Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1495789
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MARCH 29 - APRIL 4, 2023 UCW 13 Fayetteville Dinner Theatre kicks off summer series with spring concert by HANNAH LEE COVER e Fayetteville Dinner eatre will be kicking off the third season of the Gates Four Summer Con- cert Series with a spring preview concert featuring e Highway- men Live. e Highwaymen were an American country music super- group. e band was comprised of artists Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as e Highwaymen. e group stopped performing in the late 1990s, which inspired tribute bands to start performing. e Highwaymen Live trav- els around the world to give a 90-minute performance featuring some of the classic hits. is country music tribute show is full of upbeat, honky-tonk hits like "Ring of Fire," "On the Road Again" and "Good Ol' Boys," the theme song from "e Dukes of Hazzard" television show. "is is the biggest show that the Fayetteville Dinner eatre has ever undertaken and basically it's because of the uniqueness and the quality of the show," said Bill Bowman, Fayetteville Dinner e- atre producer and Up & Coming Weekly Publisher. "What the people can expect is a deep, wonderful, enjoyable time. Listen to the music of three of America's famous outlaw music legends Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings." One of the performers, Mark Gagnon, has ties to Fayetteville. He is a former Airborne Ranger and Special Forces soldier. He was stationed at Fort Bragg in 1990. He retired in 2005 and stayed in the area to raise his family. "I'm looking forward to it. at was my home for 30 years, and I only live an hour away. My son that we raised in Fayetteville still lives there because now he's stationed at Fort Bragg. So my son and his wife and my grandchil- dren ... they live in Fayetteville," Gagnon told Up & Coming Weekly. "It started off as an expensive hobby of performing television contests. I was just chasing con- tests and what have you," Gagnon said. "And then, in 2008, I segued into performing as Johnny Cash and started getting hired and paid for it." Gagnon joined e Highway- men Live last year perfomirng as Cash. He says that tribute bands, like e Highwaymen, have a huge interest because seeing these songs performed live is not an experience everyone will have. "Well, you have artists such as Johnny Cash or Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley that have passed on. So no one is ever going to see an- other live performance from some of these people," Gagnon said. "We are keeping the music alive of these legends from the actual Highwaymen." Gagnon said that at their last concert in California, they per- formed to a sold-out crowd and have been seeing more sold-out shows. "is is a nationally recognized tribute band that has traveled coast to coast. Extremely success- ful. I have researched them as a matter of fact, I have actually gone and saw the show before I com- mitted to bring it to Fayetteville and it is absolutely amazing. In 10 minutes you will think that you are sitting in the same room with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings. I'm not talk- ing about costumes, wigs and makeup. I'm talking about the real thing," Bowman said. e local band Rivermist will be opening for e Highwaymen. Rivermist has been nominated for a CAMMY (Carolina Beach Music Academy) award in 2022 and was named the 2021 "Vocal Group of the Year" by the CCMA. Rivermist will have a 30-minute acoustic set prior to the main performance. "So it's going to be a big Fayetteville experience. We're very pleased to be able to present it out at Gates Four Golf & Coun- try Club as part of our Fayetteville Dinner eatre series," Bowman said. "e Highwaymen shows will serve as the kick-off for this year's Summer Concert Series. General admission starts at $65 a ticket. VIP tickets and tables are available as well. All tickets include the show, heavy hors d'oeuvres, Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery wine and bourbon tasting, and door prizes. ere is open seating for the shows. ere will be two performances. e first will be on April 7, and the second performance will be on April 8. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. e hors d'oeuvres and the wine and bourbon tasting will begin at 6 p.m. e concerts start at 7:30 p.m. on both of their respective nights and will be at the Gates Four Ball- room. To buy tickets, and to learn more about the Fayetteville Din- ner eatre, go to https://www. fayettevilledinnertheatre.com/ or call 910-391-3859. Summer Concert Series is year will mark the third an- nual Gates Four Summer Concert Series. is series of concerts will present all concerts outdoors at the Gates Four Golf & Country Club Pavilion. e Concert Series includes a variety of musical acts, from tribute bands to local original music. e official kickoff to the summer concert series will be on May 12 with Autumn Tyde and Fayetteville Performing Arts Hall of Famer Doyle Wood. e confirmed performers for the other concerts for the summer of 2023 include Kids in America June 2, Stephen Freeman as Elvis on July 7, Gary Lowder & Smokin' Hot on Aug. 4. Rivermist will fin- ish up the series on Sept. 1. Summer Concert Series con- certs are free to the public with an option to buy VIP seats. e Highwaymen Live will perform at Gates Four Golf & Country Club Ballroom April 7 and April 8. Local group Rivermist will open the show for both performances. (Image courtesy Fayetteville Dinner eatre) HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200.