| Brett Hite Serenades the SUB |
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| Written by Gus Simpson - Argonaut | ||||||
| Thursday, 05 November 2009 | ||||||
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 Musician Brett Hite, originally from Spokane, performs Tuesday evening in the newly renovated Student Union Building Ballroom. Nick Groff/Argonaut Spokane singer-songwriter Brett Hite brought soulful vocals, expressive guitar strumming and a little bit of humor to the Student Union Building Ballroom Tuesday night. Hite’s performance was ASUI Vandal Entertainment’s first small concert of the year, and the first concert to take place in the newly renovated ballroom. Hite played several songs from his 2006 album Beyond Myself, as well a few covers, including Belinda Carlisle’s, “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and Ben E. King’s soul classic, “Stand By Me.” It took Hite a few songs to hit his stride. He said he was battling a cold and having some vocal difficulties. Eventually, Hite got comfortable onstage and evoked an enthusiastic response from his audience of almost 200 students, many of them sorority girls. Vandal Entertainment was sponsoring a free, private concert by Hite the next night for the on-campus living group with the most members present. The women of Alpha Phi were the winners, with over 20 members in attendance.Hite’s performance was accented by his dry, self-deprecating humor. His anti-rock star attitude ironically created a strong stage presence, and he had his audience laughing throughout the night. “I’ve got a frog in my throat,” he dryly remarked at one point, “and in the middle of the next song, it’s going to come out. And it’s going to be awkward.” What really set Hite apart from most acoustic singer-songwriters were the diverse beats provided by his percussionist, who used a blend of a traditional drum kit, shakers and cajon to create a dynamic background for Hite’s guitar strumming. The emotional climax of Hite’s performance came when he played “Shayla’s Song,” a tune he wrote for Shayla Holwegner, who was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer at 16. Before he played, Hite shared the story of the time he got to play the song for her in person a few months before her death, and spoke about the inspiration her story brought him.
 Musician Brett Hite, originally from Spokane, performs Tuesday evening in the newly renovated Student Union Building Ballroom. Nick Groff/Argonaut At the end of the show, the audience cheered for an encore from Hite, which he humbly provided. But instead of plugging back in and using a microphone, he stood on the edge of the stage with no amplification and shared an intimate moment with his audience. Hite’s concert was well received, both for his music and his charming personality. “If the songs don’t it,” Hite said, “I hope the jokes do.”
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