Festival at Sandpoint announces 2011 lineup

SANDPOINT - Eight nights. Unforgettable music.

Anchored by rare back-to-back "encore performances" by two of last year's most popular artists, The Festival at Sandpoint's 2011 summer concert series will have audiences dancing, singing along and having a great time on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.

The 29th Festival at Sandpoint season runs Aug. 4-14, with eight nights of eclectic music under the stars on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. The season line-up welcomes back two of last season's most popular artists - Brandi Carlile and Michael Franti & Spearhead - for rare back-to-back "encore Festival appearances" by popular demand. Other headliners include Rickie Lee Jones, Chris Isaak, Josh Ritter, and Rodney Crowell as well as rising stars Lukas Nelson, David Nail, Jason Spooner and a host of other talented opening acts.

• Thursday, Aug. 4, opening night - The Festival's summer concert series will swing into action with the San Francisco-based swing band Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers opening the show. Headlining the show is premiere song-stylist and songwriter, Rickie Lee Jones.

Jones burst onto the music scene in 1979 with her first, self-titled, album earning multiple Grammy nominations, including, best song for "Last Chance Texaco" and best new artist, which she won. She was soon heralded by critics as "the highly touted new pop-jazz-singer-songwriter." Hits like "Chuck E's in Love," "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" and "We Belong Together" were followed by subsequent albums Pirates, Girl at Her Volcano, The Magazine, Flying Cowboys and a sold-out world tour.

In 1990 "Makin' Whoppee" earned her another Grammy for best jazz duet with Dr. John. A musical icon whose smoky voice and unique delivery haunts and delights at every turn, Jones returns from a hiatus with her eight-piece band, to dazzle her legion of fans around the world.

All tickets are $34.95, concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, Aug. 5 - Back by popular demand, the Festival welcomes the sensational Brandi Carlile back to Sandpoint.

With deep roots in country music, including the undeniable influence of Patsy Cline, Carlile branched out when she became a fan of rock, folk and pop artists like Elton John, now one of her biggest fans. John teamed up with the alt-country-folk-rock darling on her song "Caroline" from her latest album, "Give Up The Ghost."

All tickets are $36.95, concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 6 - The Festival presents "Super Saturday" starring sensational vocalist and guitarist Chris Isaak.

Throughout his impressive recording career - from his stunning 1985 debut Silvertone to his latest stellar effort Mr. Lucky - Chris Isaak has tunefully and artfully explored the good, the bad and the ugly of love, as well as other matters of profound human interest, blending rock 'n' roll, roots rock, rockabilly and surf rock.

Born and raised in Stockton, Calif., Isaak's international breakthrough smash "Wicked Game," became a Top 10 Hit in 1991, followed by "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" and "Somebody's Crying." Isaak blends an abiding respect for popular music's past with a clear and vital passion for the here and now.

Lukas Nelson and The Promises of the Real will open this Super Saturday spectacular. The sixth son of Willie Nelson has inherited his father's musicality, his penchant for penning his own music and his love of the road, opening for everyone from hid dad, B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, Toots & the Maytals and others, fronting his Southern-folk-rock group.

All tickets are $44.95. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and music starts at 6 p.m.

• Sunday, Aug. 7 is musical fun for the young and young at heart, as the Festival presents its family concert, "A Disney Symphantasy" featuring the Spokane Youth Orchestra and Sandpoint's Studio One Dancers.

The concert which aims to entertain and educate will feature music from Disney classics Fantasia and The Little Mermaid. Favorite pre-concert activities include the "instrument petting zoo," where kids can try various instruments on for size; an animal petting zoo, clowns, face painting, games galore and the popular "parents corner," where moms and dads can take a break from the chaos for a complimentary mini-massage.

All tickets are $6 and activities begin when the gates open at 4:30 p.m.

• Thursday, Aug. 11 - The second week of The Festival takes off with Josh Ritter, an Idaho native known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics.

In 2006 Ritter was named as one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine. Born and raised in Moscow by two neuroscientists, he was bitten by the music bug as a teenager after hearing Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country."

He tried to compose songs on a lute that his father had built before abandoning the lute and buying his first guitar at Kmart. Ritter attended Oberlin College to study neuroscience like his parents, but changed his major to the self-created "American history through narrative folk music." His first, self-titled, album was recorded on campus.

Ritter performs with The Royal City Band and his live shows are legendary as he never fails to connect with diverse audiences from Radio City Music Hall to South by Southwest.

Ritter is joined by fellow Idaho native Darren Smith - an alt-country, Americana, singer-songwriter based in Seattle.

There is a complimentary microbrew tasting prior to the concert, starting when the gates open at 6 p.m., for ticket holders over the age of 21. All tickets are $29.95, concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, Aug. 12 - It's the second "encore concert" of The Festival season as Michael Franti and Spearhead return to Sandpoint after a 2010 sold-out performance!

Franti is a big man who has always dared to say big things through his joyous and passionate music during an unusually diverse and highly impressive 20-year career. The Bay Area-born Franti, has evolved from the early influences of Bob Marley, The Clash, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, through phases of punk rock and political rap to embrace his joyful and meaningful modern soul music with Spearhead.

His album "All Rebel Rockers", with the hit single, "Say Hey (I Love You)", in 2008 became one of the biggest of Franti's career. His 2010 release "The Sound of Sunshine," includes new hits "Shake It," "Hey, Hey, Hey," "Anytime You Need Me," and the anthemic arena-rock ballad "I'll Be Waiting."

All tickets are $49.95, concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Note: This is a dance concert and The Festival venue will be configured differently for this evening to allow for increased dancing area in front of the stage. A dance venue map can be viewed online at www.FestivalatSandpoint.com.

• Saturday, Aug. 13 - Super Country Saturday stars one of Nashville's most revered singer-songwriters, Rodney Crowell and features up-and-coming country star David Nail.

Rodney Crowell is an award winning singer-songwriter with multiple hits over his more than 30-year career. Crowell's first hit came in 1980 with "Ashes by Now" and, in 1988, he released the album "Diamonds and Dirt", which generated an unprecedented five number-one singles including "It's Such a Small World," with Rosanne Cash, his wife and partner at the time.

He won the Grammy for best country song in 1989 for "After All This Time." Other tops hits include "If I Can Gain Control Again" and "I Know Love is All I Need." All tickets are $44.95. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and the music starts at 6 p.m.

• Sunday, Aug. 14 - The Festival season culminates with the Grand Finale concert, "Spanish Serenade" and features the Spokane Symphony Orchestra conducted by maestro Gary Sheldon. The concert features special guest classical guitarist Mak Grgic from Slovenia and Sandpoint native, soprano Haily Fuqua.

The Spanish-themed program features Chabrier's "Espana", De Falla's "Miller's Dance" and "Ritual Fire Dance" from La Vida Breve, Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol", Bizet's "Farandole" from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 as well as three arias from Carmen including "The Habenera". The program also features guitarist Grgic performing Rodrigo's "Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre" and "Concierto Andaluz" for four guitars.

Tickets are $34.95 for adults, $9.95 for youth 0-18 years.

Individual tickets to all shows are available and go on sale starting Thursday, May 19, at 9 a.m. in The Festival at Sandpoint office in the Old Power House, 120 E. Lake St., Suite 207. Phone orders may be placed by calling the Festival office at 265-4554 or toll-free (888) 265-4554. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover cards, personal checks and cash are accepted. Tickets are also sold at all TicketsWest locations, or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT. Tickets are also available for purchase online at the Festival's secure website: www.FestivalAtSandpoint.com.