Thousands of people waited to hear blues/rock band, Blue News, at Ball State University in Indiana.

However, once the crowd saw musicians, Brent Orndorff and Kraig Kerin, on stage, many of the audience members had low expectations of the two-person band, until the performance started.

“When they found out there was only two people in the band, they thought it would be like amateur night or something,” said Orndorff, vocalist and guitarist of Blue News. “But when we started, the sound just blew them away.”

Not very many bands have two members. There are a few mainstream ones, though. Some recognizable two-person band names include The White Stripes and Local H.

“I like what we do with it,” Orndorff said. “It’s more impressive when people hear you play and then find out there’s only two people producing that sound.”

Both band members grew up in Indiana. Orndorff met drummer, Kerin, because of their similar taste in music.

The two were looking to be a part of a band and decided to pair up in March.

Orndorff said he originally got into music by accident. When he was 17 years old, a girl in his high school choir recommended that he join a band.

“When I was asked to be in a band, I pretty much just never stopped after that,” he said.

Orndorff said his parents were supportive of his decision and understood his obsession with music.

“My music did not get on TV because my daddy paid for it,” he said. “My parents understood my passion and I always made time to play.”

Orndorff graduated from Saint Leo University in Florida with an associate’s degree in liberal arts and studied classical guitar.

“Be realistic about your goals,” he said. “Don’t think you’re going to be a superstar.”

Orndorff said he first developed his musical talent through vocals and, over time, learned how to play the acoustic guitar.

While producing his solo album, he decided to invest in some new equipment, which allowed him to produce his desired sound.

“Technology basically allowed me to do what I wanted to, to live,” he said.

He came to the realization that he was musically inclined after he was booked every weekend after graduating high school.

“I thought, ‘Whoa, I must be pretty damn good,'” he said. “It was like my motivation to play and put a new value on what I was doing.”

Orndorff went solo in 2003 and was invited to play New York City’s Music Festival at Madison Square Garden after releasing his solo album, and after pairing up with Kerin. Their music can soon be heard on the PBS series, “Roadtrip Nation.”

In 2006, Blue News released its debut self-titled album, “Blue News.” Orndorff said one of the difficulties he experienced being a musician is keeping people involved.

“It’s hard to keep people involved, where they care enough to come out to every single show, (but) they start to die out slowly,” he said. “The music business has come out to being if you’re not on the radio, then you’re a nobody.”

Ultimately, the main struggle is keeping people interested in you, and it doesn’t matter how good you are, he said.

“I don’t want to be the same shallow individual for the sake of selling records,” Orndorff said. “Don’t buy into that image or lifestyle, cause it will eat you alive. Know yourself and show people who you are.”

Orndorff said the trick to successfully performing is shutting off a part of your brain.

“If you don’t, you’re constantly going to be thinking what people are saying instead of what’s really going on,” he said. “That’s why you see some performers close their eyes and do their own thing, and people like it.”

Orndorff said he enjoys fan feedback the most.

“It’s so great when people give feedback and send newsletters and e-mails,” he said. “One fan that e-mailed me was this kid in Europe who got in trouble for listening to my CD in class. The kid let the teacher listen to the CD and the teacher said, ‘Hey, this is pretty good,’ and it got him out of trouble.”

Blue News came from Orndorff’s brother-in-law who was switching around letters that described the band’s sound, like rock and blues, and eventually came up with the name.

Married for eight years, Orndorff has known his wife, Brianna, since elementary school, but they started dating in high school. They share the same passion for music.

“I used to play bass in one of the bands he was in, and it was just one of the ways we meshed well,” she said. “It had never been a problem, just always something else to talk about.”

But it wasn’t just music that connected the two.

“I liked his sense of humor and overall personality. He seemed to have an aura about him, and looks were also part of it,” she said. “We seemed to have a lot of the same interests, even back then when we were like, 15.”

Orndorff has a 7-year-old son named Elijah.

Brianna and Elijah have seen Orndorff perform, but usually don’t attend shows unless he is playing close to home.

“Since we have a son, if he plays in a bar, I’m not going to take my son there, obviously,” Brianna said. “I’m riding in a van for four hours, riding with a bunch of music equipment. But I’m supportive either way, whether I go or not.”

With his wife’s music expertise, Brianna often gives advice to her husband about his new music.

“I usually give an honest opinion,” she said. “I wouldn’t sugar coat it. Not that I really need to give criticism.”

Brianna said Orndorff is a good husband and father because of his sense of humor.

“He’s not afraid to be funny and silly and embarrass himself for our sake,” she said. “And he’s just a good guy and has his values in the right place, and it shows with his interactions with our son.”

Matt Stevens, host of WEIU-FM’s, “Illinoise,” and senior communication studies major, was contacted by Blue News in early October, when scheduled to play at Jackson Avenue Coffee.

“Brent plays the guitar and harmonica,” Stevens said. “There’s not many folk bands, today at least, that do that in the local area.”

Stevens said he does not care for the band’s lyrics, but appreciates its style of music.

“They just released an album and it sounded really good,” he said.

The members will be releasing its next independent label album, “Electrobeat Records,” early next year.

For more information about the band visit its Web site, www.bluenesproject.net.

Blue News’ next performance

9 p.m. Saturday

Crusin’ Route 66, 7895 Watson Road, St. Louis

Must be 21 to enter.