Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 1, 2015 7A EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer file Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts play to a packed crowd at the Rotary Performing Arts Stage in Dallas at the last concert of the year. The band will wrap up the season again. MUSIC FILLS THE AIR Free entertainment heats up summer nights in Monmouth, Dallas, Independence By Jolene Guzman and Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — It’s looking to be an unusually warm summer, and with the bands lined up for summer music, it’s about to get hotter. Free entertainment is available in Monmouth, Dallas and Inde- pendence all summer, starting July 8 with Monmouth’s Music in the Park in Main Street Park. Shows start at 6:30 p.m. “We love to see people come downtown and have a great time,” said Mark F a n c e y, M o n - m o u t h’s Movies start at commu- dusk, about 9:30 nity de- p.m. in July and velop- 8:30 p.m. in Au- m e n t gust at Riverview manager. Park and Am- phitheater. Movies “Between are free. t h e July 9 — Malefi- (splash) cent – PG fountain, July 16 — volleyball When the Game games Stands Tall – PG a n d July 23 — Six- music, teen Candles – R there was July 30 — Up – upward PG of 600 Aug. 6 — The Hunger Games: people Mockingjay Part 1 last year – PG-13 in the Aug. 13 — Pa- park on a cific Rim – PG-13 Wednes- Aug. 20 — d a y Guardians of the night.” Galaxy – PG-13 Each Aug. 27 — w e ek, a Alexander and the free raffle Terrible, Horrible, allows lis- No Good, Very Bad teners a Day – PG chance to win a prize, such as items donated from sponsors or CDs from the band, Fancey said. This year’s lineup kicks off with local band Joe Shinkle and High- way 99W singing country. Fancey said he is looking for- ward to the season, particularly the Carried Away Trio, World’s Finest and Coming Up Threes. “World’s Finest is an eclectic band,” Fancey said. “They play reg- gae and bluegrass, almost all of it is acoustic with horns.” Movies: Music in the Park All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8-Aug. 26, at Main Street Park. Music, food, beer and wine garden. July 8 — Joe Shinkle & 99West (country and western) July 15 — Hillstomp (blues) July 22 — Carried Away Trio (jazz and blues) July 29 — World’s Finest (reggae and bluegrass) Aug. 5 — Roseland Hunters (New Orleans funk) Aug. 12 — Student Loan String Band (newgrass) Aug. 19 — Ramble On (Led Zepplin tribute band) Aug. 26 — Coming Up Threes (Celtic) This is the first time Monmouth has sponsored a cover band in the lineup. Ramble On, a Led Zepplin tribute band, will play the park on Aug. 19. “These are real community events, with businesses involved and people walking down and enjoying music in the park,” Fancey said. Sounds of Summer Dallas’ Sounds of Summer will be opening with a bluegrass band and ending with Dallas tradition Johnny Limbo & the Lugnuts. In between, there’s all the variety you could want from a summer con- cert series. “There is not a show I plan on missing,” said series coordinator Chelsea Metcalfe, of the Dallas Area Visitors Center. “They all have a dif- ferent feel, so I think it will go well.” Metcalfe rediscovered opening act Roundhouse Band at the Polk County Folklife Festival. Wanting to bring a bluegrass band to the se- ries, she knew it had to be part of Sounds of Summer. Also new is Bearwater Band, which played Summerfest 2014. They will be playing Thursday night of Summerfest week this year. Sounds of Summer also will have a new food vendor lineup, with one food truck featured each week. Confirmed vendors are El Pique, Sweet Dreams (corn dogs and funnel cakes), Black Rock BBQ, and JT’s Food Truck (Cuban). “I’m hoping with the food trucks Photo courtesy of Ramble On Ramble On, a Led Zepplin tribute band, will play in Monmouth’s Main Street Park on Aug. 19 as part of Music in the Park. (serving) by 5:30 or 5:45 p.m., peo- ple will come down early, get