April 8, 2004—The hit Australian folk band the Waifs will take center stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 17, when they perform in concert at Oberlin College's Finney Chapel as part of their 2004 U.S. tour. Finney Chapel is located on the corner of West Lorain (Rt. 511) and North Professor streets, opposite Tappan Square.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the College's Central Ticket Service 440-775-8169 and at the information desk in Wilder Hall, 135 W. Lorain St.

Singer-songwriter siblings Donna and Vikki Simpson and singing guitarist Josh Cunningham have been at the vanguard of the new folk-rock movement for the past eight years. Since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1996, the band has maintained a constant cycle of recording and touring throughout Canada, Europe, and the U.S., building a burgeoning fan base with their charismatic and heartfelt performances.

Last year the trio shared the spotlight with Bob Dylan, supporting him on his Australian and American tours, including three concerts at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, which were later featured on prime time American television and radio programs.

The Waifs were the first Australian band to step on stage at the prestigious New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2003; they broke all CD sales records at the Newport Folk Festival where they returned in August for a record third year in a row; and were the highest selling act at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Their lilting acoustic album Up All Night, a multiple ARIA winner stamped double platinum Down Under, raced to No. 2 on the Amazon online charts. The Waifs' new single Bridal Train was released last month, and a double live CD--celebrating the band's 10th anniversary--is planned for release in May.