The 1975, Dierks Bentley and Pentatonix take part of “Grand Reopening” for State Farm Center

The+1975+performs+at+the+mtvU+Woodie+Awards+during+SXSW+in+Austin%2C+Texas%2C+in+2014.

Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

The 1975 performs at the mtvU Woodie Awards during SXSW in Austin, Texas, in 2014.

By Aaron Navarro, Assistant Daytime Editor

After two years of construction, the State Farm Center will reopen with a series of concerts. The 1975, Dierks Bentley and Pentatonix will perform during the last weekend of October.


English pop-rock band The 1975 will be coming down to Champaign as part of its fall North American tour. Hosted at the State Farm Center on Oct. 28, the group is touring in support of their newest album “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It.”

Pre-sale tickets for the show go up this Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. on the State Farm Center website with the passcode “LOVEME.” General public tickets go on sale this Friday, Aug. 26 at noon.

The album hit #1 on both the U.K. and U.S. Billboard charts. They performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago in July, as well as at the House of Blues. This trip to the State Farm Center will be the band’s first time performing in Champaign.

The three-day concert series is part of a “grand reopening” for the newly renovated State Farm Center, said Kevin Ullestad, director of the State Farm Center. In addition to The 1975, country artist Dierks Bentley will play Thursday, Oct. 27, and pop-acappella band Pentatonix will play Saturday, Oct. 29.

“We’re excited to have this lineup. [We have] a hot country artist, an alternative rock band in The 1975, and then the pop act in Pentatonix, so there’s a little bit of everything there,” Ullestad said.

It has been almost two years since a concert was put on at the State Farm Center.

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“We haven’t been able to do shows since 2014 due to the multi-phase construction project. We’re finishing it up now and will be ready by the end of October,” Ullestad said. “This is part of a whole grand reopening celebration. All three of those will be a great student draw.”

Ullestad said they have been sending offers to artists throughout the past year.

“We traditionally do 20 to 25 national touring shows in the course of a year,” he said. “That’s the major part of a renovation, is to get all the facilities for the shows and general public to come and enjoy the facility.”

Ullestad said they are in “Phase Six” of renovations, with a new scoreboard coming and a new sound system being put in during the summer.

“We’re just excited to get some good student and general public shows back in the building, getting back into that game,” Ullestad said. “It’s a big deal; we’re looking forward to that grand opening weekend, with lots of shows and lots more to come.”

Tickets for Pentatonix are available now on the State Farm Center website. Tickets for Dierks Bentley go on sale to the public Friday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m.