Smokin Strings Magazine

𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬

𝐁𝐲: 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡

The rodeo may have been over, but the excitement at Farmer City Heritage Days was just getting started.

As soon as the Party Pit gates opened on Saturday night, fans took off running toward the stage to secure front-row spots for Randy Houser. It was a scene usually reserved for major arena shows, not a small-town festival. Within minutes, the pit was packed shoulder-to-shoulder as hundreds of fans filled the area in anticipation of the night's headlining performance.

After the dust settled in the arena, the energy simply shifted from the rodeo grounds to the concert stage. By the time Houser took the stage, the crowd was already electric. What followed was a high-energy performance that kept fans singing, dancing, and cheering from the opening song until the final encore.

Houser has spent nearly two decades building a reputation as one of country music's most recognizable voices. The Mississippi native first found success as a songwriter before launching a recording career that produced hits including "How Country Feels," "Runnin' Outta Moonlight," "Goodnight Kiss," and "Boots On." Known for his powerful vocals and traditional country sound, Houser has become a fixture on country radio and festival stages across the country.

That reputation was on full display in Farmer City.

Opening with "Boots On," Houser immediately had the crowd engaged. Fans sang along from the first verse and never seemed to let up. The set continued with favorites including "Whistlin' Dixie," "Goodnight Kiss," and "How Country Feels," each drawing loud reactions from the packed crowd.

One of the night's biggest surprises came when Houser launched into Alan Jackson's classic "Chattahoochee." The crowd instantly responded, turning the performance into one giant singalong. Throughout the evening, Houser mixed fan favorites with songs such as "Note to Self," "Tulsa Time," "Back in the Bottle," and "Like a Cowboy," giving longtime fans plenty to enjoy.

The atmosphere throughout the night felt larger than life. The Party Pit remained packed from start to finish, while fans throughout the grounds danced, raised their drinks, and sang along to nearly every song. It felt less like a local festival and more like a major touring stop.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the evening was the connection between Houser and the audience. Every hit seemed to bring even more energy from the crowd, and Houser appeared to feed off that enthusiasm as the night progressed. Whether performing chart-toppers or deeper cuts, he kept the audience fully engaged.

After closing the main set with "Like a Cowboy," Houser returned for an encore performance of "Moonlight," sending fans home on a high note and putting the finishing touch on one of the most memorable nights of this year's Heritage Days celebration.

The combination of a successful rodeo, beautiful weather, a packed venue, and a high-energy headline performance created a perfect recipe for a memorable summer night in Central Illinois. Judging by the crowd turnout, the nonstop singing, and the race to fill the Party Pit before the show even began, Randy Houser's appearance at Farmer City Heritage Days will be remembered for a long time to come.

Band: Randy Houser
Venue: Farmer City Heritage Days
Promoter: Grandstand Concerts
Photos by: Xplicit Impressions

𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐍𝐉
𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝐁𝐲: 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐧

Debonair Music Hall has become one of my favorite music venues.
From local bands to national acts, it has something for everyone. I love the intimate setting. You can be on top of the stage, so much so that you actually have to move back when performers come to the edge.

On May 29 I attended the Jared James Nichols show with TEN TON MOJO and The Moon City Masters as supporting acts. Opening the show was The Moon City Masters fronted by twin brothers Jordan and Talor Steinberg. Featured recently in Classic Rock Magazine they are destined for stardom. If Genesis, Styx, Yes and Triumph had a baby it would be M.C.S. From the opening number you are transported back to the 70's with their progressive trippy sounds, funky grooves and brotherly harmonies.

Next up was Ten Ton Mojo. As their name suggests they were Ten Tons of balls to the walls rock n roll! Lead singer Dave Anthony has the swagger and s*x appeal of Jim Morrison. Scott Lano and Christian Realmuto blister on guitar. Kenny Maddon on bass and Paul "Sugar" Kane on drums round out the soaring beats. Hailing from NYC TTM is emerging as one of the best new rock bands in the country. Their mix of bluesy southern rock is reinventing rock music.

