By Kate Scriven
I love a good concert. From the excitement of buying the tickets and choosing seats to preparing for the night, listening to my favorite tracks of the band I’m about to go see. Or, if it’s a relatively new band to me, the anticipation of a potential new favorite is all part of the fun. Not to mention the night out, an excuse to book a sitter and go to dinner on the town before the event.
What I don’t love about a concert is the 45-minute, or more, drive to venues north of Thurston County. Nor do I relish paying the exorbitant prices charged for big name bands in huge venues. Isn’t there a happy medium? A great venue with great music a bit closer to home?
Yes, happily, there is. The Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel attracts some of the nation’s top performers to their Rochester, Washington location. The on-site Events Center is big enough to draw excellent talent, but small enough for every seat in the house to be ideal. This fall, the resort has a great line up that has me feeling a little bit country, but still a little bit rock and roll.
Multi-platinum country quartet Lonestar takes the stage in the Lucky Eagle Events Center at 8 p.m. on October 4. The concert, part of the band’s twentieth anniversary tour, includes original lead singer Richie McDonald after he stepped away from the band for a solo album. Lonestar’s 10 number one hits helped cement them as a favorite with country fans worldwide.
But, it was their smash hit Amazed, hitting the top of both the pop and country charts, that made them a household name, and one reason why I’d love to see them perform live.
And if your roots are a little more towards the rock genre, never fear. A month later, Lucky Eagle welcomes solo-artist Aaron Lewis to the stage. His gritty country sound reveals his roots in rock-and-roll and appeals to a broad audience.
Nominated for three Grammy Awards as the lead singer for Staind, Lewis is now touring on his own, bringing new hits like Country Boy to fans in his high-energy show.
Rock fans won’t be disappointed either, as Lewis’ shows are known for a mix of country, hits from Staind as well as covers of old favorites.
The concert is slated for 8 p.m. on November 1 at the Lucky Eagle Events Center.
“Lucky Eagle continually strives to provide an unparalleled casino experience,” said John Straus, Lucky Eagle Casino & Hotel Vice President of Marketing. “Bringing in big-time entertainment is a big part of this.”
Sprinkled in with these big name shows, and on the heels of the fantastic September 12 concert with Wynonna & the Big Noise, are a wide variety of other entertainment choices at Lucky Eagle. The Events Center will host Little River Band on October 12 and a Comedy Festival on November 16.
All shows start at 8 p.m. and tickets are available by calling the Lucky Eagle Box Office at 1-800-720-1788 or through Ticketmaster.
And, if you are looking for spur of the moment live music in a fun and casual setting, check out the Scatter Creek Grill at the Lucky Eagle. Live, free, music is played every Friday and Saturday night from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.
If a 20-minute drive from Olympia for top-notch entertainment sounds as good to you as it does to me, check out the acts coming to Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel. Maybe even make it a mini get-away. The newly renovated hotel is beautiful, the restaurants outstanding, and the music? Well, you know that’s going to be good.
12888 188th Avenue SW 98579
1-800-720-1788
