Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News

Matt Vaughan and several other leaders of the ONE Campus Challenge had a huge moment of deja vu Tuesday night at the ONE victory concert.

Army of Me began playing "Thinking it Over," the song that played in the video on the ONE Campus Challenge's blog that announced Western as the winner of the challenge on April 9.

"I just remembered that moment when we gathered around my laptop in my dorm room to watch the video," Vaughan, a freshman from Mexico, Mo. said. "We didn't know if we had won yet. Flash forward, and we're at the concert, hearing the same song."

Army of Me and Georgie James performed at the concert. Martin Royle was sick and unable to perform, Vaughan said.

Tables were set up in the lobby of the venue with free ONE T-shirts and bracelets. The doors of the Capitol Arts Theater opened at 7:30 p.m. and the show started about 8:15 p.m.

ONE press secretary Kimberly Cadena, ONE Campus Challenge leader Erin Eagan and Vaughan took the stage.

The theater of about 800 seats was nearly full.

Cadena congratulated Western students for their dedication to the ONE Campus Challenge, a national competition to raise awareness about global poverty.

"You helped save lives this year, and you helped make lives better, and we are grateful for that," she said.

Vaughan accepted a plaque on behalf of Western.

"Way to go, Hilltoppers," Vaughan said. "3,000 people at Western are now signed up (for the ONE Campaign). That's an accomplishment no other university could match."

Vaughan said he was happy to sit back and enjoy the concert, but there was still work to be done to end world poverty.

"The spirit of change is alive and well here at WKU," he said. "For years to come we're going to have to keep rocking the movement. We can do this and we will do it."

After the wild applause and shouts of "Bono, Bono!" died down, Eagan and Cadena introduced a special video message from Bono, lead singer of U2 and co-founder of the ONE Campaign.

The musician called Western's efforts in the ONE Campus Challenge "absolute rock and roll."

"You haven't just done one amazing thing, you've done many amazing things," he said. "WKU is, like your good president said, a campus of ONE."

Bono said Western was proof American youths can a make a difference in the world.

"You aren't just content to wish these problems away, you're doing something about it," Bono said.

After Bono's message, Cadena introduced Georgie James, the indie duo from Washington, D.C.

"Thank you for having us here to celebrate with you," said vocalist John Davis. "And thank you for all the great things you've done with the ONE Campaign."

Georgie James played several songs, including "Need Your Needs" and a few covers.

After their performance, Cadena introduced a video message from the band Daughtry.

The band was in Uganda early in April for "Idol Gives Back." Chris Daughtry was a contestant on "American Idol."

Cadena announced that the efforts of campuses that participated in the ONE Campus Challenge secured debt relief for Liberia through the International Monetary Fund.

This relief included money for health care and education.

Army of Me, another D.C. band, then took the stage, performing several songs off their album "Citizen," including "How Long" and "Going Through the Changes."

By request of the audience, Army of Me performed an encore including a cover of the song "ONE" by U2.

Reach Emily Ulber at news@chherald.com.