Discounted student tickets are available for The Shins concert at 8 p.m. Oct. 25 in the M.A.C. Center.

At the reduced student ticket prices, floor seats are now available at two seats for $30, and bleacher seats are available at four seats for $40, according to the Kent State Undergraduate Student Government’s Facebook page. Tickets can be purchased from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center ticket office at the discounted price with a valid Kent State student ID.

The Centennial Campaign Concert offered a similar discount to boost lackluster ticket sales when O.A.R., the Los Lonely Boys and Sheryl Crow performed at Dix Stadium in September.

Lizzie Holton, director of programming for Undergraduate Student Government, said the discounted tickets will be sold until the start of the concert Thursday.

“A couple thousand [tickets] are still available,” Holton said.

Holton added that USG is not authorized to disclose any information about the cost of bringing The Shins to Kent State at this time.

The M.A.C. Center has a maximum capacity of about 6,000 people, making it a much smaller venue than Dix Stadium – with a capacity of 28,000 – where the Centennial Campaign Concert was performed.

Evan Gildenblatt, executive director of Undergraduate Student Government, said he is excited for the band to perform at Kent State.

“We chose to bring in The Shins because of their unique sound and their broad appeal,” Gildenblatt said in an email. “We strive to provide diverse programming for our students and this definitely fits the description.”

The Shins is an Indie rock band formed in 1996 in New Mexico and recently relocated to Oregon, according to the band’s website.

Gildenblatt said choosing The Shins was a “collaborative effort” between himself, Holton, the USG programming board, and Donna Carlton, assistant director for the Center for Student Involvement. Gildenblatt said The Shins were selected from a list of possible acts at a series of discussions within the above group.

Alisa Frye, senior communications studies major, said she is glad The Shins were chosen to come to Kent State.

“I have a huge interest in seeing The Shins,” Frye said. “They are such an awesome band.”

Kellie Roach, junior communication studies major, said she wants to see better-known artists at Kent State.

“I think they are trying to get people who don’t go to concerts to go,” Roach said.

“They should go after more popular artists.”

Contact Matt Orszag at [email protected]