Jam bands to headline Depot Park concerts
Depot Park will be jammin’ this summer with two nationally acclaimed musical acts scheduled for a two-day concert in August.
Jam artists Keller Williams and Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident are slated to perform Aug. 4-5 in the downtown park. The concert is sponsored by Great Northern Brewing Company.
About 1,800 tickets will be sold for each show. Tickets are $25 per day or $45 for a two-day pass. They go on sale today, May 2.
The event will mark the first time in a number of years that Whitefish has hosted a large-scale concert. Great Northern general manager Marcus Duffey said they were motivated to bring in a big act to show support for a proposed band shell at Great Northern Veterans Peace Park west of town near the city cemetery. Part of the proceeds from the summer concert will go toward building the band shell.
“The band shell could be such a big asset to Whitefish,” Duffey said.
A challenge to bring in a show was given to the brewery by the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Duffey said.
According to chamber director Kevin Gartland, affiliates of Bruce Springsteen who live locally floated the idea of a Springsteen concert to benefit the Peace Park. Springsteen’s people said they’d love to help, but Whitefish should first prove they can sustain a demand for a permanent concert facility and lure big-name artists.
“They said we should test the concept and line up a few weeks of events,” Gartland said.
The Chamber then approached the brewery about putting on a concert during their summer series.
“We said ‘absolutely,’” Duffey said. “Then we started dreaming big and bigger.
“This is a win for this summer and for the long term.”
Gartland says they’re close to announcing the line-ups for other events during the chamber’s summer series, including their Labor Day Montana Music Fesitval.
“We’re well on our way to proving we can handle a band shell,” Gartland said.
The series has put some of the proposed changes to Depot Park on the fast track, including the removal of the bank drive-through, which could be completed this spring.
The brewery’s concerts will also benefit their business as a marketing tool.
“What goes better with beer than live music in the summer?” Duffey said.
The concerts will feature a Great Northern VIP lounge with drinks, food and premium seats. Those tickets go for $100 per day. A special brew will be available in the lounge area.
About Keller Williams
Also known by the names K-Dub or just Keller, when performing. Williams’ music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, funk, and other assorted genres. He is often described as a “one-man jam-band” due to his frequent use of live phrase looping with multiple instruments. www.kellerwilliams.net.
About Kyle Hollingsworth
As a member of acclaimed jam masters The String Cheese Incident, Hollingsworth is revered by both peers and fans for his ability to write and perform in a mosaic of styles, from rock to classical, ragtime to bebop. www.kylehollingsworth.com.