Boot Heel Dance Band opens the annual concert series this Saturday, July 26
A free concert series is returning to Keizer Rapids Park this summer with the next show on Saturday, July 26.
Valor Mentoring, a nonprofit that utilizes mentorship to counteract the effects of fatherlessness, will host the Keizer Rapids Summer Sounds with seven performances at the Keizer Rotary Amphitheater.
“We do the concert series because it supports Keizer and gives everybody something free to do,” said Alyssa Walker, who does programs and communication for Valor Mentoring.
The series now has seven concerts total. Walker said the budget, production, and overall organization of the event have improved from last year.
The first outfit will take the stage on Saturday, July 26. The gate opens at 5 p.m. and the concerts start at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, The Boot Heel Dance Band will bring rock and soul tunes from the 1950s and 1960s. The Willamette Valley band covers the music of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and other musical titans of the mid-20th century.
The following weekend, Saturday, Aug. 2, the Jeanne Gregg Band will mesmerize the crowd with smooth basslines and guitar licks. The Willamette Valley group specializes in funk, blues, and soul.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, Portland indie outfit Glitterfox will perform their new album. The band fuses 1980s Fleetwood Mac-inspired sounds with modern rock and roll.
The Severin Sisters will perform on Saturday, Aug.16. The Salem trio plays country, bluegrass, and rock music.
Johnny Wheels & the Swamp Donkeys, based out of the Pacific Northwest, will perform on Saturday, Aug. 23. The blues band is led by Johnny Wheels, a quadriplegic vocalist and harmonica specialist.
On Friday, Aug. 29, the series will change its tone. Two local worship groups, Cherry City Worship and Justin White Worship Team, will perform for the Faith and Family Night.
For the finale on Saturday, Sept. 6, JFK, a cover band from Keizer, will perform some of rock’s greatest hits. The troupe resurrects songs by rock and roll legends, such as Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, and Alice in Chains.
Food and drinks will be for sale. Valor Mentoring will host food trucks, serving hot dogs and cheeseburgers, among other hot foods. Santiam Brewing will sell beverages.
Walker said that JFK attracted the biggest turnout last year, which was close to 900 people. This year, they anticipate more attendees
“It builds every year, getting the word out and stuff like that, and we’ve also been ramping up who the bands are. We are trying to get bands that are more well-known and have a bigger fanbase,” Walker said.
Community sponsors make the concert series possible, including the City of Keizer, Uptown Music, Willamette Valley Bank, and Copper Creek Mercantile.
Uptown Music partners with Valor Mentoring to run the sound equipment. A troop of volunteers sets the stage before each show.
As the concert series continues, Valor Mentoring intends to expand the scope and scale. Each year, they hope to increase sponsorship, upgrade production, and book larger bands.
“I think as we do it year by year, it’s going to be proving itself as we go, and so I think it will scale easily over the next couple of years,” Walker said.
News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: [email protected].
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