Just after dark on Thursday night, a “band” of ISU supporters will take the stage by the Campanile to usher in one of the up-and-coming names in country, just hours before hundreds of students flock to the area for mass Campaniling at the stroke of midnight.

The central Iowa country band Lonesome Highway will play Thursday at 7:45 p.m. They open for Rushlow, which includes a member of the now-defunct country act Little Texas.

“The idea of singing outdoors, on Central Campus on a big stage in front of the Campanile, is a little magical for us,” says Lisa Underhill, graduate student in political science and lead singer for Lonesome Highway.

Nick Stipanovich, senior in agricultural systems technology and Homecoming Campus Activities chairman, says the committee wanted to do something out of the ordinary for the outdoor night concert in order to bring students and the community together, so they chose the two country bands.

“We wanted something different, a different kind of group, a different kind of music that would appeal to different likes,” Stipanovich says. “This is the largest student-organized [music] group, for the students by students, that has come to ISU in quite a while.”

Rushlow will be releasing its first album later this year or in early 2004. Currently, the band is enjoying success with its chart-climbing single, “I Can’t Be Your Friend,” which was released in April.

“I would consider Rushlow to be modern country,” Stipanovich says. “Some people would call it country rock.”

Rushlow was founded by former Little Texas frontman Tim Rushlow. Members of the group include Rushlow, keyboardist and vocalist Billy Welch, guitarist and vocalist Doni Harris, bassist and vocalist Tully Kennedy, drummer Rich Redmond and guitarist and Des Moines native Kurt Allison.

Stipanovich compared the size of the Rushlow concert to those frequently held during Veishea week.

“We are doing it more for the thrill of saying we opened for a major league act,” Underhill says. “Since we’re opening for a country band where the crowd will obviously be pro-country, we’re bringing out our best country songs.”

Lonesome Highway is from all over central Iowa, spanning from Ames and Marshalltown to Gilman and Gladbrook.

The group is comprised of Underhill, drummer and vocalist Rick Anderson, guitarist Tom Bicket, bassist and vocalist Denny Burgess, guitarist and vocalist Marsha Burgess, guitarist and vocalist Jack Stowe and guitarist and vocalist Chad Burgess, sophomore in liberal arts and sciences.

“The group has been together for two years, but various band members have been together in previous bands over the years — going back 20-some years,” Underhill says.

Lonesome Highway has dabbled in writing and performing their own songs, but mostly performs covers. Underhill says the band’s influences range from the Beatles and Elvis Presley to the Eagles, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard.

“I think in the future, as we develop stronger as a band, we will write more of our own stuff and we will become more comfortable adding those to our set list,” Underhill says.

Since two of Lonesome Highway’s members are ISU students, Underhill says this makes them more than willing to be a part of Homecoming.

“We are Cyclone fans at heart and are excited to be part of ISU’s Homecoming,” Underhill says.

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Who: Rushlow, Lonesome Highway

Where: South of Campanile, Central Campus(if raining, Ames City Auditorium)

When: 7:45 p.m.Thursday

Cost: $5