Closing out the night was Jared James Nichols . He is touring extensively in the U.S. and abroad promoting his new album, "Louder Than Fate". He was set to debut his new Olive Drab Les Paul, given to him by Gibson, however fate had something else in stored. About 15 minutes before showtime, someone came to the backstage door and surprised him with the original 1969 Gibson Flying V that was owned by his idol Leslie West of Mountain. He ended up playing it his entire set. Unfortunately he had to give it back at the end of his set, but you could see the extra magic in his performance. Jared is an electrifying blues rock guitarist worthy of playing his idols guitar. Every note soars with ear piercing precision, celebrated far and wide for his finger style playing.

To sum it up its great to witness the sounds of classic rock are still alive today!

𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲-𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲

𝐁𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 - 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞

When the gates to the Party Pit finally opened at Heritage Days in Farmer City on May 29, it looked less like a country concert and more like the start of a sprint race.

Fans of every age and background had been lined up waiting for their chance to get as close to the stage as possible. The moment security opened the gates, the crowd exploded forward, racing to claim front-row real estate. After the rodeo wrapped up and the dust settled, everyone knew exactly where they wanted to be when Lakeview took the stage.

Going into the night, I had never heard of Lakeview. By the end of the show, I was wondering how they weren't already on every major country festival lineup in America.

The easiest way to describe Lakeview is this: imagine if a metal band grew up on country radio, traded the breakdowns for steel-town storytelling, and decided there was no reason those worlds couldn't exist together.

The Nashville-based duo of Jesse Denaro and Luke Healy have built a national following by blending country, rock, and metal influences into something uniquely their own. Both musicians come from heavy music backgrounds, and that influence is impossible to miss once they hit the stage. Their sound has been described as bridging the gap between metalcore and mainstream country, and after seeing them live, that description feels dead-on.

What immediately stood out was the band's setup.

Two guitarists. Two lead vocalists. One drummer.

No bass player in sight.

Yet somehow the sound coming from the stage felt massive.

The guitars were thick and aggressive, carrying the weight of a hard rock show while the vocals delivered country hooks that had the crowd singing along. It was a combination that shouldn't work nearly as well as it does, but Lakeview has figured out how to make it feel completely natural.

From the opening moments, the energy level never dropped.

Every song felt designed for a Friday night crowd looking to forget about work, responsibilities, and whatever else life had thrown at them during the week. The audience responded accordingly. Hands stayed in the air. Drinks stayed raised. The Party Pit became a sea of movement from the first song to the last.

The chemistry between Denaro and Healy was another highlight. The two frontmen moved effortlessly around the stage, trading vocal duties and feeding off each other's energy. Years of friendship and performing together were obvious as they worked the crowd like seasoned headliners. Lakeview's rise has been fueled by a blue-collar work ethic and relentless touring, and that experience showed throughout the night.

But if there was one moment that defined the entire evening, it came near the end of the set.

As the opening notes of "Bad Day to Be a Beer" rang out, the crowd absolutely lost its mind.

What had already been a party somehow kicked into another gear.

Beer cans started flying toward the stage. Fans sprayed beer into the air. The front rows turned into a chaotic celebration as everyone sang along at the top of their lungs. Security looked busy, the band looked entertained, and the crowd looked like they had been waiting all night for that exact moment.

It was messy.

It was loud.

It was completely unforgettable.

The scene felt less like a small-town festival concert and more like a packed arena crowd celebrating a band on the verge of something much bigger.

Lakeview has spent the last several years building momentum through relentless touring, viral social media growth, and a sound that refuses to fit neatly into one genre. The Pittsburgh natives relocated to Nashville and have quickly become one of the most talked-about emerging acts in country rock. Their self-titled debut album and growing catalog have helped them earn spots alongside artists ranging from Breaking Benjamin and Staind to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Mitchell Tenpenny.

