Brule is sure to impress

The Academic and Cultural Events Series (ACES) will feature Brule and the American Indian Rock Opera (AIRO) on Wednesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Schaller Memorial Chapel, for the second cultural ACES event of the semester.

Featuring a five-piece American Indian rock band and four American Indian dancers, Brule and AIRO have a rock and roll style with an American Indian flare, sure to get the crowd excited.

Brule and AIRO, originally from Lower Brule, SD, perform an annual coast to coast tour, and have performed at such venues as the Hollywood premier of the movie Open Range; Indian art markets in Denver, Arlington and Overland Park, Kan.; Harbor Fest in Virginia Beach; Indian Summer in Milwuakee, Wisc.; the world-renowned Ordway Theater in St. Paul, Minn.; various Tribal casinos and many additional outdoor festivals and events. Brule and AIRO's typically perform outdoors with crowds reaching 5,000 to 6,000 people.

"I saw them perform two years ago in Pella at the Tulip Festival," Lisa Wagner, ACES and event tech services director, said. "It was very well attended and lots of people would stop and listen as they were walking by."

Besides touring, Brule has become one of the top-selling Native American recording artists with more than a million CDs sold worldwide.

They have made appearances on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, CNN Worldbeat and QVC.

In 1999, the band was presented with an "Outstanding Musical Achievement Award" by the First Americans in the Arts, in 2002 they were named "Group of the Year" and "Best Instrumental Recording" by Star People, in 2006 the Native American Music Academy awarded Brule "Best Compilation Recording" for its release of The Collection.

AIRO walked away with "Group of the Year" for its release Tatanka and in 2007, the Native American Music Academy awarded Brule and AIRO "Group of the Year" and "Best New Age Recording."