Riverside Revelry
How to sum up the 2025 concert season at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, you ask?
This question has been rolling around in our brains since the last note Warren Zeiders strummed on his guitar...
We do know that it’s a question AI can’t answer. Gemini didn’t watch a fan remove their Patagonia puffy jacket and hand it to James Taylor who proceeded to wear it for the duration of his performance like it was part of the act. Chat GPT didn’t witness the Green Team sort through patron waste diverting more than 90% of it from the local Landfill. Copilot couldn’t tell you that our eight local food truck vendors reported the hungriest crowds were at Barenaked Ladies followed by Collective Soul and that if we stacked every burger sold this season, the tower would be taller than the famous 250-foot-tall Smokestacks that smile at the venue from across the Deschutes River.
That, and no one can accurately describe the emotional charge in the air when 8,000 fans are singing the lyrics to their favorite artists’ song with smiles as wide as their earlobes. That’s why this venue is so special, and why live music is imperative for our collective wellbeing.
We mentioned James Taylor, who was our season opener, followed closely by two nights with STING. What came next was a mind-bending array of talent ranging from The Black Keys, Leon Bridges, and Mumford & Sons, to Earth, Wind & Fire, Maoli, and Old Dominion. We went on to host 20 shows in August featuring the likes of Joe Bonamassa, LCD Soundsystem, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Alabama Shakes, RÜFÜS DU SOL, and Lainey Wilson. Let’s not forget about the renegade of modern rock, Neil Young, who with The Chrome Hearts performed every classic revolutionary song a fan could ask to hear.
The biggest surprises of this season? Shout out to a few of the openers who more than once stopped us in our tracks to absorb the ingenuity exploding from the stage. We’re looking at you Ginger Root, LA LOM, Hermanos Gutiérrez, John Carroll Kirby, Futurebirds, TV On the Radio, and Glass Beams! If this were a festival bill, you bet we’re buying tickets.
Were there any headliners who caught us by surprise? You had better believe it. Goose’s disco dive dropped all the jaws. Peter Frampton, according to many a patron, “absolutely shredded.” We were in awe of his ability to play with the stamina of a 20-year-old while never leaving his stool. Dropkick Murphys' ability to generate the largest mosh pit this place has ever seen and then conduct a thousand-person group hug moments later, down right impressive.
The Red Clay Strays had us all talking, too. Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, TJ Hurd reflected, “At the Red Clay Strays, the atmosphere just felt like this show was a massive deal. You could feel the anticipation and excitement in the air, not only with staff, but around town. Then for the show to actually live up to expectations and the band to put on as how that soothed your eardrums and punched you in the face....it was an all timer.”
The biggest surprise, and certainly something no AI generator would ever be able to describe, The Lumineers concert when the staff took it upon themselves to dress up in appreciation for two of our favorite patrons who can’t help but spread joy wherever they are. Words can’t describe the surprise on their faces nor the joy in our hearts when it all was revealed.
Which brings us to our next highlight. The staff. In fact, we’ve asked fans what their favorite thing about the venue is, and more times than we can count the response is, “the space is as beautiful as the friendly, well-trained staff who work there. Our experiences are consistently outstanding!” It takes more than 700 local folks to make a season successful, and we’re proud to share that this year we had an 85% return rate. More than dedication, that takes passion.
This season was impactful in ways we haven’t yet comprehended, and we’re already building our 2026 season. Which begs another question AI won’t have the answer to, “How does it get any better?” The one thing we’re certain of is that it’s always better when we’re together, and we’ll just have to be there in-person to experience it for ourselves. Until then, be well, friends!
Written by Amanda Bird-Zimmerman
Assistant Marketing Director / Community Engagement Lead
