VERSAILLES – The little village of Versailles is again preparing to welcome some big names to town for some top-notch entertainment in the coming months.
BMI Speedway will host a lineup of some of the best-known names in music, including country legends the Charlie Daniels Band and Christian heavy metal hair heroes Stryper.
Little River Band will be taking to the stage at BMI on April 16. Though the lineup has changed since the soft-rock band was founded in 1975 in Australia, the sound remains familiar with old favorites such as “Lonesome Loser,” “Cool Change,” “Lady,” “Reminiscing,” “Happy Anniversary” and “The Night Owls.”
Considered one of Australia’s most significant bands, LRB continues to enjoy frequent radio play on soft rock, classic rock and adult contemporary stations to this day. The band’s worldwide album sales have surpassed 30 million to date.
LRB will be available for photos and autographs at an exclusive meet-and-greet prior to the show, available for up to 40 fans with a separate ticket.
Joe Diffie will appear with special guest Clark Manson May 21. With 12 No. 1 hits and 13 albums, Diffie is sure to be a hit on the BMI stage all on his own. But the “Third Rock from the Sun” singer will get an opening boost when Covington, Ohio-native Clark Manson and Kaitlyn Schmit of Coldwater warm up the stage for him.
Diffie has won a Grammy, CMA (Country Music Association) awards and has been honored as Humanitarian of the Year by the Country Music Broadcasters.
The Outlaws and McGuffey Lane will come to Versailles June 4. The Outlaws are a Southern rock band with elements of country, rock and vocal harmony influences. The band was founded in 1967 and has produced 12 studio albums and has had four songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ohio-based country rock band McGuffey Lane formed in 1972 under the name “Scotch & Soda,” but when the duo took on a third member, the band changed its name to McGuffey Lane after the street one of the founding members lived on in Athens, Ohio. The group expanded to six members and played into the late 1980s but dissolved by 1990. The group reformed in 1995 and now plays 30 to 35 shows a year.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Meet-and-greet packages are available with separate tickets.
On June 18, BMI goes metal with the Christian heavy metal glam rockers Stryper and well-known Dokken guitarist George Lynch and his Lynch Mob.
Stryper was one of the first overtly Christian metal bands to gain mainstream acceptance and found success on MTV with such hits as “Free” and “”Honestly.” The band split in 1992 but reformed about a decade later for a reunion tour that led to a multi-album contract.
Lynch Mob was formed with Dokken guitarist George Lynch and its drummer Mick Brown in 1989. Lynch has recorded more than 20 albums and toured the world as one of the best known guitar names in music.
Pat Travers Band with Rik Emmett of Triumph will be at BMI July 16. Travers first picked up a guitar at home in Toronto when he was 12 years old, and since 1976, he hasn’t put it back down. Travers is credited on a slew of albums with various bands and will headline the BMI show with his current lineup.
Triumph is a Canadian power rock band that was active from 1975 to 1993, when they broke up. A third of the group will accompany the Pat Travers Group for the July show.
Doors open at 5 with the show starting at 6. Higgins Madewell and Mark Cantwil will open the show.
Firehouse and special guest Kip Winger will rock the BMI stage Aug. 20. Firehouse smashed onto the hair band scene in the early 1990s with such hits at “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Love of a Lifetime.”
Kip Winger was the titular smiling frontman of the band Winger and the distinctive voice behind its hits “Seventeen,” “Miles Away” and “Headed for a Heartbreak.”
Travis Tritt takes the stage Sept. 24. This country-rock legend has been on the scene for nearly three decades with two Grammys, three CMAs, 25 million in album sales, and popularity that just won’t quit.
Tritt has charted more than 40 times on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five No. 1’s — “Help Me Hold On,” “Anymore,” “Can I Trust You with My Heart,” “Foolish Pride” and “Best of Intentions” — and 15 additional top 10 singles.
Charlie Daniels Band has just been confirmed for a show Nov. 12.
Best known for the No. 1 country hit, “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” the Charlie Daniels Band has 30 studio albums, eight live albums and 54 singles.
BMI’s indoor venue offers the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with favorites in the music world. The venue has high ceilings for exciting light shows but still provides an intimate environment for up to 1,200 music fans.
For ticket information, visit the website at www.bmispeedway.com or call 937-526-9544. Advance purchase tickets are available at a $10 discount from the prices at the door. Doors open at 5 p.m., and shows start at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. All BMI shows are open to all ages, but minors must be accompanied by an adult. All shows are general admission.
