Fridays on the Plaza ends its summer reign with strong August lineup

CHEYENNE — The capital city’s free weekly outdoor music festival finishes strong in its last month of performances at the Cheyenne Depot Plaza.

This summer’s lineup consisted of 29 artists, including Grammy award winners, artists who’ve played at the White House and even a halftime Super Bowl performer. Cheyenne Presents made sure to book a variety of artists and bands that are a testament to their commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Each show has an opener and a headliner, with the show starting at 6 p.m. every Friday.

Courtney Sanchez, the marketing manager for Cheyenne Presents, said, “We are thrilled to share that this has been our most well-attended season in Fridays history. The energy and enthusiasm from our community have been absolutely incredible, and we’ve received outstanding feedback from both our attendees and the nationally touring artists we’ve had the pleasure of hosting.

“Artists such as Rose Royce, Sky of LMFAO, Alien Ant Farm and many others have expressed their admiration for our community, with one group mentioning that this was the best gig they have done all year. Such high praise truly reflects the unique, inclusive and vibrant atmosphere we cultivate at Fridays on the Plaza.”

As they look forward to the final month of performances, Sanchez told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, “We are excited to continue this streak of fantastic shows. The support and engagement from our community have made this season unforgettable, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the season has in store.

“We also want to give a huge shoutout to our security team and the Cheyenne Police Department for ensuring a safe and fun environment for everyone. Their hard work and dedication have been essential to making Fridays on the Plaza such a great experience.”

Here is some background on the headliners gracing the stage in August:

Aug. 2: Aquile w/Trey Wrks

Aquile is a singer-songwriter born in San Diego and raised in Douglas and Casper, Wyoming. He’s always had a passion for music and art, even returning to the West Coast to pursue musical theater in college, as well as his own musical career.

The artist is best known for being a contestant on season three of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2011, which is when he got started in the public eye. During his time on the show, he turned three chairs, but chose Christina Aguilera as his coach. Although he didn’t win season three, his time on the show gave him the catapult he needed to jumpstart his career. After “The Voice,” though, he came out with very few singles. One was in 2013 called “Control,” and another in 2017 was called “Smile.” His latest (and fourth single overall) is from 2022, called “Dedication.”

Also since “The Voice,” Aquile has played major venues like Red Rocks and has opened for countless superstars such as BB King and Kenny Loggins, as well as written and recorded songs with Grammy award-winning producers.

Notable tracks: “Dedication” (2022), “Your Song — The Voice Performance” (2011), “You Give Me Something — The Voice Performance” (2011).

Aug. 9: The Barlow w/Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts

If you’re familiar with the terms “outlaw country” and “Southern rock,” and you like what you hear, then you’re in for a treat with this group. The Barlow is a four-piece band brewing up their own blend of Colorado country. They have three studio albums out right now, including their self-titled first album in 2019, “Horseshoe Lounge” in 2021 and “New Year, Old Me” in 2022. Their most recent single is from 2023, called “Dreams for Tomorrow.”

The Barlow features the talents of Shea Boynton (vocals, guitar and banjo), Jason Berner (bass), Ben Richter (drums) and Brad Johnson (guitar and vocals). With three albums and 33 songs under their belt in the five years they’ve been together, one thing is for sure — these four guys have no desire to blend into one specific niche or genre.

Notable tracks: “Josephine” (2022), “All My Days” (2022), “Dreams for Tomorrow” (2023).

Aug. 16: The Blues Dogs w/Johnny & the Mongrels

This eclectic group of individuals is full of doctors, lawyers, business owners, teachers and laborers who have a passion for blues music. The Blues Dogs is a 10-piece show/cover band that has shared the stage with notable artists like Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Wynona Judd, Atomic Fireballs and more. They’ve also been featured three times at the Greeley Blues Jam arena, The Lyric Theater and the Thunder Mountain Amphitheater. If you come to this performance, expect to hear a creative mix of blues, rock, funk and R&B classics that honor all musical genres rooted in blues, as well as the type of jams that get people on their feet.

The current members of the Blues Dogs are father-daughter duo Kent Oberman and Meghan Castor (vocalists), Alan Sparks (bass), Tim Gauthier and Timmy Zann (both guitarists and vocalists), Paul Carbajal (keyboards), Troy Harms (drums), Matthew Floyd (saxophone), Matt Meuli (trumpets) and Tim Clarke (trombone).

The group has been performing together doing community events for three decades, and has played pro bono events to help raise over $1.3 million for the community.

Notable tracks: “I Feel That Old Feelin’ Comin On,” originally by James Brown (1988); “High on the Hog,” originally by Tommy Castro (1997); “Don’t Try To Change Me,” originally by Jesse Yawn (1981).

Aug. 23: Daya w/Olivia Frances

Any 2000s baby probably recognizes the name Daya, also known as Grace Martine Tandon, and if they don’t recognize the name, they’ll definitely recognize her top hits. Daya hit the scene in 2015 and gained massive success with her first EP, “Daya,” which consisted of bangers like “Sit Still, Look Pretty” and “Hide Away.”

Originally from Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Daya has been learning piano and has had music in her life since age 3. By age 7, she learned to play the guitar, ukulele, saxophone and flute. At age 11, she enrolled as a student at the Accelerando Music Conservatory, where she met songwriter and producer Gino Barletta. While working with Daya, Barletta, who co-owned the music camp Inside Access, invited the singer to Los Angeles in February 2015 to start working on her own original material.

The singer wasted no time, putting out her debut single, “Hide Away,” in April 2015. She received praise online from popular YouTube bloggers at the time, as well as having it peak at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout 2016 and 2018, she won awards for the World Dance Music Radio Awards, and even a Grammy for her collaboration with The Chainsmokers, “Don’t Let Me Down.” Her debut album, “Sit Still, Look Pretty” debuted Oct. 7, 2016.

Her music in recent years has transformed from pop to more of an EDM style, and although she has many singles in her discography, she still only has one album, but will likely be coming out with more in the coming years.

Notable tracks: “Hide Away” (2015), “Sit Still, Look Pretty” (2015), “Don’t Let Me Down” ft. The Chainsmokers (2016).

Aug. 30: Ezra Bell w/Mike Morris

Many years ago, a licensing company found and commissioned the band Ezra Bell to play and record Sam Cooke’s worst song for an insurance commercial that would end up playing on Super Bowl Sunday. When a booking agency caught wind of Ezra Bell’s antics, they propped them up for an audience in Portland, thus projecting them into live performances.

Ezra Bell members are Aaron Mattison (horns), Maurice Spencer (bass), Honora Hildreth (vocals), Jeremy Asay (keys, guitar), Tom Trotter (drums) and Benjamin Wuamett (vocals). The band was founded in the summer of 2013 and has four albums as of 2024, with their last one, “Jorji,” coming out in 2022. Their latest single is “Leanorza Rizbang” from earlier this year.

Although they don’t tour as much as they used to, the band focuses heavily on recording and self-releasing independent music. They carve a wide path through the musical spectrum, bushing up against the likes of folk, jazz, blues, rock, pop and R&B. At their core, though, they are an indie folk band that is just here enjoying the ride of making music together.

Notable tracks: “Junk Food Chimney” (2013), “Don’t Just Sit Here and Drink Yourself to Death” (2017), “I Love You Too” (2020).