Nick Lutsko and The 100K Band will perform a free outdoor show as headliner at this Friday’s Nightfall show, Chattanooga’s longest-running free summer concert series. Local band Randy Steele and High Cold Wind will open the show at 7 p.m., followed by Lutsko at 8 p.m. In addition to featuring world class musicians each week, Nightfall features food trucks, local artisan vendors, kids’ activities and more.
Review for the performers:
A high-energy, theatrical show is guaranteed this Friday by Nick Lutsko, a Chattanooga multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who makes creative music ranging from psychedelic rock and pop to unhinged comedy songs with a band that includes human-sized puppets. While Lutsko has been making music for years with traditional songwriting, he also writes parody tunes and comedic videos that have had millions of views on social media, particularly Twitter and YouTube.
Lutsko got an early start in his musical calling when he picked up a guitar in the fourth grade and started Infinite Orange with Ryan Guza (currently percussionist with Chattanooga band Opposite Box) in high school. Right out of the gate, they had a lot of local success and were booked for events such as Riverbend, Nightfall, and Between the Bridges. Nick later won the 2016 Road to Nightfall competition. He makes music his full-time vocation, having released five studio albums and produced other commercial work including writing songs for Netflix, CollegeHumor, and Super Deluxe. In 2022, Lutsko won a Webby Award for Best Original Music for his work with Lord Danger for Old Spice. Lutsko has long performed with his bandmate and bassist Eric "Greezy Rick" Parham, who performs while wearing a Muppet-like mask with brown fur and an elongated nose. He also regularly performs with "Cowboy Jon" Elliot, who plays saxophone and xylophone while wearing cowboy attire.
Opening the show at 7 p.m. will be Randy Steele and The High Cold Wind. This high energy bluegrass band based out of Chattanoog is fronted by Steele, who is an award-winning banjo player and singer/songwriter. Steele was a semi-finalist in the American Songerwriter “Song of the Year” in 2022 and a finalist in the “New Folk” songwriting competition at the legendary Kerville Folk Festival in Texas. Randy Steele and The High Cold Wind have performed in multiple festivals throughout the Southeast with acts like Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String Band, Town Mountain, Larry Keel, Nick Lutsko, the Lonesome River Band. The band has multiple single releases.
Free motorcycle parking will continue to be offered on M.L. King Boulevard between Georgia Avenue and Lindsey Street. Motorcycles must enter the block from Lindsey Street only. A variety of local food trucks will be around the intersection of Georgia and M.L. King, and around 20 local artisans will offer their work for sale in Miller Park. Kids can also enjoy The Chattanooga Football Club’s inflatable soccer field and other children’s activities, including face painting and lawn games.
Come early to Nightfall to take advantage of a new “Nightfall Happy Hour” offering weekly drink specials from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought into Nightfall since concession sales are a primary funder of Nightfall (outside alcoholic beverages are prohibited by law at Miller Park/Plaza).
Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming, Nightfall is a family-friendly concert series that brings the Chattanooga community together in the heart of our city. Nightfall has again been nominated this year as “Best Local Event” by this community.
Nightfall is locally produced by Chattanooga Presents. For more information on this free community concert series, visit NightfallChattanooga.com.