Pat Green once again will return to the Varsity Theatre Friday, to a sold-out house of fans anxious to hear his unique brand of country music.
With a plethora of songs about Texas, beer, dance halls and women, Green is well-known on campus as the only country artist some students will listen to.
Varsity Talent Manager Chris Lundgren said Green sells out every time he comes to town. Lundgren said his style of music is opening doors for other Texas country artists.
But listeners might be wondering who opened the door for Green. Pat Green is an artist without much recognition outside of his lone-star state. He sells out amphitheaters in Houston, but plays clubs elsewhere nationwide. Yet, Baton Rouge seems to have been invaded by this perennial Texan. So how did he get here?
Lundgren has a theory for Green success in Louisiana.
“I would credit it to the influx of Texas students at LSU in fraternities and sororities. They spread Green through word of mouth through the Greek system,” Lundgren said.
Lundgren said the majority of the crowd at a Pat Green show are Greek students.
Adria DeLaune, a mass communication senior, is a loyal fan of Pat Green. She has seen him in concert four times and personally met Green twice.
DeLaune heard about him through a member of her sorority from Texas.
“His music just spread through the sorority house. I would say he is strongly supported by the Greek community,” DeLaune said.
DeLaune said Green’s music is more versatile and appeals to a wider audience than the music of other country artists.
Green’s sound is country but sounds less commercial than other big name country. He sounds more like Willie Nelson than Kenny Chesney. His songs deal with themes that are easily relatable to students.
Chris McDavid, a business freshman from Houston, Texas, said Green was very popular at his high school.
McDavid said he thinks Texas students have a lot to do with the spread of Pat Green. He said plenty of members of his fraternity listen to Green.
“He sings songs about the South and that hits close to home,” McDavid said.
Green adores the South and his songs show his pride in the area he hails from.
“I sing songs about Texas, I sing them often as if she were some old lover,” go the opening lyrics of his classic, “Songs about Texas.”
Green has charisma and great stage presence and he does his best to connect with the audience.
His shows are an experience. Green plays the songs fans want to hear from all his albums including his latest “Wave on Wave.” The country-style delivery fades into the background and the lyrics shine through.
It is easy to get lost in carefree lines like “Find yourself some good times, bring them on back home, Yeah, everybody gotta get away sometime, forget about yourself for awhile,” and forget they are backed by fiddles and twangy guitars.
Country fans love Green music and non-country fans never know the difference.