Barenaked Ladies and Lauren Daigle to play shows at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

Mark Hughes Cobb, The Tuscaloosa News
·4 min read

The Tuscaloosa Amphitheater's 2023 concert season grows with the announcement of two new dates, Lauren Daigle and Andrew Ripp at 7 p.m. April 13, and Barenaked Ladies with Five for Fighting and Del Amitri 7 p.m. June 28, according to Birmingham-based Red Mountain Entertainment, which books and runs the venue.

Other shows already announced for the Amp in 2023 include Hank Williams Jr. and Old Crow Medicine Show on May 12; Flashback Funk Fest, featuring Morris Day and The Time, Zapp Band, Con Funk Shun, and Atlantic Starr on May 28; and Parker McCollum and Jackson Dean on Sept. 8.

Daigle has played the Amp before, in 2015, as an opening act for Casting Crowns. That same year she released her first full-length disc, "How Can It Be," which went to No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart and sold platinum, on the strength of three No. 1 Christian Airplay singles, "First," "Trust in You" and "O Lord."

Her 2018 album "Look Up Child" broke into mainstream charts with the song "You Say," a top 40 pop hit, and No. 1 Christian airplay single. She's won two Grammys, seven GMA Dove Awards, five Billboard Music Awards and two American Music Awards.

Contemporary Christian musician Lauren Daigle will play the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater April 13, with Andrew Ripp.
Contemporary Christian musician Lauren Daigle will play the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater April 13, with Andrew Ripp.

Daigle grew up surrounded by Cajun, zydeco and blues in her hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, while also absorbing the pop of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Billy Joel. She sang constantly as a child, but only grew serious about music after contracting cytomegalovirus at age 15, which kept her out of school for two years.

During that time, she began taking voice lessons. After trying and failing to make “American Idol” twice, and while studying at LSU, Daigle began recording contemporary Christian music in 2013, releasing singles and EPs.

Nashville singer-songwriter Ripp broke through writing hits for others, but since his 2008 debut album "Fifty Miles to Chicago," has cut five studio discs, including the most recent, 2021's "Evergreen," and a pair of EPs. His songs "Jericho" and "Fill MY Cup" were both No. 1 hits on Christian radio charts.

Singer-songwriter Andrew Ripp will open the April 13 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show for Lauren Daigle.
Singer-songwriter Andrew Ripp will open the April 13 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show for Lauren Daigle.

Canadian pop-rock band Barenaked Ladies has scored a number of gold and platinum discs over its 35-year career, based often around lighthearted or tongue-in-cheek earworms such as "One Week," "If I Had $1,000,000," "Brian Wilson," "Enid," "It's All Been Done" and "Be My Yoko Ono."

Albums selling multi-platinum include the 1992 "Gordon," 1994 "Maybe You Should Drive," 1998 "Stunt," and 2001's "Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits (1991-2001)."

Other hits include "Lovers in a Dangerous Time," "What a Good Boy," "Jane," "Alternative Girlfriend," "The Old Apartment," "Shoebox," "Pinch Me," "Easy," "You Run Away," "Boomerang," "Odds Are," "Gotta Be Patient," with Michael Buble and Sofia Reyes, and a Christmas cover of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" with Sarah MacLachlan. Barenaked Ladies also cut the theme song for sitcom hit "Big Bang Theory."

Canadian hitmakers Barenaked Ladies will headline a June 28 concert at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, a show also featuring Del Amitri and Five for Fighting.
Canadian hitmakers Barenaked Ladies will headline a June 28 concert at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, a show also featuring Del Amitri and Five for Fighting.

Five for Fighting is the stage name for American singer-songwriter Vladimir John Ondrasik III, who's had hits with "Superman (It's Not Easy)," "100 Years," "World" and "Chances." His songs, largely piano-based ballads, have been used in more than 350 movies, TV shows and ads.

Five for Fighting will be among the opening acts for the June 28 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show, also featuring Barenaked Ladies and Del Amitri.
Five for Fighting will be among the opening acts for the June 28 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show, also featuring Barenaked Ladies and Del Amitri.

Scottish rock band Del Amitri has sold six million albums worldwide since its 1985 debut LP, "Eponymous Debut Album." Five of their albums have gone Top 10 in the United Kingdom, and the hit "Roll to Me" went to No. 10 on Billboard charts. Other hits have included "Don't Come Home Too Soon," "Not Where It's At," "Tell Her This," "Here and Now," "Driving with the Brakes On," and "Nothing Ever Happens."

Scottish rock band Del Amitri will be on the June 28 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show lineup, headlined by Barenaked Ladies.
Scottish rock band Del Amitri will be on the June 28 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show lineup, headlined by Barenaked Ladies.

Tickets for Daigle and Ripp go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at www.ticketmaster.com, or the Amp box office at 2710 Jack Warner Parkway, for $129.50, $89.50, $59.50, $49.50 and $29.50, plus fees.

Tickets for Barenaked Ladies, Five for Fighting and Del Amitri also go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, through the same outlets, for $89.50, $79.50, $59.50, $49.50, and $29.50, plus fees. For more, see www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Barenaked Ladies, Lauren Daigle to play Tuscaloosa Amphitheater shows