Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College announced the line-up of entertainment for the 2017 Hot Summer Nights Concert Series, a series of free concerts scheduled for the college’s outdoor-indoor 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 6 and concluding on July 27. All concerts will be held rain or shine under the dome of the college’s spectacular amphitheater.
“This is our 19th summer that we will have presented free concerts at the college” said Tom Urbanski, director of public information at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. “We continue presenting the concerts because they are hugely popular among area residents and visitors, many who keep coming back every summer to hear great music in a wonderful setting.”
The series opening act on July 6 is a crowd favorite and veteran musical showman Todd Eckart from Duluth. July 13 presents Rock-a-Billy Revue featuring leader Don Buck. The concert on July 20 brings an exciting new act to the series, the Northeast Timberland Band. The final concert on July 27 concludes the summer series with Jillian Rae, an engaging performer and a fabulous triple treat of vocals, fiddle, and personality on stage.
“We don’t get tired of hearing our audience members telling us that they look forward to the concerts each summer,” said Urbanski. “We try to have something fun and different each week, and we carefully select high-quality performers who you don’t often hear or see in our area. People have said our concerts are like attending a mini-festival every Thursday evening in Cloquet.”
In addition to the Thursday evening concerts, the college will host one Monday evening concert by the Cloquet Community Band on Monday, July 10, 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 staff and students from the college’s Veterans Resource Center will be grilling and selling tasty food items from the B&B Market including hamburgers, hot dogs, and bratwurst as a fundraiser for the student organization on campus.
Scheduled to appear during the Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2017 are:
Todd Eckart
Thursday, July 6: Todd Eckart
Opening night of the 2017 Hot Summer Nights Concerts Series features the fabulous and fascinating Todd Eckart. An amalgam of raw energy, classic charm, bygone-era romance and a formidable stage presence grace every note of Todd’s live performances. He is equal parts wistful crooner, country songsmith, and rock-n-roll heartthrob. Don’t miss this show by a man armed only with his guitar, his songs, and a burning desire to tell his story and, most importantly, touch the hearts of his listeners, male and female, young and old alike. Voted Best Musician by the Northland Reader in the 2016 and 2017 Best of the Northland Polls!
Rock-a-Billy Revue
Thursday, July 13: Rock-a-Billy Revue
This enduring group from Duluth is noted 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–and the group loves to perform here. This is their 19th consecutive summer concert performance at the college.
Northeast Timberland Band
Thursday, July 20: The Northeast Timberland Band
The Northeast Timberland Band is an energetic vocal trio playing the biggest hit songs of popular music artists ranging from the Eagles to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young to the Marshall Tucker Band, plus many other all-time favorite songs. It’s safe to assume the group uses crisp, clean instrumentals to provide the backing for tight, multi-part vocal harmonies. Everything from ballads to bluegrass to country music is fair game for this outstanding group.
Jillian Rae
Thursday, July 27: Jillian Rae
Jillian Rae is a multi-talented violinist, vocalist, and songwriter whose creative and dynamic style of violin playing combines spectacularly with her lifelong experience as a performer. Like many of Minnesota’s finest musicians, Jillian Rae grew up in the north on the Iron Range, an environment as open to country, folk (and yes, polka) as it is to pop, rock and blues. Growing up in a music-loving household, Jillian was hooked early when she began taking violin lessons at age seven. She began to sing, dance, and perform, and has been working hard at perfecting her art ever since. Jillian has been a heavy hitter in the Minnesota music scene for years, playing with as many musicians as humanly possible–on stage, in the studio, or both.
Monday, July 10: Cloquet Community Band
Cloquet-area residents play classic Sousa marches, Broadway show tunes, and familiar concert band music.
The Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2017 is sponsored by Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. For more information, call 218-879-0800.