City of Fallon and the Churchill Arts Council present second summer group

A starry night in western Nevada, a concert in the park shadowed by tall trees and great music make for a good combination for summer entertainment at Oats Park’s Centennial Stage.

The summer’s second in-the-park-concert, which is Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m., features Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts. The Oats Park Art Center will be open from 4-6 p.m. and then again beginning at 9 p.m. with the Art Bar.

Valerie Serpa, executive director of the Churchill Arts Center, has seen the group play and know they will receive a warm welcome in Fallon.

“They were surprising to me,” she said when she heard the group in Nashville. “They are incredible harmonizers, and I was sold on their voices.”

What also impressed Serpa was the group’s repertoire of music, especially its with its variety of rock and roll music.

“They have a lot of original music, and especially with the rock ‘n’ roll, I thought they would be fantastic with the all-class reunion,” she said. “Why not book them for the reunion? His genre is new, but his influences come from the old time rock ’n’ roll. People who grew up with rock will love him.”

According to the group’s website, “Nielsen has spent nearly a decade enthralling audiences with music that draws force from the prime years of Western-influenced rock music and classic ’60s soul … Claiming influences as diverse as Otis Redding’s classic soul and Jellyfish’s cult power pop recordings.”

The summer concerts have become a Fallon favorite for many years. Centennial Stage, though, added to the performances after it was constructed in 2008, the year of Fallon’s centennial as a city. The first act to appear was Dave Alcorn and the Guilty Man. Since the first concert on the new stage nine years ago, Serpa said the June and August concerts are always held on the third Saturday. Serpa said Stockman’s will be selling food and non-alcoholic beverages, while the Elks Lodge, will offer beer and wine.

Funding for the concept is a combined endeavor between the city of Fallon and the Churchill Arts Council.

The park setting makes this a unique experience for small groups and families if they want to have their own picnic before or doing the concert. Serpa said the park is also large enough to allow children to run around or people to have conversations away from the stage. She said some people bring their dogs.

“It’s still an enjoyable, family-friendly event in the park,” she said.