Fitz and the Tantrums to headline US Open
July 30, 2014
FLUSHING, N.Y. – The USTA today announced that energetic and genre-smashing band Fitz and The Tantrums will perform at the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 US Open in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Following the band’s performance 3 Winans Brothers, the Grammy-Award-winning brothers Bebe, Marvin and Carvin, will take to the court to sing “The Star Spangled Banner.” The ceremony will be carried live by ESPN on Monday, August 25 as part of the cable network’s comprehensive coverage of the US Open.
Fitz and The Tantrums will perform a three-song set, and will be surrounded by an immersive video and lighting spectacle, with dynamic projections of great US Open moments and tennis graphics on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Other elements of the Opening Night Ceremony will include a special appearance by Tennis Hall of Famers John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova, each of whom won a US Open singles title in 1984. They will join USTA Chairman of the Board and President Dave Haggerty on court to welcome fans, and in a US Open first, will remotely trigger the lighting of the Empire State Building. This special moment with one of New York’s most recognized icons will signal the start of Fitz and The Tantrum’s performance, and will be shown on the stadium’s big screens.
The performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” by the 3 Winans Brothers, will be especially poignant as 2014 marks the 200th Anniversary of the composition of our National Anthem. The colors will be presented by members of the NYPD and FDNY ceremonial units.
Fitz and The Tantrums – comprised of Fitz (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals/tambourine), James King (saxophone), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), John Wicks (drums) and Joseph Karnes (bass) – came onto the scene with the self-released EP Songs for a Breakup, Vol. 1 in 2009 and soon were appearing on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” and touring with Maroon 5. Their full-length debut, Pickin’ Up the Pieces, spent 73 weeks on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, peaking at No. 1, and they were named a “You Oughta Know” artist by VH1.
The 2013 release of More Than Just A Dream – produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, M83, Depeche Mode, Phoenix) – ratcheted things up several notches. USA Today noted, “the Los Angeles sextet is more than ready for the big leagues” while Rolling Stone said the group “is all about irrepressible energy: hopped-up rhythms, shout-it-out choruses, hooted background vocals.” Fitz and The Tantrumshave performed on numerous television shows, including “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Conan,” “Good Morning America,” “TODAY,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Their first and second single (“Out of My League” and “The Walker”) from More Than Just A Dream both have gone # 1 at Modern Rock radio and have been RIAA certified gold.
From a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, to 17 Grammys among them, BeBe, Marvin & Carvin Winans (3 Winans Brothers), have always been innovative in their music, their business savvy, their incredible groundbreaking shows, and more. The brothers have come together for the first time to create their supergroup, 3 Winans Brothers, and are ready to unveil their debut album Foreign Land, set for a September 2014 release via Regimen Records/BMG/eOne Music. Blessed with their family’s unerring sixth sense for fusing traditional gospel and urban contemporary music—without compromising the message or the spirit—the 3 Winans Brothers deliver a versatile album that speaks to all ages. Foreign Land, which includes their current hit single, “Move In Me,” brims with a wide range of styles.
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level, from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 750,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking eight summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s national charitable foundation, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and helps underserved youth and people with disabilities. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.