86 bands on tap for summer festival
By Keith Lawrence Messenger-Inquirer
LOCASH, the country-rock duo that brought an estimated 7,600 people to the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center for a free Friday After 5 concert last summer, is coming back.
Teresa Thomas, executive director of Friday After 5, said LOCASH will perform another free concert outside the convention center on Aug. 24.
And she’s hoping the crowd will be even bigger.
“With them being a finalist for the Country Music Association’s duo of the year last year, we expect an even bigger crowd,” Thomas said. “We’ve already had people calling to ask if they will be back. Some people are planning their vacations around LOCASH.”
She’ll be making the announcement at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Owensboro Convention Center about LOCASH and the other 86 bands that will perform on five stages over 16 weeks of free downtown shows this summer.
The season runs from May 18 through Aug. 31.
“LOCASH is on the high side of what we can afford,” Thomas said. “But they have a great relationship with Champion Ford and Champion Ford is bringing them back. We want to continue to have one night each summer on the front lawn of the convention center. We’re working to line up some up and coming acts from Nashville for the future. I don’t think we’ll lose that night.”
After LOCASH leaves the stage, Prof G Entertainment — a DJ — will take the stage, and the party will go on until midnight, she said.
Thomas said, “We have a lot of new acts coming to the Patio, Courtyard and The Pier this year. We’re bringing back a lot of local acts, but we have a lot of new acts too.”
This year marks Friday After 5’s 22nd season.
Last year, the series of free downtown concerts saw the biggest crowds in its 21-year history with an estimated total of 67,500 people strolling through downtown on 16 consecutive Friday nights.
This year, Friday After 5 is calling the season “We Are Family.”
“Fun. Free. Friends. Family. That’s our mission statement,” Thomas said. “It’s a family-friendly event. We have a lot of things for the kids in the street fairs.”
Bands returning this year include RetroShock, Louisville Crashers, Jimmy Church, Old Salt Union and Naked Karate Girls.
New bands include Juice Box Heros, The Drunken Hearts and Lipbone Redding.
Venues include the Jagoe Homes Patio Stage on the BB&T Plaza behind the RiverPark Center, Atmos Energy Courtyard beside the RiverPark Center, AT&T “Your Thing” Overlook Stage at the foot of Frederica Street, the Kentucky Legend Pier behind the convention center and Cannon Hall inside the RiverPark Center.
Thomas said O.Z. Tyler Distillery will bring its bourbon truck to the street fair on June 22.
Kentucky Legend is partnering with the distillery to create a bourbon-glazed ham and samples will be available that night, she said.
“The Kroger Street Fair will expand to include most of Veterans Boulevard,” Starling Lambert, this year’s street fair producer, said this week. “We will have many more vendors and food trucks plus, as part of our policy, we allow nonprofits to have booths each Friday at no charge.”
Becky Barnhart said Friday After 5 will be offering free Class PreUnions again this season.
“Most class reunions take place on Saturdays,” she said. “That’s why we host them the evening before and call them class ‘preunions’. We provide a gathering table, chairs, great band, beautiful venue and will even help the classes promote their reunion all at no charge. Classes have a choice to gather at either at the RiverPark Center or the Owensboro Convention Center.”
Brandon Gentry, Friday After 5 board chairman, said, “We will be launching a new website and app that will be easier to navigate,” so people can keep up with what’s happening when and where.
The entire lineup is accessible on Friday After 5’s website — www.FridayAfter5.com.
The mobile app is available for both iOS and Android phones.
Friday After 5 began in the RiverPark’s Courtyard only.
Today, it stretches six blocks along the riverfront.
The festival was named the “Platinum Reader’s Choice Award for Community Event” last year by readers of the Messenger-Inquirer and was named among the “Top 10 Summer Events in Kentucky” by the Kentucky Tourism Council.
This year’s lineup includes:
May 18
Patio — V-Groove (R&B)
Courtyard — Andy Brasher
Overlook– Owensboro Dance Theater and Johnson’s Dance Studio & Dr. Moody Band (rock)
Pier — Quiet Hollers (Indie/Americana)
Street — Nonprofit Block Party
May 25
Patio — Eighty-Sixt (classic rock)
Courtyard — Friends
Overlook — Skylar Cain (country)
Pier — The Drunken Hearts (rock/jam)
Street — Corvette Cruise-in
Gospel — The Conquerors, Still Water, Southlanders Quartet.
