It’s (not) only rock ‘n roll

Get ready for a little bit of twang at this year’s Party in the Park in Creston.

The Cleveland-based Garth Brooks tribute band John Todd and Shameless and the national country music talent search Country Showdown will be among those taking the McKinley Park bandshell at the June 20 fundraiser for the Creston Parks and Recreation Department.

Other confirmed bands are Double Vision, a Kansas City-based Foreigner tribute band; and Sticky Fingers, a Rolling Stones tribute band.

John Kawa, chairman of the Creston Parks and Recreation Board, said this will be the first year to feature a tribute band that’s completely country.

“We’ve had a lot of people who want country,” Kawa said. “We’re just trying to keep everyone happy as best we can.”

Todd Kinkade, who serves on the Party in the Park committee, has been booking the event’s bands for the past several years. He said that while Party in the Park has enjoyed regional acts in the past, he has recently seen success with booking tribute bands. Last year’s show featured bands playing music by Heart, Journey and the Eagles.

“Everybody loves the tribute bands. We’ve had excellent feedback.” Kinkade said. “Last year we did very well numbers-wise, so we decided to try it again this year.”

As a member of rock band Templeton Fade, Kinkade said he once played a show with Double Vision vocalist Carl Worden. He has also seen Sticky Fingers play live.

“They were just phenomenal,” he said.

Aside from the tribute bands, this will also be the first time Creston will hold a Country Showdown, in which competitors qualify at the local level to advance to state, regional and national levels for a final grand prize of $100,000. Several music stars like Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Chris Young and Sara Evans have competed at various levels of the showdown during its 34-year history.

This local competition will be sponsored by KSIB Radio.

Chad Reick, KSIB general manager, said he has been contacted about holding a local Country Showdown competition for the past few years but has been searching for the right venue. With this year’s Party in the Park featuring a Garth Brooks tribute band, Reick said the competition fit right in.

“It made a little more sense to put it in this year as opposed to years past,” he said.

Reick said he hopes to draw some bands from the Des Moines, Kansas City and Omaha areas, but he said local musicians are welcome to compete as well.

“It can be anyone who’s just starting out or has been touring for themselves with a band looking for their big break,” he said.

To sign up to perform, contact Rieck at KSIB.

The ninth annual event will be in the McKinley Park bandshell. Kawa said Country Showdown is tentatively set to begin at 3 p.m. John Todd and Shameless will perform afterward, followed by Sticky Fingers and Double Vision.

Big Chris Barbecue will have food at the event. Concertgoers must be at least 16 to enter.

Tickets, which will be available for purchase May 1, are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.