REO Speedwagon to play at Festival
CAROLINE LOBSINGER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 12 months AGO
REO Speedwagon will take the Festival stage on Aug. 4. The iconic rock band is the first act announced by the Festival at Sandpoint.
(Photo courtesy RANDEE ST. NICHOLAS)
I grew up in the Tri-Cities, Wash., and have always loved to write. I attended the University of Washington, where I earned a double major in journalism and political science, with an area of emphasis in history. I am the fifth out of six kids — don't believe any of the stories that my siblings tell. To be able to tell others stories and take photos for a living is a dream come true — and I considered myself blessed to be a community journalist. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking and spending time outdoors, genealogy, reading, and watching the UW Huskies and the Seattle Seahawks. I am a servant to my cat, Frankie, who yes, will eat anything and everything in sight … even wedding cookies. | January 26, 2023 1:00 AM
SANDPOINT — REO Speedwagon is coming to the Festival at Sandpoint on Aug. 4. Tickets for the concert are on sale now.
Formed in 1967, and signed in 1971, the band has been fronted by Kevin Cronin since 1972. REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive and non-stop touring and recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. Platinum albums and songs dominating the airwaves soon followed, setting the stage for the release of the band’s explosive "Hi Infidelity" album in 1980. Among the hits on the album were “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” The landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA’s coveted 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States.
At the center of REO’s desire to keep it rocking for the fans is Kevin Cronin alongside bandmates Bruce Hall on bass, Dave Amato on lead guitar, and drummer Bryan Hitt. From 1977 to 1989, REO Speedwagon released nine consecutive albums, all certified platinum or higher. Today, the band has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and they are still electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with hits and fan favorites such as “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes,” “In My Dreams,” and many, many more.
Festival officials said earlier this month that they would be announcing headliners as soon as acts gave them permission to do so. This will allow the summer music series to be more competitive and let fans in on the fun as early as possible, Festival Executive Director Ali Baranski said previously.
Festival at Sandpoint are implementing several changes to venue policies and procedures to enhance customer safety, security, and overall experience. Among them are no guest re-entry, and the conversion of season passes into season pass badges which will have a transferable barcode that can be reused each night. In addition, hard-sided coolers, rolling coolers, wagons, and strollers will not be permitted into the venue.
“With the price of season passes being so low, we often find scalpers taking advantage of the offer and not only taking these tickets away from locals but turning around and selling these discounted tickets for astronomical prices,” Baranski said. “The change to season pass badges is to deter these scalpers and continue to make music accessible and affordable to our community.”
In addition to customer safety and security, Baranski said the changes will improve line lengths and expedite wait time so customers can spend more time enjoying the music and less time standing in line.
The Festival at Sandpoint is a non-profit organization that hosts an annual summer concert series featuring a variety of genres, including rock, jazz, country, folk, indie, and more. The Festival at Sandpoint’s 40th annual 2023 summer concert series will take place July 27 through Aug. 6 at War Memorial Field on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.
To stay updated on future 2023 lineup announcements and learn more about these important venue and policy changes, visit www.festivalatsandpoint.com for more information.
The general admission are $69.96 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music begins at 7:30 p.m.
Information: festivalatsandpoint.com
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