Posted by (+143) 9 years ago
This article is submitted by Brian Niedge to update and inform the people of Miles City about the details of Niedgefest Fourth of July concerts.
First of all, it is with great sadness that my wife Dana and I express our sincere sympathy for the loss of two key members of our Niedgefest team. Curt Kountz, a dedicated supporter, sponsor and fan for many years and Dan “Animal” Sampson, a gifted rock guitarist, vocalist and one of our most valuable players. They are dear friends and will be greatly missed. Niedgefest will not be the same without them.
For the past four years, Niedgefest, our Fourth of July rock concert has been a smashing success featuring many memorable performances by local singers and musicians as well as some great regional bands!
Niedgefest is held on the grass in our beloved Riverside Park and is free to the public. The concert is a place where families can gather and enjoy the holiday with an evening of music, fireworks and fun! Those who have been to the concert, you know what I mean.
Every year we try to make the concert bigger and better with new talent, new material and new bands. It takes a herculean effort to put this concert on and I invite anyone or any organization that would like to join our team to please contact me.
Niedgefest begins with months of diligent rehearsal, upgrading of equipment, advertising, marketing, fundraising, designing our iconic poster, and fretting over the T-shirts and every other detail. Preparation continues until the third of July. Then we build a professional stage as big as a house, wire it for sound and rig it for lights. It is an enormous amount of work and dedication by the cast and crew and this is all before we even play the first note of the show.
The concert starts at 4:00 p.m. on the Fourth of July and typically runs to 1:00 a.m. with a break around 9:30 p.m. for the VFW Fireworks display. In total, a nine hour show. The next day it all gets dismantled, loaded into trucks and hauled away. The only thing that remains is the memory of the fun we had being part of this spectacle and the video footage taken by dedicated fans. The grass at Riverside Park remains unharmed.
Niedgefest is only possible because of the loyal dedication of these local musicians who love what they do and the generous financial support of the good people of Miles City, our Niedgefest sponsors. These people include family, friends, and especially the local Miles City business community. They have contributed their hard earned money to help make Niedgefest what it has become, a greatly anticipated family friendly summertime event for Miles City! I thank you all!
The Miles City businesses have shouldered much of the cost of Niedgefest for four years now, but anyone can contribute. At this time I ask that everyone in Miles City please consider contributing whatever dollar amount you can to this year’s concert because for 2014, we as a community have the opportunity to take Niedgefest to the next level! I propose that we book an A-list band as the headliner for this year’s show. A well loved and respected classic rock group with mass appeal such as Loverboy, Ratt or Tesla, etc… would be selected based on cost and availability for a July 4, 2014 date.
The budget required for this would be in the 30K range depending on the band selected. I know this is a lot of money but with city-wide support, if we all pull together, we can do this!
If we share the cost, we are only looking at:
•100 people, families or businesses contributing $300 each =$30,000
-or-
•300 people, families or businesses contributing $100 each = $30,000
-or-
•600 people, families or businesses contributing $50 each = $30,000
You choose the amount you are willing to contribute. But consider this, how much did you spend the last time you took your whole family out on the town with class A entertainment?
If we approach this every year as a community effort then we can have a great annual 4th of July concert with a headliner band that doesn’t require ticket sales, gates, or fences and still keep the event in the park and free to the public on the day of show.
Now, keep in mind, time is of the essence! In order to book a band like this we must have the funds in place soon to retain the band and get contracts completed. So I urge everyone who can to please send your contributions as soon as possible before April 15th.
All funds generated from sponsorships will be held in a trust account in Stockman Bank- Miles City and will be used only for the sole purpose of promoting, producing, securing and insuring Niedgefest concerts. Funds generated in excess of the necessary amount to produce Niedgefest 2014 will be held in trust as seed capital for future Niedgefest concerts. Upon procurement of a desired band, contracts will be signed and a retainer will be paid to book said band. If the concert is cancelled due to weather, travel issues or power outage, contributions may or may not be refunded in accordance with contractual agreements. The headlining band will be chosen based on the level of funds raised and availability.
We are so lucky to live in a city like ours! From the Main Street parade and festivities in the park to the rock concert and fireworks into the night, Miles City is the ideal location to host a yearly event like this. With its small town care free atmosphere and friendly people, our city is one of the few places left in America where a “Norman Rockwell” Fourth of July celebration can still exist!
Help us make the best of this opportunity! All it takes is determined community support and the Niedge family will contribute the first $3000 toward the fundraising goals.
I had my mother read this article before I submitted it to the Miles City Star and she commented that she has never heard of an event with first class entertainment where there were no gate or ticket sales. I smiled and said, “that is why I want to do this, because no one else does it!”
As always, anyone wishing to be a part of the Niedgefest 2014 is welcome to join our crew. If you can sing, dance, play an instrument or just want to help out, we would like to meet with you!
So yes, you heard it right; I am asking the townspeople of Miles City for $30,000 to put on a fabulous rock concert on the 4th of July! Please call and pledge your support today. Together as a community, we can do this.
