and enraptured.
“I was excited to walk into Patrick Hummel’s office last fall and hear him playing one of their songs,” Stanislav said. “I was even more excited to hear they were coming to campus this spring. I think NW is lucky to have them here for a night.”
Junior Alecia Olson is also excited to have the Gray Havens come to campus.
“I really like their acoustic sound, it’s really pop-folk,” Olson said. “They always keep things musically interesting, while still staying true to their sound. Also, their lyrics aren’t just typical ‘Christian’ lyrics. Sometimes you have to think about their lyrics to understand it, which I really appreciate.”
Olson thinks students should check out Gray Havens music because their songs tell some great stories while having excellent sound.
Their new single is called Ghost of a King. There is a big difference between the bands past two albums compared to their new one.
“The last two records both have songs on them I wrote in college, so I feel like I’ve been making records with both myself and my college self,” Dave said. “These songs are all very new, just recently written, so they feel very current and representative of where we’re at in life.”
Stanislav highly recommends the Gray Havens.
“Students should definitely give them a listen,” Stanislav said. “Their music is easy to have on in the background but is also worth giving a good thoughtful listen. They are able to simultaneously give the listener music with depth and a great sound.”
