What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1362736
APRIL 18-24, 2021 WHAT'S UP! 9 Prolific jam-band rockers Phish will give their first Arkansas performance at the Walmart AMP July 28. (Courtesy Photo) FYI Walmart AMP 2021 Schedule June 17 — Backstreet Boys, "DNA World Tour" June 25 — An Evening with Chicago July 27 — Lindsey Stirling, "The Artemis Tour" July 28 — Phish Aug. 8 — Megadeth and Lamb of God Aug. 10 — The Black Crowes Aug. 13 — The Avett Brothers Aug. 14 — Alanis Morissette, 2021 World Tour Aug. 15 — Matchbox Twenty Sept. 21 — Dave Matthews Band Steely Dan — Rescheduled for June 10, 2022 INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter.org/AMP for some artists who might not have considered a Northwest Arkansas tour stop three years ago. Backstreet Boys, Alanis Morissette and Lindsey Stirling were all poised to make their AMP debuts in 2020 and will this summer. Likewise, iconic rock band Phish was set for its first-ever visit in the whole state last year. The foursome is now performing July 28. "It's one more of those things where, I, as the guy who gets to hold the calendar, if you will, and help steer the bands in, I think about what door is that going to open next," Crowne muses. "I feel like we got Phish because Dave Matthews came and played us twice. They're friends; they're managed by the same person. All of a sudden, Dave leaves and talks about the great experience he had at the AMP and in Northwest Arkansas, and it helped put us on the radar. "That word-of-mouth really is out there nationally," he adds, pointing to his teams' hospitality and professionalism — a foundation that built strong industry relationships. "It makes me proud of the work that our teams have done over the years to make Northwest Arkansas a place that artists at that caliber think of when they start thinking about where do we want to tour?" Though Riggs and Crowne are looking forward to welcoming artists and audiences back, there's no way to know right now what the logistics of each show are going to look like. Masks will continue to be required at the venue, and social distancing will remain in effect while staffs monitor state regulations and best practices moving forward. It's also likely, Riggs points out, that the specifications the venue will need to adhere to will vary artist by artist as tours establish their individual protocols. In the meantime, Happy Hour at the AMP returns in May as a way to ease back into live music. The Friday and Saturday night shows began in the fall as a way to provide employment for industry workers, performance opportunities for local bands and to support the Walton Arts Center's Ghost Light Recovery Fund. Some 4,000 people attended the series, which is hosted on the new Choctaw Plaza. Guests can reserve a table, purchase food and/or a specialty drink and support local music at the free performances. "It was a really great event for us last year," Riggs recalls of the popular series. "It allowed us all to connect as artists and individuals and managers who work in this industry, where we were all stunned and surprised. I mean, I've been in this business over 40 years, and I've never had a time when we weren't doing events. So it was kind of good for us to be around the artists and for us all to kind of hang together and take a big breath, because it was a scary time for the arts last year." "I can just tell people out there that we are all equally as excited together," Crowne says in conclusion. "I'm very, very thankful to be here on the other side of what we've all experienced. And hopefully, in bringing back live music, it's going to add to the mental health and well-being of our patrons. It's something that, when it was taken away from us, it really became apparent how important it was to not just us, the producers, not just the economic piece of it, but it truly is therapy for people to get to check out of reality for a couple hours and just get lost in their favorite band. Extremely excited to be bringing that back to people." FYI Happy Hour Returns To foster a casual music atmosphere on the Happy Hour at the AMP series, Brian Crowne, vice president of the AMP, decided to go with the cream of the crop of local and regional names, he reveals. Bands that already have a local following and a reputa- tion for providing a good time bring the right kind of vibe for a series hosted on Friday and Saturday nights at the new Choctaw Plaza at the Walmart AMP. Happy Hour returns in May, with more shows to follow in June. Schedule May 7 — Boom! Kinetic with Jim Goza May 8 — The Juice with TJ Scarlett May 14 — Jukeboxx with Neon Flight Duo May 15 — Uncrowned Kings May 21 — Cate Brothers with TJ Scarlett May 22 — Irie Lions and the Ashtyn Barbaree Band May 28 — Oreo Blue with Jim Goza (Jukeboxx Courtesy Photo/Brandon Watts Photography)