Contact information:
Brian Niedge
406-853-2281
Send Contributions to:
Niedgefest 2014
406 S Montana
Miles City, MT 59301
First of all, it is with great sadness that my wife Dana and I express our sincere sympathy for the loss of two key members of our Niedgefest team. Curt Kountz, a dedicated supporter, sponsor and fan for many years and Dan “Animal” Sampson, a gifted rock guitarist, vocalist and one of our most valuable players. They are dear friends and will be greatly missed. Niedgefest will not be the same without them.
For the past four years, Niedgefest, our Fourth of July rock concert has been a smashing success featuring many memorable performances by local singers and musicians as well as some great regional bands!
Niedgefest is held on the grass in our beloved Riverside Park and is free to the public. The concert is a place where families can gather and enjoy the holiday with an evening of music, fireworks and fun! Those who have been to the concert, you know what I mean.
Every year we try to make the concert bigger and better with new talent, new material and new bands. It takes a herculean effort to put this concert on and I invite anyone or any organization that would like to join our team to please contact me.
Niedgefest begins with months of diligent rehearsal, upgrading of equipment, advertising, marketing, fundraising, designing our iconic poster, and fretting over the T-shirts and every other detail. Preparation continues until the third of July. Then we build a professional stage as big as a house, wire it for sound and rig it for lights. It is an enormous amount of work and dedication by the cast and crew and this is all before we even play the first note of the show.
The concert starts at 4:00 p.m. on the Fourth of July and typically runs to 1:00 a.m. with a break around 9:30 p.m. for the VFW Fireworks display. In total, a nine hour show. The next day it all gets dismantled, loaded into trucks and hauled away. The only thing that remains is the memory of the fun we had being part of this spectacle and the video footage taken by dedicated fans. The grass at Riverside Park remains unharmed.
Niedgefest is only possible because of the loyal dedication of these local musicians who love what they do and the generous financial support of the good people of Miles City, our Niedgefest sponsors. These people include family, friends, and especially the local Miles City business community. They have contributed their hard earned money to help make Niedgefest what it has become, a greatly anticipated family friendly summertime event for Miles City! I thank you all!
The Miles City businesses have shouldered much of the cost of Niedgefest for four years now, but anyone can contribute. At this time I ask that everyone in Miles City please consider contributing whatever dollar amount you can to this year’s concert because for 2014, we as a community have the opportunity to take Niedgefest to the next level! I propose that we book an A-list band as the headliner for this year’s show. A well loved and respected classic rock group with mass appeal such as Loverboy, Ratt or Tesla, etc… would be selected based on cost and availability for a July 4, 2014 date.
The budget required for this would be in the 30K range depending on the band selected. I know this is a lot of money but with city-wide support, if we all pull together, we can do this!
If we share the cost, we are only looking at:
•100 people, families or businesses contributing $300 each =$30,000
-or-
•300 people, families or businesses contributing $100 each = $30,000
-or-
•600 people, families or businesses contributing $50 each = $30,000
You choose the amount you are willing to contribute. But consider this, how much did you spend the last time you took your whole family out on the town with class A entertainment?
If we approach this every year as a community effort then we can have a great annual 4th of July concert with a headliner band that doesn’t require ticket sales, gates, or fences and still keep the event in the park and free to the public on the day of show.
Now, keep in mind, time is of the essence! In order to book a band like this we must have the funds in place soon to retain the band and get contracts completed. So I urge everyone who can to please send your contributions as soon as possible before April 15th.
All funds generated from sponsorships will be held in a trust account in Stockman Bank- Miles City and will be used only for the sole purpose of promoting, producing, securing and insuring Niedgefest concerts. Funds generated in excess of the necessary amount to produce Niedgefest 2014 will be held in trust as seed capital for future Niedgefest concerts. Upon procurement of a desired band, contracts will be signed and a retainer will be paid to book said band. If the concert is cancelled due to weather, travel issues or power outage, contributions may or may not be refunded in accordance with contractual agreements. The headlining band will be chosen based on the level of funds raised and availability.
We are so lucky to live in a city like ours! From the Main Street parade and festivities in the park to the rock concert and fireworks into the night, Miles City is the ideal location to host a yearly event like this. With its small town care free atmosphere and friendly people, our city is one of the few places left in America where a “Norman Rockwell” Fourth of July celebration can still exist!
Help us make the best of this opportunity! All it takes is determined community support and the Niedge family will contribute the first $3000 toward the fundraising goals.
I had my mother read this article before I submitted it to the Miles City Star and she commented that she has never heard of an event with first class entertainment where there were no gate or ticket sales. I smiled and said, “that is why I want to do this, because no one else does it!”
As always, anyone wishing to be a part of the Niedgefest 2014 is welcome to join our crew. If you can sing, dance, play an instrument or just want to help out, we would like to meet with you!
So yes, you heard it right; I am asking the townspeople of Miles City for $30,000 to put on a fabulous rock concert on the 4th of July! Please call and pledge your support today. Together as a community, we can do this.
Contact information:
Brian Niedge
406-853-2281
Send Contributions to:
Niedgefest 2014
406 S Montana
Miles City, MT 59301