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Rock and roll band rolls into Nevada next Saturday
Nevada Daily Mail
For the first time in Fastball's 18-year history, the rock and roll band will perform in Nevada, at the Eagles Lodge, on Jan. 25.
"We're going to be the best thing in Nevada," guitarist and singer Miles Zuniga said. "I guarantee it."
The band will stop in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Friday, before coming to Nevada, and then Little Rock, Ark., afterwards, on Sunday.
"I don't know why we're coming to Nevada. I thought it was Las Vegas," Zuniga joked and laughed.
Promoter Doug Harper said the concert would not normally take place in a town of Nevada's size.
After rising to prominence in 1996 with the debut "Make Your Mama Proud," Fastball hit the chart with "The Way," "Out of My Head" and "Fire Escape." Fastball's record hit platinum-plus sales in six months. The Austin, Texas-based trio picked up a pair of Grammy nominations and an MTV Music Award nomination, as well.
"I think we've grown into a really good rock n' roll band that's way better than we've ever been," Zuniga said. "I think of myself as a lifer, a journeymen, who really enjoys the whole process.
We have an audience that's stuck with us the whole time and playing shows never feels like work because it's a ton of fun. We know people want to hear the hits and we definitely have those in there, but we try to play something off every record, have some improvisational moments without turning into a jam band, and half the time, I start calling out the set list as we go. It all depends on the night and the barometric pressure of the audience."
Zuniga said the band would play songs from all five of its albums. The concert will be dedicated to James Besaw, and a pre-event will feature Brooke Austen and Clinton Houseman, of Grandma Strange. Beneath the Surface will perform while people arrive at 6:30 p.m. The National Anthem will be performed by Brooke Austen, and the country and rock band Charlie Horse will open the concert with guest Kinley Rice. Guest emcee Brent Mendenhall will introduce the band at 8 p.m., and an after party will feature Shane Moses and Grandma Strange at 9:15 p.m.
"Our overall vibe depends on the room," drummer and percussionist Joey Shuffield said. "If we're playing a big festival, we like to rock out and make it as exciting as possible, but we're also known to vibe a bit more if we're in a smaller, more intimate setting. We always mix it up so things never get stale, plus these days, we all communicate way better than before and there's a greater musical depth as a group. Those are the things I really cherish and value after being in a band for 18 years."
For the concert, honorable mention costs $10; $15 buys a general admission seat; tickets cost $20 at the door; $100 buys sponsorship; and $750 buys one of three guitars signed by the band.
The money raised will cover the concert's costs and a donation will be made to the Vernon County Arts Council.
"We're not only making a donation," Harper said. "We will also be paving the way for other local organizations to use crowdsourcing (web-based fundraising) for important causes."