Gaining a Woodie was a sign to the Plain White T’s that it is finally heading down the golden path to success. In October, it won “The Breaking Woodie” at the Woodie Awards Show provided by mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network. It beat out artists such as The Arctic Monkeys, Imogen Heap, Chamillionaire and Lupe Fiasco.

Accepting the award in shock, lead vocalist Tom Higgenson said, “I think there was a mistake or something.”

“Why didn’t Chamillionaire win,” asked drummer De’Mar Hamilton. The other band members Mike Retondo (bass and vocals), Tim Lopez (guitar and vocals) and Dave Trio (guitar) stood in excitement.

Higgenson said it was a very surreal experience being at the awards show. “We have never been at an awards show and to actually win felt so cool and was such an honor,” Higgenson said in a phone interview.

The band members have made several appearances since winning their first official award. They were guests on the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” and most recently on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” They’ve been to Warped Tour and have opened for bands such as Panic! At the Disco, AFI and Jimmy Eat World. After almost a decade, the Plain White T’s is finally appearing in the spotlight.

The band got on the road on March 3 and began touring to promote its newest album, “Every Second Counts,” which came out in September. The band will be performing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday in the University Union Ballroom. The Plain White T’s will be headlining and the other bands scheduled to perform are Boys Night Out, Lovedrug and Mayday Parade.

“Its going to be awesome and fun,” Higgenson said. “All you broke college kids do what you can to get $10, because it’s going to be a great show.”

It may not be a far-fetched idea for fans to hang out with the band members and meet them. “We always try to hang out in the crowd or by the merch table at all of our shows,” their MySpace page reads. “Getting to meet you guys is important to us, so if you see us at a show or anywhere else for that matter, please say ‘Hi!'”

Since the band is in the early process of gaining mass popularity, hanging out with fans is possible at this point.

“I want to do things for the fans that I always wanted from my favorite bands, like a chance to meet them, hang out and get autographs,” Higgenson said.

Although it is important to the band members that they interact with their fans, they do admit that there are a handful of crazy fans out there.

“We were headlining at a show in London in a small venue once. People in the crowd were asking us to take off our shirts. I told them to take theirs off first, so eight girls took of their shirts – they had their bras on of course. I took off my sweater and Tim took off his shirt. People have done really weird things,” Higgenson said. “There are girls that make books decorated with our pictures and lyrics. They also make puppets of all the band members and then give them to us.”

After working under independent labels for several years, the band recently signed a contract with Hollywood Records. The Plain White T’s welcomes the gain in exposure it has brought and are not hesitant to go mainstream.

“After being with an indie label for so long, it’s time for us to move on. We are excited to be a part of Hollywood Records because there is so much they could do for us,” Higgenson said. “Only so many people can be exposed to bands under indie labels.”

The five members of the band have been playing music since high school, but are just now gaining fame. Aside from signing onto a large record label, the band’s single, “Hate (I Really Don’t Like You)” has also shifted attention to the Plain White T’s.

Higgenson, who writes 90 percent of the lyrics, said the song is about a real-life situation.

“It’s a tongue in cheek thing. I’m making fun of myself because I’m too big of a pussy to say ‘I hate you’ to a girl,” he said. “So saying ‘I really don’t like you’ is my way of being cute about it and pissed off at the same time.”

Nicole Ishiura, a junior sociology major and a volunteer for UNIQUE Programs, said she became a fan of the band accidentally. “I was listening to my brother’s music when I heard the song ‘Hey There Delilah,'” she said. “This is my favorite song now. It’s the ringtone on my phone, too.”

Ishiura said the Plain White T’s is now one of her favorite bands and she is eager to meet the band.

“I love the acoustic nature,” Ishiura said. “Some of their songs are really pop-like, but some songs have real essence.”

Higgenson said that their music is hard to classify.

“We are a little bit of everything. There is some rock, pop, acoustic, punk and emo,” he said. “The Beatles had upbeat songs, acoustic songs and sensitive lyrics – a little bit of everything, too. They are classic, and so are we. That’s why we are called the Plain White T’s. We’re classic, like a plain white T-shirt.” Mindy Yuen can be reached at [email protected]