Rock$tarzz Hospitality Promotions Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2017 Featuring Locust Grove, The

Locust Grove (Monster)

The second week of August proved to be a busy week in music there was something going on everywhere you looked. With all the festivals and summer concert there was something for everybody and Spokane was not exempt. Rock$tarzz Hospitality Promotions held our Hot Summer Nights Concert Series 2017 on Friday night August 11th at The Big Dipper Spokane. There was a fierce competition we were up against but we had a strong lineup of very popular local bands like The Nixon Rodeo, Helldorado, Vial 8, and Sins & Sinners not to mention our hard rocking touring act from Oklahoma, Locust Grove.

With Sturgis biker rally in South Dakota, and Rocking the Rivers music festival in Three Forks, MT many were venturing out of town for those big events. But for those of us who stayed in town, there was still a lot of great music to be heard. Hot Summer Nights was in direct competition with the rock radio stations free hard rock show on the same night. Normally there is not much worry of other shows the same night there is always going to be something at other clubs and venues in town for weekend shows but I was just a little worried it is hard to compete with a free show? But our lineup was strong and I was confident there would be a good turn out of our local music scene to support these awesome bands. It turns out there is enough local supporters to go around and the turn out for the Rock$tarzz Hospitality Hot Summer NIghts Concert 2017 was a success.

The headliners for the show was a hard rock band from Oklahoma making their debut appearance in Spokane on their way to Seattle for Hempfest this weekend August 18th. Rock$tarzz Hospitality hosted Locust Grove while they were in town except for their first night here as I was out of town at the Metallica World Wired 2017 Tour. I'm not sure how these traveling bands do it? Just one day of traveling and attending a big concert wears me out let a lone doing it every day?It is nice to know that the promoter is appreciated for all that we put into to make these shows happen and the guys in Locust Grove made sure to let me know they appreciated it and our show so far has been the best turn out on the tour but I'm sure that will all change once they get to Hempfest? I was just disappointed that by the time Locust Grove took the stage the venue cleared out? For those who did not stick around to catch Locust Grove's performance you really missed out these guys really know how to put on a show and put their heart and soul into the music.

Locust Grove is a hard hitting heavy metal rock band from Oklahoma City, OK with a former member of Anti Mortem Zain Smith leading the band on vocals and shredding the guitar. Other members also include Vincent Lindstrom of Siva Addiction and Heatfix tearing up on guitar, Quentin Williams of Warneck on the bass and Joey Mandigo from Blakk Mantra, Sleaze Dizeaze and Lord Dying is the man behind it all on the drums. Locust Grove hit the stage full force playing all there hits from their debut CD, Destroy Me, Monster, Blind Man, Truth, & End of Time. Locust Grove really puts on a show during their closing song of the night the members came out in the crowd and ended up playing their guitars on the bar, it reminded me a little of the movie Coyote Ugly just the dancing on the bar, I loved it. I was hoping to send them off with a home cooked meal before they left the next day for their show in Lewiston it must get old eating fast food every day? But I had a little bit of car trouble while I was at the store and by the time I returned they were on the road to Lewiston. You are definitely going to want to keep an eye on this band really think they are going places, you will be hearing the name Locust Grove making it I guarantee it.

Local band The Nixon Rodeo co-headlined the show this band was voted best entertainment at Bloomsday Marathon event this past May. The band packs out clubs and venues and if there are enough in attendance and the venue is big enough they are known to do some outrageous stage surprises like their newest where Ethan Harrison drummer for the band crowd surfs in a blow-up raft or he just comes out into the pit and stands up while being held by the crowd and continues to sing. They are also known to smash guitars to pieces at the end of their sets. I think it could get a little spendy breaking a perfectly good guitar especially if you do it often but the crowd eats it up. Members include Brent Forsyth (Lead Vocals, Rhythm guitar), Josh Crites (Lead Guitar), Jules StClaire (Bass Guitar), Ethan Harrison (Drums, Vocals). The band has been working on some new songs and you can catch them this summer if you missed them at Hot Summer Nights Concert 2017 at Rock Cut Rocks Music Festival along side some of my friends in Hysteria and other Seattle Tributes. They will also be heading to Boise soon for all you fans in Idaho that like to Rodeo.

Get ready to be vialated with Vial 8 out of Moscow, ID they are a 4 piece rock n roll band that won the Battle of the Bands a few years back which gave them the opportunity to play with heavy hitters such as Shinedown, Godsmack, Adelita's Way, & Stained, ever since they have been a non-stop force to be reckoned with. Members include Jeff Mack (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Chalmers (lead guitar, vocals, Roger Crozier (bass, vocals) and Rex Johnson (drums).

Helldorado just got back off their mini tour to Ohio and Minnesota just in the nick of time to melt your face for Rock$tarzz Hospitality's Hot Summe Nights Concert 2017. Helldorado is a hard hitting heavy metal band that will have your ears ringing for weeks. The members have endorsements with Schecter guitar makers and Rock N Roll Gangstar Apparel not to mention their other band projects as Gabe Miller will be touring with the band Relicseed on their upcoming tour. Members include Dust Richardson - Lead Vocals, Tommy Scherer - Drums, Dave Bridges-Bass, Gabe Miller - Guitar. Helldorado has opened shows for national acts such as Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Machine Head, Butcher Babies. They will be on the road to Hempfest in Seattle this weekend as well so all you metal heads are in for a great show.

Opening the show Spokane's own Sins & Sinners, they were supposed to be playing a show at the Whiskey in LA on this very night but fate stepped in and allowed them to play for Rock$tarzz Hospitality's Hot Summer Nights instead and we are sure glad they did. I was asked many times throughout the show where they were from and how awesome they were I am sure they picked up some new fans from the show. Members include Chris Adams-Vocals, Sinner Smith-Guitar, Shane Stephens-Bass, Tom Pichette-Drums. This was Sins & Sinners first time playing for Rock$tarzz Hospitality we will definitely be bringing them back.

I would like to take a minute to thank all the bands that played the Hot Summer Nights festival and also thank you to David Fro Alexander for making all the bands sound amazing and for coming all the way from Lewiston on a last minute request to help with the sound board as the original soundman included with the club had been booked out of town. Special thanks to my son for doing such a great job running the door and to the Big Dipper for your hospitality and thank you to the fans for sweating their you know what off and supporting the local music scene. Attendance was good and the show was epic what else can you ask for?