Iconic Fest-two days of outdoor music with iconic artists and music from the '70s, '80s and '90s-is kicking off its fourth year Friday-Saturday, July 6-7, at the Green Lantern Bar and Grill, east of Brainerd off Highway 18 at Crow Wing County Highway 8.
Erik Huff, Iconic Fest founder and co-owner of Huff Entertainment Solutions, stated this year the music fest set records in its pre-ticket sales with VIP and camping passes selling out well in advance over prior years.
Once again, the legendary line-up featuring country and southern rock music does not disappoint and is the reason that concert goers come from six different states and Canada, Huff said.
Headlining this year's show is Mark Chesnutt, Johnny Lee & The Urban Cowboy Band and The Bellamy Brothers. Supporting these acts are The Fortunate Sons - A Tribute to CCR, the Shalo Band and Coyote Wild.
Green Lantern, recently nominated for six "Best of Brainerd" categories, offers an intimate and relaxed outdoor concert setting, creating a night of reliving memories from the live music and for making new ones, Huff stated.
ADVERTISEMENT
"This year, we sold out of VIP tickets two months in advance and camping sold out a couple weeks ago already," Huff stated. "Last year these two ticket types were selling right up to day of show. It makes me happy to continue to create this unique festival that is gaining momentum every year and is pleasing our customer base.
"I've said this before, my goal was to build a home for these great acts to perform for an audience who loves the slower festival pace, affordable ticket pricing, camping and the great legendary music."
Gates open at 4 p.m. each day. Parking is free.
Ticket cost for Friday-only is $30, Saturday-only is $35 and weekend passes are $50 and available for purchase at the Green Lantern, both Cub Foods in Brainerd and Baxter and online at www.iconicfest.com . Tickets will also be available at the gates each day at 4 p.m. but prices will go up $5 each ticket day.
Other Saturday activities at the music fest include a volleyball tournament and the Traveling Art Pub featuring a self-guided painting of a guitar. Cost is $25.
About the headliners:
Mark Chesnutt, Saturday headliner, has 14 No. 1 hits, 23 top 10 singles, four platinum albums and five gold records to his credit and he maintains a front-and-center presence with a hefty tour schedule year after year. His fans helped his records to climb the charts one right after the other making him one of Billboard's Ten Most-Played Radio Artists of the '90s. His hits are "Bubba Shot The Jukebox," "Too Cold At Home" and "I'll Think Of Something."
The Bellamy Brothers, Friday headliner, celebrating 40 years of success, had a smash hit single in 1976 with "Let Your Love Flow." The Bellamys jammed for audiences on their sold-out concerts with their patented blend of rock/country music. Their hit "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me)" rocketed them to the top of the country charts. It proved to be the first of a string of fourteen No. 1 singles in the U.S. alone. Hits include "Dancing Cowboys," "Sugar Daddy" and "You Ain't Just Whistlin' Dixie."
ADVERTISEMENT
Johnny Lee & The Urban Cowboy Band will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday. Johnny Lee, Johnny Lee is a member of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and in 1968, he began a 10-year working relationship with Mickey Gilley, at the World Famous Nightclub "Gilley's" in Pasadena, Texas. Johnny Lee was asked to perform in the film, "Urban Cowboy," which starred John Travolta and Deborah Winger. "Lookin' For Love" was from that movie soundtrack and became Lee's first Gold Record. The song spent three weeks as No. 1 on the Billboard Country Music Charts, and No. 2 on the Pop Music Charts. Later becoming one of the Top 100 best Country Songs of all Time. Other hits include "One In A Million," "Bet Your Heart On Me," Cherokee Fiddle" and "Sounds Like Love."
