Canaan Smith, Maddie & Tae Coming To Wessman Arena

April 28

UW-Superior Athletics and Wessman Arena have announced national recording artists Canaan Smith and Maddie & Tae are coming to campus. The co-headliners will come to Wessman Arena for a one-night only show Saturday, April 28. An additional act will be announced at a later date.
 
Mercury Nashville's Smith's debut album, Bronco, which includes the RIAA Platinum - Certified No. 1 Hit, "Love You Like That" debuted in the Top 5 on Billboard's Country Albums Chart. "Love You Like That" is also one of the top streaming tracks from all new artists in country music, besting many songs from the genre's superstars.
 
Thanks to overwhelming demand, Smith returned to the U.K. in March 2017 for the C2C Festival followed by his own successful headlining tour. Canaan is hard at work on new music and has given fans a taste of what is to come - his digital smash "This Night Back" has already racked up over 20 million streams.

Maddie & Tae boldly introduced their debut single "Girl in a Country Song" shortly after signing with Dot Records. Featured on their debut album Start Here, of which they penned each of the eleven tracks, the RIAA Platinum - Certified breakout hit soared atop the Country radio charts and made them only the third female duo to peak their debut single at No. 1 in the history of the Billboard Country singles chart. The gender-flipping video garnered over 38 million views and scored the duo their first-ever award - CMA Video of the Year. The pair, from Texas and Oklahoma, respectively, also swept the 2016 Radio Disney Music Awards, winning both Favorite Country Artist and Favorite Country Song for Gold - Certified "Fly." They have previously been nominated for ACM, CMT and CMA Awards. Receiving critical acclaim from NPR, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post and Glamour, among others.
 
Maddie & Tae have appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, TODAY, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Live! with Kelly and Michael and most recently on The Talk, where they performed a cleverly written tune about dealing with bullies called "Sierra." Sharing their songs with fans on the road, Maddie & Tae conquered their first headlining Start Here Tour last fall before joining Lee Brice's Life Off My Tears Tour and most recently wrapping dates with Brad Paisley's Life Amplified World Tour.
 
"After we opened the school year with a concert last September, we had a number of people ask if this is something we could do toward the end of the year, as well. We took what they said to heart," said UW-Superior Athletics Director Nick Bursik. "This show offers us another chance to enhance the experience of all students at UW-Superior and we're excited to bring Canaan Smith and Maddie & Tae to campus. It promises to be a great show."
 
Wessman Arena doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The opening act will begin at 7:00 p.m. Maddie & Tae will follow at 8:15 p.m. with Canaan Smith closing out the show, taking the stage at 9:30 p.m.
 
Tickets will go on sale Thursday, March 15 and are priced at $20 in advance and $25 the day of the show. Tickets will be available at Wessman Arena and the UW-Superior athletics office (Marcovich Wellness Center 2408). In Duluth tickets will be available at the Electric Fetus (12 East Superior Street). Tickets can also be purchased online through TwinportsNightlife.com.
 
For more information on this and other UW-Superior Athletics events please contact our main office at 715-395-4693.

Siinto S. Wessman Arena
2701 Catlin Avenue, Superior, WI (Map)

Located on the south end of the UW-Superior campus, Wessman Arena is an indoor ice facility featuring an illuminated 195' by 87' ice surface. Activities include varsity men’s and women’s ice hockey, recreational skating, youth hockey, academic classes, intramural broomball, club teams, open skate/open hockey, figure skating, birthday parties, and private rentals from the community. The facility is open for ice from October 1st to Mid-March and from Mid-March through September for dry floor.

Wessman Arena opened it's doors in 1970 and is still regarded as one of the top Division III hockey facilities in the nation.  Recent renovations include new boards and glass, new icemaking equipment a new floor and a new sound system.  In 2006, a $1.1 million locker room addition was constructed.  Wessman Arena served as the site of the 1994, 2000 and 2007 NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championships as well as the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship.  Seating capacity is 1,550.