Blackberry Smoke At The Black Oak Amphitheater
It was the 2022 season finale at the Black Oak Amphitheater! The Comancheros and Blackberry Smoke rocked the stage Saturday evening October 1st. It was a beautiful night down at Table Rock Lake. The perfect setting for one of the best live bands out there, Blackberry Smoke! This band from Atlanta, Georgia holds the honor of being the first independently-released band to hit #1 on the Billboard Country Album charts in modern history! Their debut album, "Bad Luck Ain't No Crime", was released in 2003 and followed that up with "Little Piece of Dixie" the following year. They've been on the road and growing their fan-base ever since. The opening act, The Comancheros from Mexico, Missouri call their music "heavy western" and indeed it was! Great stuff!
Keep it locked on 105.1 The Bull for news and information about next years line-up and 2023 shows! If you've not been to the Black Oak Amphitheater in awhile, you've not been! Ownership has made several upgrades and updates to the venue and we can't wait till next season!
Check Out These Amazing Shots From The Koe Wetzel Show!
The Great Southern Bank Arena was rockn' Thursday evening! If you were there, you know! Aaron Lewis worked in a couple of his biggest hits from his days with Stained. The country versions of "It's Been Awhile" and "Right Here" sounded great! Koe brought down the house with a killer mix of some of his biggest hits and some newer tracks! The lights and pyro rivaled anything you'd see from some of rock's biggest touring bands! Check out these killer shots of the show!
It's White Bass Time!
The late summer-early fall transition is the best time to catch white bass! And not only catch them, but catch them in big numbers as they school on shad! There's no better time than now to load up the kids and take them to the lake. I know what you're thinking. Didn't I say the same thing back in June? Yes, that's true. When the shad start to school it's a great time to catch white bass, however the late summer-early fall is better in the fact that the shad are fully grown and that means the white bass and hybrids are bigger too!
Plus, as the water temperatures start the cool, and the days get shorter, it signals that fall's coming soon and it's time for the whites to feed up! The action will continue through most of the fall until the water temp drops too low and pushes the shad down.
Spin-casting or spinning tackle works just fine. Tie on any shad imitating bait and you're good to go. Chrome colored crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and Shad Raps will do the trick. Plan to hit the water later in the evening as the sun drops low in the horizon and the lakes surface slicks out.
Keep your eyes open for diving birds and the swirling water as the whites attacks the schools of shad. It's big-time fun for the whole family! Good luck and we'll see you on the water! I mean, who would want to miss out on an evening like in the video bellow??
Rocklahoma Recap Part 2
Here's another round of pics and videos from Rocklahoma! For those of you that made the pilgrimage to Pryor, Oklahoma, you know how great it was! For those of you that missed out, here's just a few of the highlights! Meeting and talking with "Rock God" Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, Ozzy tours, Dio, Whitesnake and more, to trying to figure out why that person's dressed that way, it's all part of the fun at Rocklahoma! In This Moment, Korn, and Five Finger Death Punch were certainly some of the performance highlights. Not to mention side stage stars Seether, Skillet, and Cypress Hill, and more! It was a weekend for the record books! Make your plans to be there next year!
Rocklahoma 2022 Recap 1
It's always an adventure at Rocklahoma! And for the first time since the pandemic the festival felt like "the good ole days." Aside from being over the Labor Day weekend as opposed to it's traditional Memorial Day weekend spot on the calendar, it seemed like "normal." Of course "normal" at Rocklahoma isn't anything like a regular day of life and that itself is part of the fun! It's a chance for rock fans to get out and cut loose!
The bands were great and the crowd was huge! It looked to be one of the best attended and largest crowds in years! It was apparent too that music fans were ready to get out and celebrate all things rock! From Springfield locals Paralandra to Shinedown, all the bands sounded great! I'm not sure who needed each other the most. The bands playing for the fans, of the fans screaming for the bands. Check out the gallery and videos! Rocklahoma 2022 Recap Part 2 is coming soon!
Labor Day Weekend Fishing
Don't let the final weekend of summer get away without wetting a line. Sure, fishing on holiday weekends isn't ideal but with a little planning and extra effort, you can still have success. Time of day, species you're targeting, and location, are everything when it comes to fishing on a busy weekend.
First, plan to be on the water early in the morning and late in the evening. It's still summer so fish are going to be more active during the in low-light and cooler time of day. Most of the tubing and skiing activity is done during the day so getting out early or fishing the last few hours of daylight will increase your odds of success. The fish will likely keep their heads down during the busy time of day so once it quiets down, they'll be on the prowl for a meal.
Increase the odds of putting fish in the boat by targeting a more cooperative species like crappie or white bass. The crappie will still be off-shore and likely schooled together so start about halfway back in a creek or on the flats in 12 to 15 feet or water. Jigs will work fine, but if you've got the kids along, minnows will increase their odds of success.
If the water's flat and you see schools of shad up on the surface, keep and eye out for white bass and hybrids smashing into the schools. Flats, humps, and long points are good places to check for top-water activity. If you've got a fishing boat with an outboard appropriate for trolling, try dragging shad or chrome colored crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. It's an easy way for the kids to get bit without having to do much more than hold on and reel'em in!
