Lewis to take Festival stage today

SANDPOINT — Country music will take over the Festival at Sandpoint on Friday, July 31, as Aaron Lewis and The Stateliners headlines.

Tickets to the concert are $77.68, including all fees and taxes. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Field. This will be a standard show, meaning that the area in front of the stage is a general admission dancing and standing area.

A Vermont-born powerhouse, Lewis has also embraced his country roots since 2010 earning a sound round of success after first finding fame with Staind — the 2000s-era hard rockers who injected meditative muscle into an era better known for mindless aggression.

While the band is still very much alive, with Lewis very much a part of Staind, it was never enough to satisfy Lewis’ creative drive and prompted 

Since 2010, Lewis has also worked on solo country projects, leading to two No. 1 Billboard Country Album debuts — "Town Line" in 2011 and "Sinner" in 2016. He also has a platinum collaboration with heroes George Jones and Charlie Daniels (“Country Boy”), and a Gold-certified Billboard No. 1 with “Am I The Only One” in 2021. 

Lewis’ 2022 solo album followed suit, with "Frayed at Both Ends" emerging as the best-selling country album in America, but he never wrote songs for the stats. No matter the sonic setting, Lewis writes and sings to get his truth out, and his latest album, "The Hill," released in 2024, is no different.

Dawson Steagall is a captivating young country artist from Rockvale, Tenn., will open the show. With modern-day James Dean charm and deep Southern roots, Steagall is making a name with simple songs inspired by classic country legends and timeless rock, all drawn from lived experience. 

Steagall believes that music should be more than just a sound; it should be a shared journey. One that reflects a collection of melodies that move you and lyrics that stay with you long after the final chord fades.

The Festival at Sandpoint is hosting its annual summer performance series at War Memorial Field in Sandpoint through Aug. 9.

For more information, go on online to festivalatsandpoint.com.