What makes Lakeview stand out isn't that they're country.

It isn't that they're rock.

It isn't even that they occasionally lean into metal influences.

It's that they genuinely sound like all three at the same time.

In an era where many artists are trying to blur genre lines, Lakeview doesn't sound like they're forcing anything. This is simply who they are. Blue-collar roots, heavy guitars, country songwriting, and enough energy to turn a fairgrounds stage into a full-scale party.

Farmer City Heritage Days has hosted its share of memorable concerts over the years, but Lakeview delivered one of those performances people will still be talking about long after the beer dries and the stage lights go dark.

For anyone who walked into Heritage Days not knowing who Lakeview was, they likely left as a fan.

I know I did.

𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: Lakeview may wear the country label, but this is one of the hardest-hitting live acts you'll find anywhere in the genre. Part country concert, part rock show, part metal-fueled party, and 100% entertaining.

Band: LAKEVIEW
Venue: Farmer City Heritage Days
Photos by: Xplicit Impressions
Promoter: Grandstand Concerts

The Lakeview Crew ⚒️

More photos at Xplicit Impressions

𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐲-𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐤 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐧 - Jimmy Compton

On Thursday, May 28, Ellis Bullard took the stage at Rhinestone Saloon in Fort Worth, Texas, delivering a set packed with songs from his latest LP while sprinkling in a few fan favorites from his earlier catalog.

I'll admit right up front that this review is being written from memory. I tried to get a setlist from Ellis and didn't want to keep buggin him for it so I decided to go ahead and get this written up.

What I do remember clearly is the energy in the room.

From the opening songs until the final encore, the dance floor stayed occupied. Couples two-stepped and shuffled across the floor while a wall of fans crowded the front of the stage, singing along and hanging on every word. For a Thursday night, the turnout was respectable, but it also highlighted something I've thought for a while: Ellis Bullard deserves a Friday or Saturday headline slot at Rhinestone. His music and stage presence are more than capable of carrying a prime weekend crowd.

Bullard's blend of traditional country, honky-tonk, and Texas dancehall sound continues to resonate with audiences looking for something authentic. Songs like "Roller Coaster" and "Chasing Numbers" were among the night's highlights, drawing strong reactions from the crowd and keeping the dance floor full.

What stood out almost as much as the music was the makeup of the crowd itself. Sure, Rhinestone Saloon benefits from being in the heart of the Stockyards, where tourists regularly wander in looking for a cold beer and some live country music. But this wasn't just a room full of random passersby. Scattered throughout the crowd were plenty of die-hard Ellis Bullard fans who showed up specifically to see him play. They knew the words, sang along with the choruses, and packed the area in front of the stage from start to finish. That's the kind of following artists spend years trying to build, and Bullard has clearly done exactly that.

The band sounded tight throughout the evening, delivering the kind of performance that feels polished without losing the grit and spontaneity that make live country music worth seeing in the first place.

To close out the night, Bullard finished with "Stubborn Man," a fitting finale and one of the strongest songs in his catalog. It brought the crowd together for one last singalong before the lights came up and another memorable night at Rhinestone came to an end.

If you haven't caught Ellis Bullard live yet, you're missing one of the better traditional country acts working the Texas circuit today. And if Rhinestone Saloon is listening, quit sticking him on Thursdays. Give the man a Friday or Saturday night and let him show what he can really do.

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐃𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐞 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭:
𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬
𝐁𝐲: 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐧 -𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞

May 21st 2026, was the first night of a 3-show tour with Them Dirty Roses and it all started at The Radio Room.
The venue was founded in 2012 in a smaller location and grew to a little bit larger second location in 2017. Now it is 2026 and they are in their third location @ 28 Liberty Lane Greenville SC, and has a 500 cap. The Radio Room has a full kitchen and bar, they cater well to the artist and service is impeccable. Check out their website for more upcoming shows @ https://radioroomgreenville.com/
To all my photographers and videographers, the venue has great lights and killer sound so check them out you will not be disappointed.

