Classic & modern rock bands, country legend to headline Batavia Series
Press release
BATAVIA – Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the lineup for their third annual Rockin’ the Downs concert series, which take place outside on the racetrack, with eight consecutive Friday dates, starting in June and running into August.
Kicking off the series on Friday, June 21st is Grammy Award-winning rock band Survivor. Best known for the double platinum-certified song Eye of the Tiger, Survivor’s massive hits also include Burning Heart, The Search Is Over, High On You, Is This Love, and I Can’t Hold Back. This Academy Award-nominated band has had 18 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 during their storied career.
Next up, on Friday, June 28th is classic rock band Queensrÿche. With over 30 million albums sold worldwide, Queensrÿche continues to tour the globe to sold out audiences. The band has earned multiple Grammy Award nominations, and won the MTV “viewer’s choice” award for the #1 chart topping hit Silent Lucidity. Even with eleven gold and platinum plaques and several Top 10 hard rock anthems under their belt, Queensrÿche consistently delivers high-octane live shows combining the hungry fire of a new band with the tempered experience of master showmen.
On Friday, July 5th Canadian rock icon Kim Mitchell takes the stage in Batavia. A gifted and peer-respected guitar player as well as an acclaimed songwriter, Mitchell has recorded many hits, including Go For Soda, Rock N Roll Duty, Patio Lanterns, I am a Wild Party, Easy To Tame, and All We Are, to name just a few. Mitchell has achieved gold and multiplatinum sales status over a long and storied career that focused on “alternative” and ‘independent” long before the words became clichés.
Rocking the stage on Friday, July 12th is singer Steve Augeri. Best known as the lead vocalist for the rock group “Journey” from 1998-2006, Steve headlined an eight-year tenure that included three albums, and brought one of the world’s most accomplished melodic rock groups back to the stage for multiple world tours to millions of adoring fans. Steve promises to bring his high-energy mix of new music as well as material from his career to the Downs.
Gin Blossoms performs on Friday, July 19th. Hailing from Tempe, AZ, the band hit the big time with their first major label album, New Miserable Experience, which went quadruple platinum, and gave us the hit single Hey Jealousy. Other hits from the Grammy-nominated band include Follow You Down, Mrs. Rita, Found Out About You, Pieces Of The Night, and ‘Til I Hear It From You. Gin Blossoms remain a rare breed, continuing to create, craft, and perform their glorious catalog of material.
Friday, July 26th sees Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the Downs. Synonymous with the phrase “young blues rock guitarist”, Shepherd has established himself as an immensely popular recording artist, a consistently in-demand live act, and an influential force in the worldwide resurgence of interest in the blues. The Louisiana-born axeman and songsmith has sold millions of albums, shining a light on the rich blues of the past while forging ahead with his own twist on a classic sound he has embodied since his teens.
Country music royalty Tanya Tucker will rock the Downs on Friday, August 2nd. Named one of CMT’s 40 Greatest Women of Country Music, this Academy of Country Music Award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer’s number one hits include Delta Dawn, Blood Red and Goin’ Down, Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone), Lizzie and the Rainman, San Antonio Stroll, Here’s Some Love, and Strong Enough to Bend.
Closing out the series on Friday, August 9th is Theory of a Deadman. Hailing from Delta, British Columbia, Theory, as they are known, has turned their hard rock/alternative sound into eight top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, including three number one tracks in Bad Girlfriend, Lowlife, and Rx (Medicate).
Tickets for all eight concerts will be available at www.BataviaConcerts.com beginning at 10am on Friday, February 8th. Individual pre-sale tickets to each concert will remain at $10 for General Admission while VIP tickets will again be $25. For the first time, concert goers will be able to purchase tickets in the Premium Section directly in front of the stage. Premium tickets are $50 and will be very limited for each concert. General Admission tickets are $15 if purchased on the day of the concert. Tickets can also be purchased at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel at the “Lucky Treasures” Gift Shop located in the lobby.
Concert goers will once again have the option of purchasing a “Season Pass”, which includes admission to all eight concerts at a discounted rate. The season pass for 2019 is $60.00 for General Admission and $150.00 for VIP.
“We are very excited to once again host the region’s premier concert series, which includes another great lineup of musical icons,” said Henry Wojtaszek, CEO/President of Batavia Downs Gaming. “We hope the community will continue to enjoy what has been an entertaining and affordable event each year. It’s great to see the community come together for a series that everyone can be a part of.”
Hotel room/ticket packages will be available for each concert. Purchase of a hotel room on the night of a concert using the code includes two VIP tickets to the show while supplies last. Each concert ticket is also redeemable once at Player’s Club in the three days following the concert for $10 Free Play to be used on one of Batavia Downs Gaming’s 800+ gaming machines. Concerts are held Rain or Shine. Additional information may be found at www.BataviaDownsGaming.com.
About Batavia Downs/WROTB
Owned and operated by 15 Western New York counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo, Western Region Off-Track Betting Corporation is a public benefit corporation with headquarters in Batavia, NY. WROTB owns and operates 17 branches, as well as Batavia Downs Gaming, a standard bred racetrack and gaming facility. Since its inception, Western Region OTB has generated over $220 million in operating and surcharge revenues to the taxpayers of those participating municipalities.