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'Crazy' concert crowd crows
about corn dogs to help the Paunis
RYAN Shupe AND THE RUBBER BAND:
Concert linked to 'Extreme Makeover' raises more than
$11,000 for the Pauni family's old mortgage. / Photos
by Mikaylie Kartchner
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By Mikaylie
Kartchner
October 19, 2006 | The floor was bouncing and
the roof was rising as 2,500 people gathered to
listen to Isaac Hayden and Ryan Shupe and the
Rubber Band, and to support and the Pauni family
at a concert Wednesday night in the Spectrum.
The concert raised more than $11,000 to help
the Paunis pay off their mortgage.
ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
has been in Logan since Sunday morning when the
crew woke up members of the Pauni family with
the news they would be receiving a new home courtesy
of Kartchner Homes, ABC and other donors. The
Paunis are a single-parent family with nine children
and one nephew living at home. The father, Dan
Pauni, died in 2004 of a heart attack.
The concert was one in a series of events to
help the family. It kicked off Wednesday with
Isaac Hayden, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter
from Jackson Hole, Wyo. He played a handful of
songs, some of his own creation and some old favorites
that had the crowd cheering, clapping and systematically
waving cell phones. |
ISAAC HAYDEN |
"You guys are crazy," Hayden shouted from the stage.
"You Loganites are nuts!"
Next was Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band. After a
rap introduction of the band by one of the band's local
friends, Russ Dixon, Shupe and the boys kicked the
concert into high gear with their renditions of The
Devil Went Down to Georgia, and some other favorite,
including the theme from the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants.
The band also hosted a sing along with one of its own
songs dedicated to corn dogs.
"Corn dogs! Corn dogs!" The crowd sang. "They're good
when they're hot. They're good when they're cold. They're
good when they're fresh. They're good when they're old."
"We're now all dumber for singing that song," Shupe
said.
The show also included choreography Shupe said was
inspired by "New Kids on the Block videos," and some
clogging by Craig the banjo player.
The crowd brought the band back for an encore. The
general feeling was excitement, as the whole room bounced
with the beat.
"We love you, Ryan!" echoed the shouts from the crowd.
"I love you more," Shupe answered.
Many students were excited to see Shupe and his band
back in Logan, along with Extreme Makeover.
"It's a great cause and I love Ryan Shupe a lot,"
said Sara Green, a freshman majoring in special education.
"It's really pretty awesome that [Extreme Makeover]
is here. I never expected that to happen."
The bands seemed to share the same sentiment.
"We're honored to be up here playing in this show,"
Shupe said to the crowd. "It's great to be part of
such a good cause."
In between numbers, the host, Dave Ackerman, told
jokes, did magic tricks and kept the crowd pumped.
"How great is it to be here for this cause tonight?"
Ackerman yelled. "Cache Valley is unique because it
does [service] consistently."
The evening wound down with a raffle, supported by
several players from the REAL Salt Lake major-league
soccer team. Icon Health and Fitness donated an elliptical
machine to raffle. There were also donations of a barbecue
grill, Dutch ovens and tickets to Wise Guys in Salt
Lake City. After the raffle, Polynesian dancers performed.
The Paunis' new home is expected to be completed Sunday
morning. The building site is on 400 East Street just
off 1000 North. To make a donation or for more information
on how to help the family, visit the donation stations
at the end of the street near the site or the donation
tables in the Taggart Student Center.
MS
MS
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