ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HALL OF FAMERS TO HEADLINE AWESOME BIKER NIGHTS 2016
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (February 16, 2016) – Awesome Biker Nights (ABN) organizers and host Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City have officially unveiled the headlining entertainment for this June’s Awesome Biker Nights charity motorcycle rally.
This year’s lineup includes impending rock ‘n’ roll hall of fame inductees, Cheap Trick featuring Edgar Winter, in addition to bands In This Moment & Pop Evil. Each of these concerts will be held in the entertainment destination’s outdoor venue, Battery Park.
“This year’s incredible lineup is exactly the kind of entertainment we were looking for,” said Brian Hall, Chairman of the Awesome Biker Nights Board of Directors. “Our crowds bring a ton of energy, so we wanted acts to match that. Having legendary rock bands in this venue will make this year one of the best yet!”
The rally will be held June 16-18, 2016 in the “Hard Rock and Pearl Street District” in downtown Sioux City, IA. Now in its seventeenth year, the annual charity rally of roaring motorcycles, live entertainment, and lots of leather has established itself as Northwest Iowa’s premier regional motorcycle event with an attendance of more than 25,000 people.
“Awesome Biker Nights is such a storied summer tradition in Siouxland,” said Todd Moyer, General Manager for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City. “The whole feel of the festival is patently rock and roll, so we’re thrilled to get involved and welcome these world-class musicians to our stage.”
The Awesome Biker Nights experience includes three stages of live music from national and regional bands, Hellzapoppin, a poker run through the beautiful countryside, a bike show, poker tournament, bike raffle, a variety of vendors, and more. Motorcycle enthusiasts with all makes and models of bikes are welcome, along with the general public. Funds raised by the event will benefit non-profit causes.
“The ABN board will announce details for the second stage and supporting acts at a later date, so stay tuned,” Hall continued. More information is also forthcoming on the bike show, poker tournament, and motorcycle raffle at this year’s event.
Show dates for headliners are as follows:
In This Moment & Pop Evil – Friday, June 17
Cheap Trick Featuring Edgar Winter – Saturday, June 18
Weekend passes for Cheap Trick featuring Edgar Winter, and In This Moment & Pop Evil can be purchased online at http://tickets.hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com/or www.awesomebikernights.com, and at the Rock Shop starting Friday, February 19, 2016 at 10 a.m. Weekend passes are $35 and single night passes are $25 at the door.
In This Moment
Friday, June 17, 2016 / Battery Park
Nature counts the black widow spider amongst its most fascinating and dangerous anomalies. The female arachnid often devours its mate after copulation. It’s both a delicate and dangerous predator. In This Moment isn’t all that different from this enigmatic beast. Led by front woman Maria Brink, the Los Angeles hard rock outfit strikes with a seductive metallic bite on their aptly titled fifth full-length album, Black Widow.
“Black Widow is a metaphor for this innocent young girl who gets infected with life, traumas, experiences, and the balance of light and darkness,” explains Maria. “She becomes this poised and powerful creature. That’s the album.”
Ultimately, that connection with fans is what drives the band. “Their loyalty is incredible,” declares Maria. “It comes down to us doing this for ourselves and our fans. We owe it all to them, and we’re excited for everybody to experience this. This is who we are, and it’s for them.”
POP EVIL
Friday, June 17, 2016 / Battery Park
POP EVIL smashes through the odds like a battering ram, weathering the trials and tribulations of paying dues with a steadfast resilience owing much to their blue collar and middle class backgrounds, and building a worldwide audience one fan at a time. As the moniker promises when emblazoned on a CD or radio dial, POP EVIL conjures aggressive riffs and hard charging sing-a-longs with emotional heft and melodic power in equal measure. It’s music by the people, for the people.
Simply put, POP EVIL is a larger-than-life true rock n’ roll band blending the earnestness of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden with the celebratory showmanship of Mötley Crüe and KISS, capable of empathizing with the daily struggles of their fans while simultaneously offering the escapism a truly bombastic concert provides.
CHEAP TRICK
Saturday, June 18, 2016 / Battery Park
With over 5,000 performances spanning four decades and 20 million records sold worldwide, Cheap Trick is undoubtedly one of the most influential classic rock groups of the past 50 years. The band was formed in 1974 and while it has evolved throughout the years, Cheap Trick has continued to reach mainstream and critical success. Hits such as “I Want You To Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Surrender” have cemented the group as one of America’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time. The rock ‘n’ roll legends are currently awaiting their induction ceremony to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
EDGAR WINTER
Saturday, June 18, 2016 / Battery Park
A prolific writer, Edgar’s music encompasses many different genres, including rock, jazz, blues, and pop. From his critically acclaimed 1970 debut release, Entrance, he has demonstrated his unique style and ability to cross the genre lines and do the unexpected. His early recording of “Tobacco Road” is a powerful, emotionally devastating masterpiece that propelled him into the national spotlight. Edgar followed Entrance with two hit albums backed by his group White Trash, a group originally comprised of musicians from Texas and Louisiana. White Trash enjoyed huge success, both with the 1971 release of the studio album, Edgar Winter’s White Trash, and with 1972’s follow-up live gold album, Roadwork.
In late 1972 Edgar brought together Dan Hartman, Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff to form The Edgar Winter Group, the legendary band that created such hits as the number one Frankenstein and the ever-popular “Free Ride.” Released in 1973, They Only Come Out at Night peaked at the number 3 position on the Billboard Hot 200 and stayed on the charts for an impressive 80 weeks. It was certified gold in April 1973 and double platinum in November 1986. Edgar invented the keyboard body strap early in his career, an innovation that allows him the freedom to move around on stage during his multi-instrument high-energy performances. He was also the first artist to feature a synthesizer as the main instrument in a song. Frankenstein revolutionized rock and roll and opened up a whole new world of possibilities with experimentation and sound.