No joke! Festival announces concert line-up

SANDPOINT — It may be April Fool’s Day but it’s no joke that The Festival at Sandpoint is making their earliest line-up announcement ever. The 36th annual summer concert series takes place Aug. 2-12 at War Memorial Field, showcasing eight nights of music under the stars, on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, in Sandpoint. 2018 Festival headliners include: Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Amos Lee, ZZ Top, Greensky Bluegrass, Sublime with Rome, Phillip Phillips and Gavin DeGraw, and the Spokane Symphony conducted by Gary Sheldon.

- Thursday, Aug. 2 — The Festival’s Opening Night features Big Head Todd and the Monsters. The beloved rock band first formed as high school friends in Columbine, Colo., and continued through their college years and beyond as they toured extensively through the western mountain states.

The band’s popularity exploded with the release of their 1993 album “Sister Sweetly” as “Bittersweet,” “Broken Hearted Savior,” and “Circle,” topped the rock charts. Their next album, “Beautiful World” featured hits “Boom Boom” and “Resignation Superman.”

General admission, $44.95. All concert tickets are plus sales tax and city parks fee. Gates open at 6 p.m., concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

- Friday, Aug. 3 — Amos Lee is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English. After working as a schoolteacher and bartender he began to pursue a career in music.

An association with Norah Jones brought him a national audience leading to hit songs including “Arms of a Woman,” “Sweet Pea,” “Windows are Rolled Down,” “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight,” and most recently, “Vaporize.” His music has appeared on the soundtracks of numerous TV shows and movies and he has performed on several late night TV shows. According to a music writer at ABC News, Lee “has that folksy, bluesy vibe, with a bit of country twang” and a voice that is “ever soulful”.

General admission, $59.95. Doors open at 6 p.m.; concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

- Saturday, Aug. 4 — The iconic blues-inspired rock band from Texas, ZZ Top, is also known for its humorous lyrics laced with double entendres and innuendo. And those beards!

Since 1970, the band has consisted of bassist and lead vocalist Dusty Hill, guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Gibbons (the band’s leader, main lyricist and musical arranger), and drummer Frank Beard. As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers. Gibbons is one of America’s finest blues guitarists, while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support. Greatest hits include: “La Grange,” “Give Me All Your Lovin’,” “She’s Got Legs,” “Cheap Sunglasses,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Tush.” They have sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

General admission $79.95. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m.

- Sunday, Aug. 5 — Musical fun for the young and young at heart is the order of the day as the Festival at Sandpoint presents its family concert featuring The Festival Community Orchestra and Studio 1 dancers. Favorite pre-concert activities include the Instrument Petting Zoo, where kids can try out various instruments with guidance from musical mentors; an animal petting zoo, pony rides, clowns, face painting, games galore and the popular Parents’ Corner where moms and dads can take a break from the chaos for a complimentary mini-massage.

All tickets are only $6. Activities begin when the gates open at 2:30 p.m. and the musical performance starts at 5 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 9 — The second week of the Festival kicks off with the “not quite bluegrass” sensation Greensky Bluegrass.

The five-piece American bluegrass/country band founded in Kalamazoo, Mich., describes their sound as “our own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll.” The band evolved, adding electric effects and touring with a full light show.

The band is known for their improvisation, multiple set shows, and open audience recording policy (akin to Phish and The Grateful Dead). In the summer of 2006 Greensky Bluegrass were winners of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition. In 2013 they played Red Rocks Amphitheatre for their first time, and headlined a sold-out concert at the famed venue in 2016. Supported by faithful followers known as “Campers,” Greensky Bluegrass has broken through to a multi-genre fan base, covering songs from Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, John Hartford, The Rolling Stones, Prince and more.

General admission $39.95.

BrewFest tickets are available in advance for $10 — which includes a commemorative pilsner glass and premium microbrew tastes. Brew tasting starts when gates open at 6 p.m.; the concert starts at 7 p.m.

- Friday, Aug. 10 — Sub-lime with Rome Is an American ska/punk/reggae band with original members from Long Beach, Calif., collaborating with renowned guitarist and vocalist Rome Ramirez. A defining member of the southern Californian metal, surf rock punk scene, Sublime often combined punk rock with hip hop, heavy metal, dancehall, reggae, ska, funk, and surf music. Often described as reggae-rock, Sublime with Rome performs the hits that made them one of the most successful ska-punk acts of all time including “What I Got,” “Santeria,” and “Wrong Way.”

General admission $64.95. Gates open at 6 p.m.; concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Please note: This is a dance show. The Festival venue will be configured differently for this concert to allow for an increased dancing/standing area in front of the stage. There will still be adequate sections for blankets, low chairs, high chairs and reserved patron and sponsor seating, as well as seated availability in the grandstands. The dance venue map can be viewed online at Festivalat Sandpoint.com.

- Saturday, Aug. 12 — Phillip Phillips and Gavin Degraw.

Phillip Phillips is an American singer-songwriter who won the 11th season of American Idol describing his style as “jazz, rock, alternative.” Emulating his favorite vocalists Dave Matthews, John Butler and Jonny Lang, the Georgia native found his own voice with songs that have been heard on the radio, movies and television including “Home,” “Gone, Gone, Gone,” and “Raging Fire.”

Phillips is joined for this double-billed powerhouse pop rock concert by Grammy-nminated blue-eyed soul artist Gavin DeGraw. DeGraw rose to fame with the single “I Don’t Want to Be” from his debut album “Chariot”, which became the theme song for the television drama series One Tree Hill. Other notable singles from that album included “Chariot” and “Follow Through.”

His second, self-titled album included the top-20 single “In Love with a Girl,” and his latest album “Something Worth Saving” features the recent hit “She Sets the City on Fire.” His duet with Colbie Caillat, “We Both Know,” from the film “Safe Haven” received a Grammy nomination.

General admission $74.95. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7 p.m.

- Sunday, Aug. 13 —The Festival season culminates with the Grand Finale concert starring the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Gary Sheldon who will select some of his favorite pieces from his 20 years as The Festival’s principal conductor.

Preceding the concert, the Festival will holds its annual “Taste of the Stars” wine tasting, is now the largest wine event of its kind in the state of Idaho, complimentary for all concert goers over the age of 21 years. The traditional fireworks finale, made possible by Avista Utilities, will close The Festival at Sandpoint’s 36th season in celebratory fashion.

Gates open early at 4:30 p.m. for the wine tasting event and the concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.95 for adults, $10.95 for youth through 18 years.

“We wanted to announce early this year due to the fact that there is so much going on in our region and people need to make plans,” said Festival Director Dyno Wahl.

“Gone are the days when we were the only act in town — as far as outdoor music happening in the region — and we could announce in mid-May. There’s a lot of great music happening in the Inland Northwest now and we recognize that our fans wanted to know sooner than our planned announce date at the end of April,” Wahl said. “Luckily, we ‘had our acts together’ and, with permission from the artists, we were able to coordinate an early release. We hope everyone is as pleased as we are at the phenomenal artists coming to Sandpoint this summer!”

Indivi-dual tickets to all shows go on sale today, April 1, online at festivalatsandpoint.com and in person at 9 a.m. Monday, April 2, at the Festival at Sandpoint office, 525 Pine St., in Sandpoint. Phone orders may be placed by calling the Festival office at 208-265-4554. A limited number of 300 early entry passes are available to Friday and Saturday night shows. For a $25 donation, season pass holders and individual ticket buyers can upgrade their tickets for 10 minute early entry to the venue. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover cards, personal checks and cash are accepted.