Get ready to enjoy and rock out to the Elkhorn Concert Series when it kicks off the first of three shows with G. Love & Special Sauce, preceded by opening act Josh Ritter. The show is set for Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. in Elkhorn Village. Tickets are $37.50 and will be $10 more at the door, so buy early.
G. Love & Special Sauce returns to Sun Valley after almost a decade. The Philadelphia native who leads the band, G. Love, calls himself a "hip-hop blues artist." Love has released his third CD, "Superhero Brother," on Jack Johnson's Brushfire label, his 10th album of his 15-year career.
Hitting the stage before G. Love, Ritter will play his first Sun Valley gig. Originally from Moscow, Idaho, Ritter makes his home in Brooklyn, N.Y. He will play two nights at the Egyptian Theatre in Boise, one of which will be solo with the Boise Philharmonic.
"The recession is everywhere," Ritter said. "Musicians have been in a recession for the last 10 years, but you can take the situation and turn it into your favor."
Ritter said that it's amazing what people are creating and there is no justice for them because they are not able to get their work out.
"I have never been comfortable playing from a single record," Ritter said. "I never want to force-feed new material. I like to play as much new stuff as I can and give everyone a taste of everything I've got."
The concert series organizers have set up free transportation with Mountain Rides from Bellevue to Elkhorn with stops in between, as well as return trips after the shows. Babysitting will be available at the YMCA in Ketchum and at the Sun Valley Ballet School in Hailey, which will also have Mountain Rides bus pick-up and drop-off. Babysitting at the Y is $35 for members and $50 for non-members.
Event organizers hope to have 1,000 cyclists ride their bikes to the venue, where there will be a bike valet and bike tune-ups available. Parking will not be available in Elkhorn, but will be available at the Sun Valley Horseman's Center with buses every 10 minutes to the Elkhorn venue.
"The [Mountain Rides] Party Bus is on board for all of our shows," said event organizer Paris Nicholson. "The first show will have a collector's ticket available and if there is demand, Mountain Rides will add more buses."
Organizers want to evoke a festival atmosphere and will have plenty of food and beverages available at the concert. Purveyors include Apple's, Rasberry's, WiseGuy Pizza, Toni's Ice Cream and the Elkhorn Market. Three full bars will also be open, in addition to the Elkhorn Supper Club bar. It is highly suggested to bring cash.
"We really want to make it work," Nicholson said. "It's what the valley needs and people need to support it so it can happen next year. [Organizer] Dave Hennessy has to be thanked for going out on a limb to do this."
Low-back chairs are welcome as well as blankets. Bike riders are encouraged not to forget a headlamp. Bikes can be left overnight and picked up the next day by 10 a.m.
Proceeds from the show will benefit The Advocates, the Hunger Coalition, Sun Valley Adaptive Sports and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The following two concerts in the series are the Drive-By Truckers on Aug. 13 and Big Head Todd & the Monsters on Sept. 3.
For details, visit elkhornconcerts.com.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
G. Love & Special Sauce will play its groovy hip-hop blues in Elkhorn on Thursday, July 16. Photo by