Now…. Let’s get to the band Nigel Dupree & The Heat. Do you recognize his name?

The band played a three-night tour opening for Them Dirty Roses and night one was held at The Radio Room. The venue was packed out early for a Thursday Night and the fans were ready for a rock and roll good time!!!

The lights went low and the band hit the stage with Jesse Worley on drums, lead guitarist Eric Warner alongside guitarist Devin Vitek with Shannon Wilk on the bass getting it started. Nigel graced the stage soon after and let everyone know he was there. With a voice so powerful it would peel wallpaper. Would I say it is like no other I have heard, no I can’t because there is a little bit of someone FAMOUS nestled in there too. Again, do you recognize his name?

Leading off with his 2025 hit BREAK MY HEART to get the crowd started and then bringing songs to the fans from his 2012 album (UP TO KNOW GOOD) TUMBLEWEED plus new unreleased music and his 2026 hits FIND OUT THE HARD WAY and FAMOUS. Now that the band has every ones attention they broke in with a cover song like no one else has performed for me live yet, it was LED ZEPPELINS IMMAGRANT SONG! With Nigel’s vocals and the band not missing a beat this performance brought the set to a new level for the fans that would make any Zeppelin Fan proud! If you think it calmed down after that you are wrong Nigel kept it going and closed the set with 2 more songs, PRETTY GIRLS & TESTIFY finishing one hell of a SLOBBER KNOCKER!!!!

If you have a chance to catch Nigel Dupree & The Heat, please do so they will let you know real quick Rock & Roll is here in 2026! Nigel can be found on all social media and music outlets and merch can be purchased at https://mightycloud.com/collections/nigel-and-the-heat

And in closing, do you recognize his name… because he looks FAMOUS!

Photos by: T. Dean Images
Venue: The Radio Room
Artist: Nigel T Dupree
, , &theheat,
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𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬: 𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐬 & 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝐁𝐲: 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 - 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞

The Castle Theatre in Bloomington didn’t need volume to shake the walls on April 2nd, 2026. It just needed truth, a couple guitars, and Joe Hermes standing there like he’s got something to prove to every hard mile between Nashville dreams and Illinois gravel roads.

This wasn’t a full band blowout. No smoke cannons. No overproduced gloss. Just Joe Hermes and guitarist Jerry Prater stripping things down to the bones in an acoustic set that felt less like a concert and more like a confession set to melody.

And somehow, that made it hit harder.

𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐬 – 𝐁𝐢𝐨

Joe Hermes is what happens when rock grit and country storytelling collide and neither one wins. An Illinois native with a “gunpowder country” edge, Hermes has built his name on high-energy performances and a vocal style that doesn’t really ask permission before it punches through a room.

Raised on everything from Metallica and Pantera to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bon Jovi, Hermes blends hard rock intensity with country songwriting that leans personal, often walking the line between redemption and rebellion. His catalog, including tracks like “Stronger Than Whiskey” and “Used To Be Me,” shows an artist more interested in honesty than polish.

On stage, even in acoustic form, that same energy doesn’t disappear. It just gets closer.

𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐁𝐢𝐨

Jerry Prater doesn’t fight for attention. He anchors it.

A seasoned guitarist known for his work alongside Joe Hermes, Prater’s style leans into restraint and tone rather than flash. In an acoustic setting, that matters more than shredding ever could. Every note he played at The Castle felt intentional, like he was leaving space for the lyrics to breathe instead of drowning them in ego.

He’s the kind of player who understands the assignment: serve the song, don’t steal it.

