Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors rocked Elmer Grey Stadium Saturday night at the first ever Wildcat Week concert.
The concert began with opening act Castro, a family band originally from Dallas. This was Castro’s first concert and according to the band only their third or fourth practice.
“We were in Nashville the whole of last week and kind of practiced with each other, but after that we didn’t see each other until today,” singer and guitarist Jason Castro said.
“It really felt like a live practice to us,” Michael Castro, also a singer, said.
Castro is just starting out in their musical career but brothers Michael and Jason Castro had been solo acts for a few years, Jason even doing a stint on American Idol, and sister Jackie Castro is finishing up her degree at the University of Texas.
“Mostly me and J, we were solo artists for a while, he got burnt out on the thing and I got burnt out on the thing,” Michael said
“We thought we would be better together,” Jason said.
Jackie Castro, also a singer in the band, said she enjoyed the ease of writing and performing with those closest to her.
“If we don’t like an idea we can be really blunt about it,” Jackie said. “It’s funny because normally in a writing session with other people you have to be polite, but with us we’re like no I don’t like that, next.”
Although this was Castro’s first show they certainly did not disappoint ACU students.
“I liked the environment of the show, I thought it was really relaxed,” Juliana Schackmann, sophomore, accounting major from Houston said. “I think it was a good opportunity for their first concert too.”
You can follow Castro on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram as @castrotheband.
After the opening act, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors took to the stage and began their show with their song American Beauty.
Drummer for the band, Jonathan Womble said he enjoyed coming to Abilene but encountered a pest that has been frequently spotted around campus.
“The show was awesome but I was expecting more crickets,” Womble said. “One did hit me in the face though, it was like a hit and run.”
Nathan Duggar, guitarist for the band, said he hopes students got more than a cool concert out of Saturday’s show.
“I like people to have a good time and have fun,” Duggar said. “But there’s also a lot of meat to Drew’s songs, so I hope people really listened to it, not just heard it.
Womble also had some advice for students who are about to begin a new semester.
“Just do what you love, period,” Womble said. “Even if it’s not a money-maker, do it. If it’s in your degree plan great but if it’s not that okay, just do what you love.”
