National act Parmalee to play outdoor stage Sept. 8
Niko Kanakaris, owner of Niko’s Red Mill Tavern, has been trying to get a national country act booked on his outdoor stage for a couple of years. Friday, Sept. 8, his dream will become a reality, when nationally touring country music act Parmalee takes the stage with special guests Jake Dodds and Back Country Roads.
The 21-and-over event will begin at 6 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 each, with $40 for VIP tickets, available at redmilltavern.com.
“It’s pretty cool to have them,” said Kanakaris. “We’re anticipating 1,200 people.”
The venue is already two-thirds of the way there in ticket sales and expecting a sellout by the concert date.
Niko’s Red Mill has established itself as a premier venue for country music in the area, regularly attracting popular regional acts such as the Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s Country Group of the Year winner, Bella Cain.
The venue at Niko’s Red Mill has evolved over the past few years. Today, it featuring live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day through Oct. 14, when the outdoor season ends with its Pumpkin Chuckin Fest.
Kanakaris said, “At first we started out [with bands] on a hay wagon. This is our third season with the stage. We just built another outdoor bar,” doubling their outdoor seating.
The outdoor décor includes two antique tractors, a collection Kanakaris said he’s always looking to add to.
Catering to country music fans has literally become his bread-and-butter, with about 90 percent of the live music performers being country acts.
“We’re keeping up with the demand,” Kanakaris said, adding that the crowds they draw are a good mix of older people, younger fans and bikers.
Parmalee’s debut country album, “Feels Like Carolina,” has earned the group three top 10 hits including their multi-week No. 1 smash hit, “Carolina.” The band has received critical praise for the debut album from People, the New York Times, USA Today, Newsday, Billboard and more.
Since their debut on country radio, Parmalee has earned more than 330 million Pandora streams, 55 million plays on Spotify, more than 31 million YouTube/VEVO views and 1.4 million Shazam subscribers.