Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Festival at Sandpoint lands diverse acts


Guitarist Ryan Adams will play with his new band, the Cardinals, on Aug. 5.
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Ryan Adams and Ronnie Milsap will perform under the stars at the Festival at Sandpoint in August.

Adams is an alternative-country hero with a new, critically acclaimed album, “Cold Roses.”

“He’s one hit away from being someone we can’t afford,” said Dyno Wahl, the festival director, who announced the lineup Thursday.

Milsap is a country music veteran with a number of country and pop hits from the 1980s.

This eight-night music festival, held at Sandpoint’s Memorial Field on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, will also include performers in a wide number of genres including bluegrass, children’s music, salsa and classical.

Individual concert tickets go on sale today. Here’s the lineup:

Aug. 4: “Opening Night on Broadway” with the Spokane Symphony, a pops concert featuring show tunes for orchestra conducted by Gary Sheldon. All tickets $26.95 (plus tax and city parks fee).

Aug. 5: Ryan Adams, former Whiskeytown frontman, known for his blending of country and rock and for his prodigious musical output. He’ll be onstage with his new band, the Cardinals. $29.95.

Aug. 6: Super Bluegrass Saturday, featuring the Drew Emmitt Band and mandolin and fiddle star Sam Bush. Emmitt is best-known as the lead singer and mandolin player with Leftover Salmon; Bush is best known for his work in the New Grass Revival and his role in the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack. $36.95.

Aug. 7: “Here Come the Bugs,” a family concert with the Spokane Youth Orchestra, conducted by Sheldon and Verne Windham.

The selections will have insect themes, such as “Flight of the Bumblebee.” $5.

Aug. 11: Natalie MacMaster, the Celtic fiddle virtuoso from Cape Breton in Canada.

Opening the show for this all-Canadian evening will be The Be Good Tanyas, an indie-folk trio from Vancouver, B.C.

This show will also include a microbrew-tasting event. $26.95.

Aug. 12: Ronnie Milsap, country singer, multi-instrumentalist and six-time Grammy winner.

His hits include “(There’s) No Getting Over Me” and “Any Day Now.”

These days he delves into blues, R&B and standards. $29.95.

Aug. 13: Super Salsa Saturday, with Rolando Morales and his six-piece salsa band and Poncho Sanchez, a Latin bandleader from Texas. $29.95.

Aug. 14: “Bravo Beethoven,” the grand finale featuring the Spokane Symphony playing an all-Beethoven program including the Fifth Symphony.

Soloists include Jason Moody and Tien Hsieh. Sheldon will conduct. This concert will also feature a wine-tasting event. $29.95 for adults, $9.95 for youth 18 and under.