Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to kick off concert series

Carson City’s free summer concert series is kicking off this year with a band that’s been to the Super Bowl.

The Brewery Arts Center’s (BAC) Levitt AMP Carson City Music Series gets going June 23 with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

The eight-member swing band has played the Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center, and with three dozen orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony.

The band’s also played the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars,” and its hit songs, including “Go Daddy-O,” were featured in the 1996 comedy-drama “Swingers.”

And the Ventura, Calif., band played the 1999 Super Bowl half-time show alongside Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan.

“I’m still in shock we got them,” said Gina Lopez Hill, director, BAC. “I predict it’s going to be the biggest free show that Carson City has ever done.”

The band plays the free concert a week after the planned release of its 11th studio album. “Louie Louie Louie,” a tribute to the music of Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima.

The band features founding members Scotty Morris on guitar and vocals and Kurt Sodergren on drums and percussion.

This is the second year of the Levitt AMP series of 10 outdoor concerts, featuring food vendors, wine and beer, kid’s activities and sometimes a dance floor.

“We’ll have the same family-friendly, welcoming atmosphere,” said Hill. “And this year we have a margarita machine donated (by volunteer Jonni Moon).”

The series will also again feature a variety of music styles and all new bands, save one.

On July 1, lyrical rock band The Novelists, formerly of Reno, will play.

Blues guitarist Guitar Shorty is featured on July 8.

“He taught Jimi Hendrix how to play,” said Hill.

Gene Evaro Jr., a soulful folk musician who will be performing at the Joshua Tree Music Festival in May, is the headliner July 15.

La Misa Negra, an eight-piece band playing cumbia, or Mexican dance club music, is featured on July 22.

On July 29, the only band retuning from last year’s series, Southern Drawl Band, performs, playing southern rock country music.

The musical act for Aug. 5 is Thee Commons, a Los Angeles band that describes its music as psychedelic cumbia punk, and on Aug. 12, Marla Brown, a reggae artist from the United Kingdom and daughter of reggae star Dennis Brown, will perform.

There will be no concert on Aug. 19, when Battle Born Harley-Davidson puts on its music festival to raise money for the children of Deputy Carl Howell, the Carson City Sheriff’s officer who was killed in the line of duty.

The concert series resumes on Aug. 26 with the Dusty Green Bones Band playing electric newgrass and concludes with Celtic rock from Young Dubliners on Sept. 2.

The concert series is funded by the Levitt Foundation and matching grants.

The BAC is also looking for varying levels of sponsorships for the series, from a series presenting sponsor to a Levitt AMP supporters.

Last year, the concert series brought in an estimated $5 million in marketing value to the city, said Hill.

The BAC is posting a Spotify playlist of all the bands at its Facebook page.

For information, visit the BAC online at breweryarts.org or call 883-1976.