Hairball to headline Ames' RAGBRAI entertainment along with 7 local bands
As RAGBRAI cyclists cruise into Ames for the ride’s 50th anniversary Tuesday, July 25, they’ll find downtown rocking with several free, live music acts.
The concerts are open to cyclists, their support teams and the general public as the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa finishes their 83-mile ride from Carroll.
With two stages, music will start at 2 p.m. and play until 11 p.m., with Hairball headlining — and headbanging — the night.
The Main Stage will be located on Main Street near Douglas Avenue, and the First National Bank Stage will be at Burnett Avenue and Main Street, according to Discover Ames.
An outdoor beer garden will be available, and many downtown businesses will also open their doors..
Additional acts will include local groups Great Caesar’s Goat, Stranger Than Fiction, Foxpin, Burnin’ Sensations, Buckmiller/Schwager Band, and The Cherrypickers.
More: Great Caesar's Goat celebrates musical storytelling of new album, 2 solo CDs
What’s the music schedule for RAGBRAI in Ames?
Great Caesar’s Goat — 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., First National Bank Stage
Danny Grause — 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Main Stage
Stranger Than Fiction — 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Main Stage
Foxpin — 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., First National Bank Stage
Burnin’ Sensations — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Main Stage
Buckmiller/Schwager Band — 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., First National Bank Stage
Hairball — 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Main Stage
The Cherrypickers — 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., First National Bank Stage
More: Live music and good vibes: Don't miss these free and low-cost outdoor concerts this summer
Who are the bands performing as RAGBRAI entertainment?
Great Caesar’s Goat — Americana is one way to describe Great Caesar’s Goat’s music. The band has also been called alt-country and the humorous “y’all-ternative.” “Our stuff is very focused on the songwriting and the stories. At heart, Spencer (Braly) and I are both singer-songwriters,” co-founder Chris Patterson told the Ames Tribune in 2021. “But we like it done with a loud, distorted guitar.” With Greg Bruna on bass and Todd Cumming on drums, the Goat’s most recent album is “Gasoline and Gravel.”
Danny Grause — Ames-based singer-songwriter Danny Grause received the honor for Song of the Year at the Midwest Country Music Awards earlier this year for “Man On A Mountain.” Grause's genre is a bit tough to pin down, but his music starts with country and Americana lyrics as a solid foundation. Where it goes from there is anyone's guess. As a top-notch guitar player and multi-instrumentalist, Grause is well-known for weaving many influences into his live shows and taking the listener on a virtual road trip full of twists, turns and an occasional stop in funky town.
Stranger Than Fiction — This Ames band plays a broad range of classic rock, blues and contemporary rock. “From The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty to The Decemberists and The Head and the Heart, our music brings generations together,” the band writes on its website. Founded in 2008, members include Del Schmidt, James Webb, Larry “Red” Stoltenberg, Tony Stevens and Lisa Webb. The band has a regular presence each season at venues such as Roosevelt Summer Sundays, Prairie Moon Winery and Noir.
Foxpin — Three Ames High alumni, keyboard player Ben Erbes, drummer Dan McClanahan and guitarist Lane Jahn, played music together in high school, and in 2019 they decided to get the band back together. With the addition of bass player Chase Abner, the four-member band transformed into Foxpin. Then the pandemic hit, and the guys spent the next couple of years “experiencing heartbreak, existential confusion, and the ups and downs that come with being on the cusp of middle age." Now, they’re reemerging with songs born of musical tastes and emotions from across the spectrum of human experience,” according to their bio. Foxpin describes its music as earnest rock with bluesy keys and a tasteful rhythm section.
Burnin’ Sensations — Anyone familiar with the Ames music scene has heard of Burnin’ Sensations, one of the most popular, longest-running bands in town. The group formed in the summer of 2003 and has been rocking events at places such as Ames on the Half Shell, Prairie Moon Winery and The Cellar Winery (formerly Snus Hill). With a funky, soulful vibe, the band plays a wide range of popular songs — with a Burnin’ Sensations twist. Members include Stacy Peterson, Kate Sherrard, Ben Lehl, Tim Helgeson and Ron Carson.
More: Blues band Buckmiller/Schwager highlights Eric Smidt's documentary
Buckmiller/Schwager Band — The blues band, led by Tom Buckmiller and Brian Schwager, won the Iowa Blues Challenge in 2021, allowing it to play on Memphis’ famed Beale Street. Eric Smidt, who also plays with the band, saw the trip as a chance to shine a spotlight on blues music through the art of filmmaking, creating a short documentary film, “To Memphis and Back,” to share the band’s experience of playing the 2022 International Blues Challenge, where the band was a semifinalist. The doc has been accepted to the Interrobang Film Festival, part of the Des Moines Arts Festival, which will be held June 23-25.
Hairball — Fans can expect a great time when this rock-and-roll tribute band out of Minnesota plays in Ames. The show will likely include fire, smoke and lights when the band takes the stage. Generally, the band plays hits from arena acts such as Motley Crue, KISS, Van Halen, Journey, Queen and Aerosmith. New vocalist Drew Hart joins Kris Vox and Dave Moody, who drive the show's sound, while HBK plays the electric bass, Billy the drums, and Happy the lead guitar.
The Cherrypickers — The Cherrypickers cover band was formed a few years ago by longtime veterans of the central Iowa music scene. Bryon Dudley, Rachel Dudley, Aaron Alcott and Dean Erickson have played in groups such as Moonrabbit, Strong Like Bear and Obsidian's Dream. The Cherrypickers have an ever-evolving list of songs from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s — everything from The Cars to The Thompson Twins to Britney Spears. The band quickly became a mainstay for music series like Roosevelt Summer Sundays.
Ronna Faaborg covers business, education and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: From bluesmen to headbangers, Ames' RAGBRAI lineup is fun mix of music
