Mipso announces surprise show at Cat's Cradle, to give away 100 student tickets

After touring 28 states for 10 weeks, UNC-born folk band Mipso is ready to celebrate its homecoming with a surprise concert and a giveaway of free student tickets.

The surprise show, announced Wednesday will be held in the Cat’s Cradle’s Back Room on April 15. In collaboration with the Carolina Union Activities Board, 100 student tickets will be given away at various times and locations throughout campus today.

Information about the ticket giveaway will be updated through Mipso and CUAB’s social media accounts. Remaining student tickets will be sold at the door.

Mipso is comprised of four UNC graduates who formed the band in fall 2010. The band has released two albums since 2012 and played over 100 shows in the United States, Japan and China.

“The Chapel Hill community has always been so supportive of us when we started,” said Mipso member Jacob Sharp. “We want to give something back to the students and it’s coming to the end of the semester, so we can give them something to celebrate.”

The surprise concert will feature two new songs from the band’s new EP and previews of its upcoming album, which will be released in September.

“It will celebrate the release of a new record and two new songs from us,” Sharp said. “We thought we would have a party for them.”

One of the songs will be composed by Mipso’s newest member Libby Rodenbough, her first for the band.

“I’m hoping people will enjoy me singing the lead,” she said. “Hopefully it still sounds like the Mipso people enjoy.”

The concert will be followed by an after party at Steel String Craft Brewery in Carrboro.

Rodenbough said she is excited to perform back home after their last appearance at Memorial Hall in November with the Grammy-winning bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers.

“We’ve been away from home for a while, playing to a lot of crowds who didn’t know who we were,” she said. “It’s going to be really great playing for people whom we know and know our music.”

The collaboration with CUAB came out of President Gabe Chess’ relationship with the band and the owner of Cat’s Cradle.

“We wanted to do something really fun together,” Chess said. “They are really excited to do something directly for the students.”

The ticket giveaways will begin in the Pit at 10 a.m, in front of Rams Head Dining Hall at 11 a.m., at the Beach Cafe at noon and at Cosmic Cantina at 1 p.m.

“We wanted to choose locations for students who spend their time at different locations on campus,” Chess said.

Cosmic Cantina was chosen to serve off-campus students — and it is also where Sharp ate lunch nearly every day in his senior year, Chess said.

“It’s the place we went to most in our college years,” Sharp said.

arts@dailytarheel.com