With work at Amp, Sunrise shortens River Rock season
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WARREN -- The schedule is shorter, but more amenities are coming to River Rock at the Amp.
Sunrise Entertainment President Ken Haidaris said he scaled back the season to 10 concerts because of work at the Warren Community Amphitheatre that will add permanent restrooms and other improvements to the city-owned venue.
"We shortened our season simply because it will be a bit of a work zone for a little bit," Haidaris said. "It's going to be beautiful when it's done, but this is a year in transition."
Instead of opening Memorial Day weekend, the first concert will be June 10 with Eagles tribute band 7 Bridges and local rock act The Fillbillys opening. The season will conclude Aug. 26 with the Led Zeppelin tribute act ZOSO, another fixture on the River Rock schedule.
In between will be the Journey tribute E5C4P3 on July 8, the Pink Floyd tribute Wish You Were Here on July 22 and the Queen tribute Queen Nation on July 29. Those acts have been top draws in recent years.
Queen Nation will have some added competition, falling on the same night as Y-Live, headlined by Kid Rock, in downtown Youngstown. Haidaris said he believes the two shows will appeal to different audiences, and Y-Live shouldn't hurt attendance.
Sunrise Entertainment will be competing with itself on July 8.
While E5C4P3 and the Styx tribute Best of Times are at the amp, jazz saxophone player Kenny G will be performing at the Robins Theatre, also operated by Sunrise.
"It just worked that way," Haidaris said. "That was the night we could get him. Downtown Warren that night is going to be the busiest place going. That was the whole point when we started River Rock and the Robins, to bring people downtown, and it's happening."
Haidaris did make room for some new attractions in the abbreviated lineup, including The Prince Project, a Prince tribute act, on June 24 and a country show featuring the Garth Brooks tribute No Fences paired with popular River Rock act Chris Higbee on Aug. 19.
"He (Higbee) is really a co-headliner. He's our 'Fiddler on the Roof,'" Haidaris said, referring to the times he's performed from the amphitheater roof during previous shows. "I love his energy."
In addition to shortening the Saturday season from 13 to 10 concerts, Haidaris said they're also abandoning any Friday events, at least for this year.
"Friday shows just don't sell," he said. "I don't know if it's because people are working or there's a lot going on, but they're tougher to sell."
River Rock regulars will have new food options this summer. Mexican food truck Twisted Dish and hot dog vendor Sloppy Dogs will join long-time options of Vlahos Gyros and the Sunrise Inn pizza tent, and the kettlecorn vendor will be cooking popcorn on site instead selling prepackaged bags.
"When you can smell the corn popping, it really sells," Haidaris said.
Haidaris said he expects the improvements at amphitheater will help River Rock at the Amp thrive in the future and encourage others to use the venue.
"It's like what (hockey great) Wayne Gretzky said, 'You don't skate to where the puck is. You skate to where it's going,' and I think looking forward a little bit, you want to set this place up, not for us so much, but for the community," he said. "I think it's really important to downtown. Entertainment really is an economic driver, as far as I'm concerned."
If you go …
2023 RIVER ROCK AT THE AMP SEASON
• June 10 -- 7 Bridges (Eagles tribute) and The Fillbillys
• June 17 -- Disco Inferno and Old Skool
• June 24 -- The Prince Project (Prince tribute) and No Funk No Justice
• July 8 -- E5C4P3 (Journey tribute) and Best of Times (Styx tribute) ($12)
• July 15 -- Face 2 Face (Elton John / Billy Joel tribute) and RDNA
• July 22 -- Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd tribute) and Invincible (Pat Benatar tribute) ($12)
• July 29 -- Queen Nation (Queen tribute) and Bad Juju ($12)
• Aug. 5 -- Forever Seger -- The Silver Bullet Experience (Bob Seger tribute) and Back Traxx
• Aug. 19 -- No Fences (Garth Brooks) and Chris Higbee
• Aug. 26 -- ZOSO (Led Zeppelin tribute) and Harvest (Neil Young tribute)
River Rock at the Amp concerts take place at the Warren Community Amphitheatre, 321 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the first band starting at 5:30 p.m. Unless stated otherwise, admission is $10 with children 12 and younger admitted free with a paying adult. Tickets are available in advance online at www.riverrockattheamp.com and at Sunrise Inn, Warren.