After a day filled with theme park thrills and simmering summer heat, sometimes it’s nice to cool off and unwind before heading home. Busch Gardens hopes to offer park guests such a sendoff with its Summer Nights Concert Series, which features artists like Switchfoot and Ne-Yo performing through Aug. 26.
“We’re having fun with it,” said Pete Dunklee, the park’s vice president of entertainment. “I think that’s the main point.”
Previous performers include the likes of country singer and guitarist Chase Bryant, contemporary Christian outfit MercyMe and the classic rockers of 38 Special. August’s lineup promises more diversity, from Kool and the Gang to Lifehouse.
“I try to pick the bands that people want,” Dunklee said. He compared the back-and-forth effort of working around the park’s schedule and the artists’ needs to that of buying a house. “That selection process is a fun, collaborative process. It really takes a little bit of effort to get all the stars lined up.”
The goal is a lineup a combination of established acts alongside local up-and-comers spanning a wide range of genres. Dunklee and his entertainment team come up with a shortlist of available artists who fit their vision.
To help get a better sense of what potential audiences want to see, the park sends out annual surveys to pass holders. Those surveyed rank their favorites from a list of 100 musical possibilities. Dunkee said the survey for the park’s next season is expected to go out next month. The entertainment department also reviews attendance and other information from years past, dating back to the 1990s.
“Everybody likes something a little bit different. That’s the hard part,” Dunkee said. “We try to get a little bit of everything for everybody. We try to get variety.”
Celebrate good times
Park guests get to choose between options like Lifehouse’s alternative rock and Ne-Yo’s rhythm and blues.
“They seem to respond really well,” Dunkee said. The house seats 5,000; he said the concerts often result in standing room only, including 38 Special’s show, most recently.
He lauded performers geared toward his demographic, like 38 Special, that could have crossover appeal for the kids who tag along with their parents.
“It speaks to that classic rock,” Dunkee said. “It can speak to multiple generations.”
Next up, he’s most excited for the funky grooves of Kool and the Gang.
“Something about ‘Celebration’ gets me in a party mood,” he said, and that sense of fun is what sums up the whole endeavor. People can “show up and enjoy the concert. Just have a good time. Stand up and dance in the back of the house.”
After all the roller coaster romps, elaborate shows and other adventures, the park’s concerts are a cherry on top for pass holders and newcomers alike.
“It’s an extension of the fun,” Dunkee said. “Busch Gardens is such a fabulous, fun place to go.”
For Dunkee, the real validation comes from seeing the crowds simply enjoying the music and the moment.
“I try to watch the audience as much as I watch the stage,” he said.
Birkenmeyer can be reached by phone at 757-790-3029.
Want to go?
Concerts are included with park admission. Complimentary concert wristbands are distributed on a first come, first served basis on performance days at the Concert Ticket Distribution Center located at the ticket windows across from Stroller Rentals. Concerts are held at the Royal Palace Theatre.
Saturday: Slapnation at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Kool and the Gang at 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 19: Virginia Man Band at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Switchfood at 6:30 p.m. and Lifehouse at 8:15 p.m.
Aug. 26: Good Shot Judy at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Ne-Yo at 7:30 p.m.
