Live music will return to the Surf

The Surf Ballroom & Museum has announced the return of live music to its stage after nearly 14 months of darkness. The venue has added seven concerts and the 2021 big band dance series to their website, with genres ranging from reggae to classic rock and country.

Surf Ballroom & Museum Executive Director Laurie Lietz said, “We have missed presenting and enjoying live music so much. While we are so humbled by the support received during the past year, our team is very ready to bring live music back and do what we love to do…bring people together.”

Audiences for the first scheduled shows will be limited capacity, and the venue will follow local and state health department recommendations currently in place.

Surf Ballroom box office and museum hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and additionally, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Sundays from 1 – 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by calling 641-357-6151 or on-line at www.surfballroom.com.

Scheduled to appear:

•TUGG with Special Guest The Felt, Saturday, May 29. Advance tickets $15. This will be a limited capacity, seated show with tables placed on the dance floor.

TUGG, hailing from La Crosse, Wis., has done an amazing job channeling tropical grooves and breezy melodies and has quickly become a top draw in the Midwest and beyond.  All of the bands’ last five releases have debuted in the Top 50 of the iTunes Reggae Chart. Their 2012 EP “Home Brew” climbed all the way to number two and spent three weeks in the Hot 100 iTunes Reggae Album Chart. 

•Maddie Poppe with Caleb Hutchinson, Friday, June 18.  Advance tickets: $25.  This will be a limited capacity, seated show with tables placed on the dance floor.

Poppe is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Clarksville, Iowa and Season 16 winner of American Idol. Since her Idol victory, Poppe has been in high demand, appearing on multiple TV shows including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Live! With Kelly & Ryan and the Radio Disney Music Awards, and performing at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the Special Olympics, and CMA Fest in Nashville.  Her sophomore album, Whirlwind, reached number two on the iTunes Pop charts and her hit single, “Made You Miss,” earned number 19 on the Hot AC Radio charts. Her sentimental ballad “Not Losing You” also swept radio charts, reaching number 17.

•Night Ranger, Friday, July 9.  Advance tickets $34.

With more than 17 Million albums sold worldwide, over 3,500 live performances, and a radio audience that exceeds 1 billion, Night Ranger has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era. Night Ranger have earned widespread acclaim, that includes multi-platinum and gold album status while leaving their indelible mark on the music charts with a string of best-selling albums (Dawn Patrol, Midnight Madness, 7 Wishes, Big Life and Man In Motion). 

•Thunderstruck, Friday, July 16.  Advance tickets $20.

Thunderstruck prides itself in being one of the most authentic sounding AC/DC tribute bands in the world. 

•Gordon Lightfoot, Tuesday, July 20. Advance tickets: $40-55. This will be a seated show with chairs placed on the dance floor.

After more than 50 active years of hit song making and international album sales well into the multimillions, it’s safe to say that esteemed singer-songwriter and musician Gordon Lightfoot resides with some very exclusive company atop the list of all-time greats. This year is special for Lightfoot with the announcements of a cross-country USA tour; a new, first time in 14-years, full-length record on Warner Brothers Rhino, titled: Gordon Lightfoot - Solo; and, the nation-wide release of the documentary film: Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind. The concert tour will feature his well known hits as well as some deep album cuts for the die-hard fanatics. All of which are woven together with some of Lightfoot’s own behind the scenes stories and personal anecdotes about his historic 50-plus-years musical career.

•Whitesidewalls, Friday, Aug. 6. Advance tickets $15.

Since their genesis over 45 years ago, the Whitesidewalls Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue has been the Midwest’s ultimate 1950s and 1960s doo-wop and rock and roll show band.•Beach Boys, Monday, Aug. 16. Advance tickets $59. A limited number of tickets remain available for this show.

The Beach Boys’ songs have forever changed the musical landscape, profoundly influencing countless performing artists to follow. The band is led by Mike Love, who, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston, musical director Scott Totten, Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher and Randy Leago, continue the legacy of the iconic group. Grammy-winning songwriter Bruce Johnston joined The Beach Boys in 1965, replacing Glenn Campbell, who filled-in for Brian Wilson, on vocals/bass, when he retired from touring. 

•Happy Together Tour 2021, Thursday, Aug. 19.  Advance tickets $39.  Starring: The Turtles, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), The Association, Classics IV, The Vogues, The Cowsills.

•Martina McBride, Friday, Aug. 27. Advance tickets $55-85. This will be a seated show with chairs on the dance floor.

Martina McBride first made the country charts in 1992. Her hit records since then have included such enduring classics as “Wild Angels,” “Safe in the Arms of Love,” “Wrong Again,” “Blessed,” “My Baby Loves Me,” “Life #9,” “Love’s the Only House,” “Whatever You Say,” “Where Would You Be,” “In My Daughter’s Eyes,” “When God Fearin’ Women Get the Blues,” “A Broken Wing” and most recently “Girls Like Me.”  To date, she has had 20 top-10 hits and six number one smashes. As a result, McBride is ranked as the most played woman vocalist on country radio between 1999 and 2010, She was honored with induction into the cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1995.

The Country Music Association has named her its Female Vocalist of the Year four times. The Academy of Country Music has presented her with its Top Female honor three times. The Recording Academy has nominated her for 14 Grammy Awards.