din- ner, grab their seat and stay for the show,” Metcalfe said. River’s Edge Summer Series At the River’s Edge Summer Series, in Independence Riverview Park and Amphitheater, Thursday night movies and Friday night concerts rage through the hot summer nights. Before the July 10 opening night, featuring Ty Curtis, city officials will celebrate the amphitheater’s 10th anniversary with a small cere- mony and complimentary appe- tizers, said River’s Edge organizer Alex Trevino. The celebration will take place at about 6:30 p.m., an hour before the concert is sched- uled to start. Ty Curtis, blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll, is a huge favorite, Trevino said. “It’s going to be one hell of a show,” he noted. “We’ve got a really high-octane lineup this year.” With more cover bands — in- cluding Shoot to Thrill, an AC/DC cover band, and Jukebox Hero, a Foreigner cover band — blues, country and ’80s hits, the music at River’s Edge is sure to please. “My secret weapon, my surprise show, is Dancehall Days,” Trevino confided. Dancehall Days features twin sisters and will perform for New Year’s Eve in the Crystal Ball- room, he added. New and improved food ven- dors, as well as expanded options in the beer and wine area, will make Friday nights in Independ- ence even more spectacular. “People can expect this year’s concerts to be very energizing,” Trevino said. River’s Edge Movies Thursday nights in Riverview Park, the amphitheater truly turns into the city’s living room, as hun- dreds gather on the lawn to watch a movie together. In July, movies tend to start around 9:30 p.m., whereas in Au- gust, they begin closer to 8:30 p.m. This year, Trevino said movies range from Disney hits to action- adventure. “I like to throw in a motivational movie,” he said. “This year’s moti- vational movie is, ‘When the Game Stands Tall.’” River’s Edge summer movie se- ries wouldn’t be the same without a classic, either. This year, “Sixteen Candles,” rated R, takes that spot on July 23. Blockbuster hits just out of the theater like “Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” will be shown in Au- gust. Although he said he will have a hard time trying to duplicate the amazing lightning display after one of the movies last year, he does have some tricks up his sleeve. One evening, Trevino said he will declare a blackout night, with all the lights in the park turned off until the movie begins. “We’ll hand out 1,000 pieces of neon things (glow-in-dark) and light up the whole amphitheater with neon,” he said. River’s Edge Summer Music Music starts at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays from July 3 through Aug. 28 in Riverview Park and Amphitheater; $5 suggested donation. Concessions and brewery/wine vendors open at 6 p.m. July 3 — Appetite for Deception (Guns and Roses tribute) July 10 — Ty Curtis, 10-year anniversary party (blues) July 17 — Beth Willis (acoustic rock) July 24 — Ted Vaughn Blues Band (blues/rock) July 31— Jukebox Heroes (Foreigner tribute) Aug. 7 — Dancehall Days Aug. 14 — Twangshifters (rockabilly) Aug. 21 — Chance McKinney (industrialized country) Aug. 28 — Shoot to Thrill (AC/DC tribute) Sounds of Summer Shows begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, July 9-Aug. 27, at the Rotary Performing Arts Stage at the corner of Main and Academy streets. July 9 — Roundhouse Band (bluegrass) July 16 — Oregon Valley Boys (Western swing) July 23 — Bearwater Band (Rock, Summerfest show) July 30 — Gil Reynolds & Deep Blue (bluesy rock) Aug. 6 — Joe Shinkle & 99West (country) Aug. 13 — Parish Gap (soft rock) Aug. 20 — Big Money (rock) Aug. 27 — Johnny Limbo & the Lugnuts (oldies) Photo courtesy of Gil Reynolds Photo courtesy of Ty Curtis Gil Reynolds & Deep Blue will rock the Rotary Performing Arts Stage on June 30 as part of Dallas’ Sounds of Summer. Ty Curtis headlines the Riverview Park and Amphitheater’s 10th an- niversary celebrations on July 10.