Southern rock band 38 Special will perform at the Taylor Summer Festival June 28.
TAYLOR — Top-flight music, Rotary Club of Taylor Fireworks Night and an all-new drone show will be in the spotlight during the 2024 Taylor Summer Festival scheduled for June 27 to 30 at Heritage Park.
Southern rock band 38 Special, with special guests The Hideaways and “American Idol” contestant and Taylor native Dave Fio will be in concert on June 28. They will be followed by a free drone show above Heritage Park. The drone show will be displayed at dusk.
Rock bands April Wine and Jack Russell’s Great White will take the stage on Saturday, June 29. That night is the annual fireworks night at the festival. Fireworks will be displayed around dusk at approximately 10 p.m.
Ticket prices for each concert are $30 advance seated ($35 day of show) and $15 advance general admission standing room ($20 day of show). The advance ticket links for each concert are available online at taylorfestival.com and universe.com. Paid parking will be located inside and outside Heritage Park, which is located near Northline and Pardee roads, accessible via I-75, Telegraph and I-94.
For tickets to the carnival rides, go to https://elliottsamusements.com/events/22.
38 SPECIAL
After more than four decades, 38 Special continues to bring a signature Southern Rock sound to over 100 cities a year. Their many Gold and Platinum album awards stand in testament to the endurance of a powerhouse.
With sales in excess of 20 million, most associate the band with their arena-rock pop smashes “Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Caught Up in You,” “Fantasy Girl,” “If I’d Been the One,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Chain Lightnin’,” “Second Chance,” and more. They are all timeless hits that remain a radio staple. Since 1976, the band has released more than 15 albums.
“We never wanted to be one of those bands that had maybe gotten a little soft or complacent over the years,” said guitarist and vocalist Don Barnes, a founding member who created the original group with Donnie Van Zant in 1974. “We’re a team, and it’s always been kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t slack up, we stack up. We go out there every night to win.”
The 38 Special current lineup includes Barnes, keyboardist/vocalist Bobby Capps, drummer Gary Moffett, bassist Barry Dunaway and guitarist Jerry Riggs.
“This music keeps our wheels on the road,” Barnes said. “We’re a band that’s tried to stay honest with what has driven us over the years. We started out with nothing but bold determination to make our own history and to endure.
“The magic’s still there. It’s an emotional high for us to keep ‘bringing it’ after all these years. When those lights go down and we all walk up those steps to the stage and hear that crowd roar, it’s a real rush.”
Taylor native and “American Idol” contestant Dave Fio will perform at the Taylor Summer Festival June 28.
DAVE FIO
You might have heard of promising singer Dave Fio and his recent endeavors on “American Idol.” Also known around Taylor as David Meyers, his given name, Fio became a Hollywood card-carrying member of the famous singing competition during a tryout aired in mid-March.
“About six months ago, my cousin Faith sent me a link that ‘American Idol’ was having virtual auditions, so I figured, ‘What the heck? Let’s try it,’” he said.
Singing was just part of Fio’s story. When he looked in the mirror that day, he did not like what he saw. He said that a switch went off in his head. It was time for some serious changes.
He stopped drinking and threw away all of the bad food in his house. By the time he got to the “American Idol” stage, it had been 12 weeks and he was down 65 pounds. A new man, he even had new clothes and boots.
With his parents, Jody and David Meyers, offstage with other family members, he pounded out a rendition of Jelly Roll’s “Save Me” for judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in Nashville. The song’s lyrics fit young Fio to a tee: “Save me from me, me from myself …”
Fio is looking forward to opening the festival concert on June 28.
THE HIDEAWAYS
The Hideaways are a Detroit-area trio know of their creative musicianship and dynamic vocal harmonies. They perform classic rock, pop, country, blues in both electric and acoustic fashions.
DRONE SHOW
This year’s free-to-the-public drone show scheduled for dusk on June 28 will be unique and a first in the Downriver area.
“This drone show is to honor the late Taylor Police Officer Matthews Edwards and Taylor Auxiliary member Dan Kromer,” Police Chief John Blair said. “We also want to honor military veterans and create a show that can be attended by autistic children. Overall, it will have a patriotic theme.”
Drone light shows are performed by illuminated, synchronized and choreographed groups of drones that arrange themselves into various aerial formations. The drones are controlled by a central computer, which sends signals concerning display color and movement. Drone shows are traditionally quieter than fireworks, making them a perfect substitute for people who do not react well to loud noises.
Almost any image can be recreated in the sky by computer program. During the Detroit Lions’ recent run to the National Football Conference title game, a large drone show was held over Detroit and drew raves from onlookers across the region.
Drone shows can involve a minimum of 100 to 150 drones. Recommended viewing distance for drone shows is about 300 yards, but that can depend greatly on weather conditions. In some instances, drone shows have been spotted from a mile away.
Canadian rock band April Wine will perform at the Taylor Summer Festival June 29.
Jack Russell’s Great White will perform at the Taylor Summer Festival June 29.
APRIL WINE & JACK RUSSELL’S GREAT WHITE
Taking the stage on June 29, will be rock bands April Wine and Jack Russell’s Great White.
April Wine, a noted Canadian band first formed in 1969, is now made up of Brian Greenway, Marc Parent, Roy “Nip” Nichol and Richard Lanthier. The band has released 15 studio albums, three live releases, numerous compilations, a boxed set and thousands of concerts.
The band has experienced great popularity across Canada, including 1970s and ’80s hits like “You Could Have Been a Lady,” “Tonite is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love,” “Roller,” “I Like to Rock,” “Sign of the Gypsy Queen” and “Just Between You and Me.”
The original Great White was created through a meeting between Jack Russell and Mark Kendall in 1977. The band’s success peaked with several albums in the mid- to late-’80s including Platinum records “Once Bitten and Twice Shy.” The group had great success through radio and MTV.
Russell stayed with the band until 1996, when he took three years off to release his own solo album. He rejoined the band until it broke up in 2001 and eventually changed the name to what it is today. Russell now tours with band members Robby Lochner, Tony Cardenas-Montana and Dan McNay.
FIREWORKS
The Rotary Club of Taylor Fireworks Night will be held at dusk on June 29. The show is free.
Go to taylorfestival.com for more information and ticket links.
The summer festival is presented by 360 Event Productions and the city of Taylor. Sponsors include the Rotary Club of Taylor, Wallside Windows, General RV, Taylor Ford, Al’s Asphalt, UAW Region-1A, Westside Distributors, Penchura, Ashley Capital, UniFirst, Taylor Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, SCI Floor Covering Inc., SMART Bus, Total Community Credit Union and Bubba’s 33.