Weekend: ‘Heroes of Midwestern rock’ come to Route 224 Music Fest – The Courier


RED WANTING BLUE, one of the biggest indie groups today, will headline the Route 224 Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Red Hawk Run Golf Course Pavilion. (photo provided)

Red Wanting Blue will perform at the Red Hawk Run Golf Course pavilion as the headlining act of the Route 224 Music Festival Saturday, Sept. 21.

The show will also feature special guest singer-songwriter Jared Mahone and hard rock band the Trews.

The festival will raise money for the “Feed-a-Child” program facilitated by the YMCA and United Way of Hancock County, which provides supplemental weekend meals for schoolchildren.

Tickets cost $25 presale or $35 on the day of the show. Doors will open at 4 p.m., with acts starting at 5 p.m.

For more information, visit 224fest.com

Hailed as “Midwestern rock heroes” by American Songwriter, Red Wanting Blue has quietly spent the last two decades establishing themselves as one of the world’s most sustainable indie groups. They have appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, VH1 and NPR, and have reached No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.

Their latest album, 2018’s “The Wanting,” is the group’s most ambitious piece of work to date, drawing on their traditional strengths of indelible melodies and infectious hooks. It was recorded during an almost year-long break from touring, a first for the band since they started traveling.

“I feel like there’s a lot of terms for music now, so much so that genres break into sub-genres, and everything crosses over into one big blur,” frontman Scott Terry said. “The one thing I feel like I can say, from start to finish, our band has always been Heartland rock and roll. We come from the great state of Ohio, I would say there is an energy and a feeling to saying Heartland rock and roll.”

The band has released 11 full-length albums to date: “Velveteen” (1996), “Image Trigger” (1998), “Model Citizen” (2000), “Sirens” (2001), “Souvenirs of City Life” (2002), “Pride: The Cold Lover” (2004), “The Warehouse Sessions” (2006), “These Magnificent Miles” (2008 & re-release, 2010), “From The Vanishing Point” (2011), “Little America” (2014), and “The Wanting.”

The Trews, a hard rock band from Canada, are coming off the release of their latest album, 2018’s “Civilianaires.”

Jared Mahone combines soulful vocals and beatboxing ability for an original style of performance. One of the most booked performers on the college scene, Mahone has played over 500 shows across the country.