June 1
Patio — Radiotronic (’70s to now)
Courtyard — Lipbone Redding
Overlook — Lightly Blended (’70s, ’80s dance)
Pier — DJ Shay (dance music)
Street — Outdoor Addiction
June 8
Patio — From Paris (current pop to classic rock)
Courtyard — Beyond Blu (blues)
Overlook — Michael Jacobs (roots rock, folk)
Pier — January Noise (pop)
Street — Kick off to a Healthy Summer
June 15
Patio — The Unusual Suspects (classic rock)
Courtyard — Logan Dyer (jazz)
Overlook– Musick Studio Dance & David Weddle (acoustic)
Pier — Travers Brothership (alt rock)
Street — Salute to the city
Gospel — Childress Family, Lindsey Graham, Living By Faith
June 22
Patio — Top Tier (dance/variety)
Courtyard — Your Decision (acoustic rock, soul, hip-hop & blues)
Overlook — Solar Dance Force (funk, dance, rock)
Pier — Funk You (funk)
Street — O.Z. Tyler
June 29
Patio — Beginner’s Luck (classic rock)
Courtyard — Drew Aud Acoustic (variety/current)
Overlook — Monte Skelton
Pier — 17th Floor (hip hop / R&B)
Street — Kentucky Proud farm to table
July 6
Patio — Jimmy Church Band (R&B)
Courtyard — Hayley Payne
Overlook — Fallout 202nd Army Band
Pier — Old Salt Union (newgrass folk)
Street — AARP Veterans Spotlight
Gospel — Commonwealth Quartet, New Journey Quartet, Voices of Praise
July 13
Patio — Retro Shock (dance cover band)
Courtyard — Hot Rod Crusiers
Overlook — Frank Lee & Allie Burbrink (bluegrass)
Pier — Roxy Roca (pop)
Street — Sunset Cruiser Rolling in on the Ohio
July 20
Patio — Black Widow (R&B)
Courtyard– Kings Highway (bluegrass)
Overlook — Musick Studio/ Emma Brown
Pier — Josh Merritt Band (country)
Street — Bike night
July 27
Patio — The Springs
Courtyard — Greg Scott (jazzy blues)
Overlook — Courtney Peveler (country)
Pier — 3 Piece Revival (folk pop)
Street — Ahoy on the Ohio Boat Parade
Gospel — Paul Moseley & Friends with Charlie McCoy
Aug. 3
Patio — Juice Box Heros (Top 40)
Courtyard — The Honey Vines (acoustic blend)
Overlook — Riley Station (classic rock/blues/funk)
Pier — Fat Box (alt jam)
Street — Jagoe Homes
Aug. 10
Patio — Andy Brasher Band (pop rock country)
Courtyard — Soulshine
Overlook — Jess Kellie Adams
Pier — Insulated (country rock)
Street — FA5k Race with KWC
Gospel — The Blue Diamond Band, Mark Mudd Family, The Johnsons
Aug. 17
Patio — Bobby McClendon (country/rock)
Courtyard — Chris Joslin (bluegrass)
Overlook — Stephanie Walker
Pier — Louisville Crashers (pop)
Street — Salute to Agriculture Night
Gospel — Worship on the Water (contemporary Christian)
Aug. 24
Patio — Voodoo Slim (rock/dance covers)
Convention Center lawn — LOCASH (country)
Courtyard — Moon Lighters
Overlook — KWC Talent
Convention Center Afterparty — Prof G Entertainment DJ (Dance)
Street — Champion Ford
Gospel — Firm Foundation, Deena Ashley, The Sneed Family
Aug. 31
Patio — NKG (party band)
Courtyard — Rack ‘Em Leon
Overlook — Newton Parrish Bucket Drummers and Tommy & Cathy Mullins
Pier — Owensboro Legends Night (country rock jam)
Street — Fiddling to the tunes of bluegrass