The exterior of Dickies Arena. Photo: Courtesy Dickies Arena
The city of Fort Worth was first in the state to earn a “Music-Friendly City” designation back in 2017. Now, that honor has been bestowed on more than 40 other cities, including Dallas, Denton, Austin, and Houston, over the last seven years.
So, leave it to Fort Worth to find a fresh way to break ground for its homegrown talent. Beginning with the June 24 Kid Rock concert, Dickies Arena, in partnership with Hear Fort Worth, will host “block parties” featuring performances from North Texas musicians on the Simmons Bank Plaza prior to ticketed events.
“We are excited to work with Hear Fort Worth to create opportunities for local artists,” said Matt Homan, General Manager and President of Dickies Arena, in a statement. “This partnership will not only provide great exposure for these locally talented musicians, but it will also reinforce that Fort Worth is a hotbed for music innovation and creativity.”
For example, prior to Thursday’s Bryan Adams concert, singer-songwriter Andrew Sullivan will perform at 6 p.m., and before the Paramore show on July 8, Averi Burk will perform. (Frenchie’s Blues Destroyers were tapped to perform on the plaza prior to the Kid Rock gig.)
The collaboration between Hear Fort Worth and Dickies Arena will stretch beyond the summer, according to press materials. Visitors to the plaza must have a concert ticket to hear the local pre-show entertainment.
“This partnership with Dickies Arena is an incredible opportunity for local musicians to showcase their talents to expanded audiences,” said Tom Martens, director of the Fort Worth Music Office, in a statement. “Fort Worth’s music community thrives on collaboration, and this is the perfect example of that.”
Additional “block party” performances will be announced in the coming weeks. The Dickies Arena website currently lists the Sullivan and Burk appearances on the listings for the Adams and Paramore concerts, respectively.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
