Viral pop sensation Scott Bradlee and his musical group, Postmodern Jukebox, will be taking the stage at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center (GBPAC) tonight, January 26, at 7 p.m. UNI students will be able to use one of their two free tickets per semester for the show.

Postmodern Jukebox, a rotating musical collective of nine to 10 performers, got their claim to fame by posting videos to YouTube of them performing modern hits like Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” or Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” while adding their own creative twist. Typically, the group infuses these songs with a vintage feel — largely inspired by music from the 1920’s all the way to the 1960’s.

The performers rotate in singing these popular songs with their ragtime twist, giving the listener an insight into the swing era, connecting the old with the new.  Blake Argotsinger, associate marketing manager at the GBPAC, praised the group’s originality.

“The first time you go to see them, you don’t know what to expect, but then you instantly become a cult follower,” Argotsinger said. “You want to see them again and again because it’s always going to be different.”

At the same time, Argotsinger assures students that they can expect to party, saying, “They’re incredibly entertaining — so much fun, and so eclectic.”

The GBPAC announced in an email that they will hold a speakeasy before the Postmodern Jukebox show tonight, starting at 5:30 p.m. According to the email, the “password” for the speakeasy will be “sassafrass.”

Argotsinger went on to explain how the GBPAC was able to bring Postmodern Jukebox to campus. According to Argotsinger, the GBPAC is always on the lookout for new acts.

“We have a list of the [acts] that we’re following,” Argotsinger said.

Apart from being on that list, Postmodern Jukebox – with their rising popularity of followers – was recommended to the GBPAC.  When the opportunity arrived, and it was discovered the band would be coming through Iowa, the booking manager and executive director jumped it.

On every Thursday, the band releases a new song on YouTube, and they are quickly gaining popularity with millions of views.

Maya Magaraci, freshman marketing major, will be attending the concert and said she decided to go after hearing of the band’s show through friends.  After looking up Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube, she quickly recognized the band. Having never seen them before, Magaraci said she is most excited about the experience as a whole of seeing a new band.

“I like their style – they do it completely differently,” she said.

The band’s posting to social media seems to be their biggest medium for getting their name out there.

Micayla Dawson, senior music education major, is also attending the concert and says this will be the first time she will see the band live.

“I had friends who would talk about them, and then I started watching all the videos,” Dawson said. “I’m just excited to finally see the music live.  They have one song where they are using a saxophone that spits fire for the song ‘Burn’ by Ellie Goulding.”

Postmodern Jukebox often incorporates non-traditional instruments like the “flame-a-phone” and other unique styles, as Dawson points out in the song ‘Talk Dirty.’

“They do it [‘Talk Dirty’] in a Klezmer style.  It’s very Israeli – like,” Dawson said.

Argotsinger pointed out the fact that tonight’s Postmodern Jukebox show is taking place on a Thursday – the same day that they usually upload their weekly video.

“It will be fun that they will be here on a Thursday to perform everything,” Argotsinger said.  “There’s not going to be anything better on a Thursday night than Postmodern Jukebox.”