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐭

The lights were low, the crowd quieter than usual, like everyone instinctively knew this wasn’t a night for shouting over the music. Hermes opened with a stripped-down delivery that immediately exposed the core of his writing. No distortion to hide behind. No full band to carry the weight. Just voice, guitar, and whatever’s left when you take everything else away.

That’s where he lives best, oddly enough.

Hermes’ vocals carried that familiar “battle-tested” tone, the same one that defines his rock-country catalog, but in acoustic form it sharpened into something more vulnerable. Lines that usually land like a fist now felt like they were being set down carefully instead.

Prater’s guitar work framed the entire set like a steady hand on a moving vehicle. He didn’t overplay. He didn’t need to. Instead, he filled the space between Hermes’ phrasing with subtle runs and warm texture that kept the set from ever feeling empty.

There were moments where the room went so still it bordered on uncomfortable. Not because the music faltered, but because it didn’t. That’s always worse in the best possible way.

By the midpoint of the set, Hermes leaned further into storytelling mode, pulling the crowd into songs that felt pulled straight from long nights and longer memories. You could hear the Skynyrd influence in the phrasing, the Pantera-era grit in the delivery, but it never felt like imitation. More like inheritance.

The closing stretch didn’t rely on spectacle. It didn’t need it. It just landed, one song at a time, until the applause finally came like everyone had been holding it back out of respect.

No gimmicks. No filler. Just two musicians proving that sometimes stripping everything down is the loudest move you can make.

And in a room full of music journalists, photographers, and people pretending they’re not emotionally affected by acoustic guitars… it worked anyway.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝

Some shows rely on production to feel important.

This one just removed everything until importance had nowhere to hide.

Joe Hermes brought the kind of songwriting that doesn’t flinch when it’s exposed. Jerry Prater brought the kind of musicianship that understands silence is part of the instrument.

Together, they didn’t fill The Castle Theatre.

They carved it down to something smaller, sharper, and a lot harder to forget.

Musicians: Joe Hermes Music Jerry Prater
Venue: The Castle Theatre
Photos by: Xplicit Impressions

Joe Hermes

𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞

𝐁𝐲: 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 - 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞

Some nights don’t need pyro, massive stages, or walls of amplifiers to leave a mark. Sometimes all it takes is a man, a guitar, and songs honest enough to quiet a room. That was the feeling inside The Castle Theatre on Thursday, April 2nd, when rising country artist Clayton Shay took the stage alone for an intimate acoustic night that felt more like a conversation than a concert.

From the first chord, Shay brought a sense of sincerity that immediately connected with the crowd. There was no band behind him, no distractions, and no safety net. Just raw storytelling wrapped in a country sound built on emotion, life experience, and heart. In a world where so much music feels rushed and manufactured for algorithms, Clayton Shay reminded everyone what country music is supposed to do. It’s supposed to make you feel something.

The beauty of the night came from its simplicity. Every lyric carried weight inside the Castle’s historic walls, and every pause between songs felt personal. Shay’s voice carried a worn honesty that fit perfectly with the stripped-down setting, allowing songs about life, love, struggles, and chasing dreams to hit even harder. You could hear people singing quietly along one moment and sitting in complete silence the next, hanging onto every word.

What makes artists like Clayton Shay stand out is the ability to make a room feel smaller in the best possible way. The connection never felt forced. Between songs, there was genuine gratitude, humble conversation, and the kind of authenticity fans can spot instantly. That connection is what keeps people coming back to live music. Not perfection. Not production. Real moments shared between an artist and an audience.

For an upcoming country artist, nights like this matter. These smaller acoustic performances are where artists build loyal fans one song at a time, proving they can carry a room with nothing but talent and truth. Clayton Shay did exactly that at the Castle Theatre, leaving the crowd with more than just another Thursday night out. He left them with songs they felt long after the lights came up.

That’s what live music is about. From the pit to the page, those are the moments worth remembering.

Musician: Clayton Shay
Venue: The Castle Theatre
Photos By: Xplicit Impressions