MARQUETTE -- Despite weather concerns, the free Jeff Daniel's concert, scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Marquette Commons, is still on. The venue has been changed to the Lakeview Arena where they are expecting about 2,000 people.
The concert is the crown-jewel of Northern Michigan's Alumni Reunion, taking place this weekend, the first summer reunion in more than a decade.
They say when you're a Wildcat, you're one forever.
"It's that personal touch, friends that you've made that last a lifetime; just that pride in Northern Michigan University and being a Wildcat," says Director of NMU's Alumni Operations, Deanna Hemmila.
Hemmila is a Wildcat herself, and she's spent the entire year with a crew of about 20 others to put together this year's event. The weather threw a wrench into the mix, but they weren't going to let it rain on their 'musical' parade.
"When Jeff is in town, for previous concerts, he sells out," Hemmila said. "So we know that he's popular; we really lucked out that we got on Jeff Daniels' calendar."
He's played to sold-out audiences across the United States, and now "An evening with Jeff Daniels" will be sponsored by Cliffs Natural Resources in Marquette. It's just one trip of many to the area for the actor-musician. He's been in the area several times, even writing and starring in "Escanaba in Da Moonlight," filmed in the U.P.
Expect to see a hint of the funnyman many will recognize on Friday night; he says his concerts are a mix of comedy and folk/rock music.
It all starts Friday night at 6:30 p.m. in Lakeview Arena, doors open at 5:45 p.m.
They'll only have one-half of the venue open to provide the best concert acoustics, so organizers urge those interested to get there early, as it is a free concert.
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