Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College announced the line-up of entertainment for the 2019 Hot Summer Nights Concert Series, a series of free concerts scheduled for the college’s amphitheater. The popular performances are open to the public and will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. every Thursday evening for four weeks beginning on July 11 and concluding on August 1. All concerts will be held rain or shine under the covered dome of the college’s spectacular amphitheater.
“After our final concert last summer several audience members came up to me and said ‘We’ll see you next year’ so the pressure was already on to produce another great line-up for this summer’s concert series,” said Tom Urbanski, director of public information at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. “It’s the 21st year we have been presenting free concerts at the college, and our schedule of performers is loaded with professional, top-quality musicians.”
The series opening act on July 11 is world-wide touring and recording artist Todd Menton from St. Paul. The concert on July 18 presents Don Buck and Rock-a-Billy Revue from Duluth. Week three on July 25 brings vocal duo The Twins of Franklin from Minneapolis to the college’s amphitheater. The final concert on August 1 features the return of hard-working and frequently touring country music artist Geoff Elvee to the concert series from places played all over the western United States and a stint in Nashville.
“One of our goals is to present fun entertainers and different types of music each week, and we carefully select high-quality performers who you don’t often hear or see in our area,” said Urbanski. “For something new, we have a fabulous new food truck lined up to be here every Thursday so come hungry, buy something to eat, and then sit back and be entertained for a couple of hours.”
In addition to the Thursday evening concerts, the college will host one Monday evening concert by the Cloquet Community Band on Monday, July 15, starting at 7:00 p.m.
Each entertaining evening of music is designed for family fun and for people of all ages. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, or seat cushions to sit on. Beginning at approximately 6:15 p.m. each Thursday concert evening the food truck from Room at the Table Catering & Bakery will feature Paul Sapyta’s chef-inspired food items for purchase.
Scheduled to appear during the Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2019 are:
Todd Menton
Thursday, July 11: Todd Menton
Opening night of the 2019 Hot Summer Nights Concerts Series features worldwide touring musician Todd Menton. Todd’s calling card is a wry, edgy performing style, focusing on warm, vibrant vocals and sharp playing on guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, bodhran, and tin whistle. Audiences can expect all the drama and hilarity of traditional Celtic songs and tunes, plus the darkly humorous wordplay of select originals, all delivered with wit and crackling energy. Todd has performed at major festivals and concert venues across Europe, Canada, and the United States.
Thursday, July 18: Rock-a-Billy Revue
This enduring group from Duluth is well-known for providing popular hit music and crowd-pleasing fun. With the always-entertaining Don Buck leading the way, the show is full of surprises and good humor. If it’s a classic song from the radio you want to hear, this is the concert for you.
The Twins of Franklin
Thursday, July 25: The Twins of Franklin
The Twins of Franklin are not, in fact, twins. They are two dear friends and Minneapolis musicians Becky Shaheen and Laura Lou. More than a decade of singing together means the pair can do some pretty neat things…like delivering tight, delicate harmonies that can suddenly soar into the stratosphere or even encouraging a group singalong when covering a favorite song. To the Twins, nothing is more fun than making music together.
Geoff Elvee
Thursday, August 1: Geoff Elvee
Hardships, heartaches, and heroes have always been key subjects in country music, but in the rugged working hands of Geoff Elvee, these topics are eloquently transformed into first-rate songs written by this popular country musician. Geoff spent years traveling throughout the western states playing with pick-up bands, performing solo shows, and even working construction sites along the way. Elvee has performed military appreciation concerts for veterans and their families.
Monday, July 15: Cloquet Community Band
Cloquet-area residents play classic Sousa marches, Broadway show tunes, and familiar concert band music.
The Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2019 is sponsored by Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.
In case of rain, concerts are held indoors.
For more information, call 218-879-0800.