Happy Landing Performs at Mississippi College
The rising Oxford band stopped in Clinton amidst their fall tour.
On Friday, October 11, the Campus Programming Board and the Offices of Student Engagement and Wellbeing presented a free concert to all MC students featuring the band Happy Landing.
With more than 125,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, this musical group, which originated in Oxford just four years ago, attracted a large crowd of students to the Caf Patio for an energetic and upbeat show, blending indie rock, folk, and punk sounds.
As the band performed for over an hour and a half, students enjoyed the live music while making s’mores, eating nachos, grabbing a soda from Mississippin’, or purchasing some of the band’s merchandise. At the close of the concert, all five members of the band dispersed into the crowd to talk with students, sign merch, and take pictures.
“Being in the front row was so exhilarating,” senior Cass Harris said. “Hearing some of my favorite songs, getting to scream the lyrics with my best friends, and just having a night of hype was an awesome experience. Happy Landing knows how to get a crowd excited, and I can’t wait to see them again!”
Inspired by artists such as The Avett Brothers and The Lumineers, the five band members, Matty Hendley, Keegan Christensen, Jacob Christensen, Andrew Gardner, and Wilson Moyer, started Happy Landing while attending Ole Miss. The band worked their way through the Oxford music scene, eventually branching out. They played in Auburn, Starkville, and Nashville until slowly graduating from house shows and backyards into real venues. Since moving to Nashville, Happy Landing has gained momentum, touring nearly non-stop for the past two and a half years.
Happy Landing is currently in the midst of their fall tour after the release of their first full length album, Golden.
“I’ll always let ‘Eloise’ run,” band member Andrew Gardner said of one of the tracks. “I love that song. I think it’s a sweet song and it always sounds a little bit different.” Other favorites shared by the band included “Mountain Mama,” also featured on Golden, and “Arkansas,” which was released as a single in 2023.
Happy Landing has had a busy summer, between releasing their debut album and playing major festivals. Less than two months ago, the band was given the opportunity to play at Lollapalooza, a four-day music festival held in Chicago’s Grant Park. “That was probably one of my favorite shows that we ever did,” Keegan Christensen said.
“I would say what catapulted us into being able to do what we’re doing now is saying yes to everything,” Jacob Christensen said.
Whether it’s playing a charity golf event for free as a favor to a friend or a concert on a college campus, the members of Happy Landing reject the mindset that anything is beneath them. They said that this mindset not only allows for exposure, but it also provides practice with a microphone and a live audience.
“Don’t expect that your life is going to change overnight because you just played at some certain venue, but you’re practicing and you’re building something,” Gardner said.
“You have to put in the reps, and you do that by saying yes to as much as you can,” Hendley said. “Additionally, as you’re doing this, you cannot compare your timeline to anyone else’s. Your story is completely different from anyone else’s.”
The band describes the past four years as both fast and slow, expressing pride in the progress they've made. As Happy Landing looks ahead, they remain excited about the future, ready to embrace new opportunities while cherishing the memories they’ve made along the way.
Happy Landing will return to Mississippi on December 6 and 7 to perform in Oxford and Jackson to close out their fall tour.