SIOUX CITY — With two headliners performing in Sioux City in the coming week, Battery Park is expected to be filled to the brim.
People are also reading…
Country singer Lainey Wilson will start off the week’s performances Thursday as part of Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sioux City’s outdoor concert series. The concert is sold out, which means Battery Park is expecting to host at full capacity, equal to 6,000 patrons.
Hard Rock announced Wilson back in March; even since then, her popularity in the country music scene has grown. Wilson rose to fame with her chart-topping breakout single “Things a Man Oughta Know” and was recognized as the CMA’s 2022 Female Vocalist of the Year and the ACM’s 2022 New Female Artist of the Year.
“With Lainey Wilson, gosh, we got really lucky to get her to come to Sioux City,” said Hard Rock marketing director Shannon Pauling. “Because right after we announced her, the CMT Awards came out, the ACM Awards and all that, and she really just blew up. So, we were really lucky to get that for Sioux City because she’s grown in popularity so much even since we’ve announced.”
The stage at Battery Park is shown behind the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. This week, the Sioux City venue will play host to two concerts.
Following Wilson, Saturday will be a performance from hip hop artist Ludacris, who is known for hits such as "My Chick Bad" and "Act a Fool" and for his role in the "Fast & Furious" movies. Tickets for Ludacris are still available for purchase.
“Ludacris is one of those shows that we think is kind of for everybody," Pauling said. “There’s a big group of people here in Sioux City and people are really excited about that show.”
Like Wilson and Ludacris, this season’s outdoor concerts have gotten a great response from the public and have had a great attendance record so far, Pauling said. They hosted the classic rock band Foreigner in May and metal bands Volbeat and Halestorm on July 29, each boasting around 5,000 attendees.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by all of the concerts we’ve had this year,” Pauling said. “We’ve been really pleased with the attendance so far.”
Hosting crowds of 6,000 people does require a lot of planning and preparation. Hard Rock officials work closely with the Sioux City Police Department and makes sure to have EMT services on site in case any of emergencies at Battery Park.
“We just make sure we have the right people in place,” Pauling said. “We just want to make sure that we are prepared for any and all situations.”
On Thursday, the Sioux City Hard Rock's Battery Park is playing host to country singers Lainey Wilson and Kaitlin Butts. Then, Saturday, hip h…
And for the Sioux Cityans looking to get around downtown during the concerts, they should expect the intersection at Fourth Street and Pearl Street to be blocked off, as it will be used for the venue’s entrance.
“It’s going to be the same setup that it has been for previous shows,” said Pauling. “And with the parking garaged that we have all over downtown, it should be pretty smooth.”
Hard Rock recently announced the openers for both headliners. Before Wilson will be a performance from country singer Kaitlin Butts, known for her singles “Marfa Lights” and “How Lucky Am I”. Preceding Ludacris will be Ally Brooke, a pop artist known best for her part in the girl-group Fifth Harmony as well as her solo hits “Low Key” and “Lips Don’t Lie”, along with The Sound Insurgent, a Sioux City DJ and a local favorite.
For now, Pauling and the Hard Rock team are taking notes and looking to see what performers they'll host in next year's lineup.
“You know, we’re always looking ahead to see kind of what’s next,” said Pauling. “And so, we’re hopeful for some really good acts next season.”