Good luck and enjoy the last big weekend of the summer! Get out and do some fishing! You may be surprised just how well you might do. Remember too, fall's right around the corner and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year!
Route 66 Festival At Bud's Tire & Wheel
This weekend's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival was a celebration of the iconic highway and it's connection to Springfield and the state of Missouri. There are dozens of motels, shops, and restaurants along the highway that can trace their history back to the "mother road." One such place is Bud's Tire & Wheel in downtown Springfield. Bud Perry opened the custom wheel shop at the corner of College and Grant Streets in 1958. The shop quickly became a landmark along the highway and in 2013, at that years Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, Bud was honored with the John T. Woodruff Award, that recognizes Springfield residents’ contributions to Route 66. Sadly, in early 2017, Bud Perry passed away. His iconic shop is now owned and operated by his son Mike where the tradition of quality and service continues. 
Friday evening, I was fortunate enough to get to hang out at the Bud's Tire & Wheel open house on the "starting line" of the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival parade. Having a front row seat to the parade was great! So many cool old cars, motorcycles, motor homes, and other contraptions rolled down College Avenue headed towards Park Central Square. Also on display was a replica of one of Bud's race cars.
Even though Bud Perry's racing career was brief, his contribution to the region's racing heritage is without question. In 2002, he was inducted into the Ozark Area Racers Association, receiving the Racing Pioneer Award. Racing was his passion and what lead to his opening of Bud's Tire & Wheel.
105.1 The Bull will have your chance to win tickets to The Kansas Speedway and the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on September 11th! Details coming soon!
The Midnight Rodeo Is Springfield's Place to See A Great Show!
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been some quality concerts at the Midnight Rodeo! It really doesn't matter if you call it "Texas Country", "Red Dirt", "Americana", or just "great country music", the fact is, there have been some quality artists and bands hitting the stage at The Midnight Rodeo! The good news is, if you missed Warren Zeiders Saturday, July 23rd, or Flatland Cavalry this past Saturday, there are more opportunities to catch some rising stars!
https://youtu.be/dFEGaWYbGZ4
It didn't take long to figure out Warren Zeiders was the real deal. His skilled songwriting and soulful vocals cut through even if you were familiar with his music or not. The place was packed and it was easy to see why.
Likewise, Flatland Cavalry's skills were evident right from the start. Their style was more traditional with a fiddle in the band but no question that this band, which was started by a couple of the guys jammin' in a garage while they were students at Texas Tech, made a big splash with their debut album Humble Folks in from 2016 and they've been off and running ever since.
https://youtu.be/Q8J9k4bTarg
Up next is Mike Ryan. That show's Thursday, August 11th. This rising star from San Antonio already has a couple quality albums to his credit and well worth making the effort on a Thursday night. Just think, one day soon when he's a big star, you can say "I saw that guy at the Midnight Rodeo!" Get your tickets by clicking HERE.
https://youtu.be/1CLgv1LAOjo
George Strait Rocks Arrowhead!
It was a full house at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Saturday evening! The "King" of country let everyone know that the age of 70, he still sits on the throne. Over his many years Strait has won every music award imaginable and is tops for the most #1 country hits of all time with over 60! Strait also holds the record for most #1 songs on all charts by an artist in any genre of music!
Parker McCollum opened the show with Little Big Town taking the stage next! LBT was at the Ozarks Amphitheater near Lake of the Ozarks the night before with a sold out show of their own. They rolled out all their big hits including a couple new tracks. If you've not heard "All Summer", you need to check it out.
The amazing Chris Stapleton took the stage next performing many of his biggest hits. One of the most accomplished singer-songwriters in recent history, Stapleton has won eight Grammy Awards, 10 ACM's, and 14 CMA awards!
The weather was a "star" as well. After weeks of near-record heat in Kansas City, Saturday's high was in the upper 70's and the clouds stuck around until after the sun went down making for a perfect night!
Of course the night belonged to "The King"! Every song was one everyone knew and the whole stadium sang along to them all! Strait and his band sounded nearly perfect. With so many songs in his library it was fun to trying to guess what he'd play next! It was a good time and a great show! Long live "The King"!
The Bull Night At The Springfield Cardinals
Wednesday was 105.1 The Bull night at the Springfield Cardinals. "Thank you" to everyone that came out to join in the fun and festivities! It's always a good time at Hammond's Field! Thanks to all our 105.1 The Bull listeners for casting your votes to determine which of The Bull personalities would win the right to toss out the first pitch. Summer Stevens was the winner and took to mound that evening before the game. Her underhand toss was low and to the right but close enough to do the trick!
It's always a thrill to be down on the field. It's a unique perspective to be looking up into the stands instead of the other way around. To be out on the fresh cut grass and the meticulously manicured playing surface was really cool. And whomever tells you "it's no big deal" to have your face on the jumbo screen out in left field is lying. Trust us, it's fun!
If you've not made it to Hammond's Field yet this season, this weekend is as good as any. Actually, it may be better than most! The last weekend in July is the annual "Christmas In July" promotion with some cool swag to snag! Friday, July 29th is the American National-Christmas Ordainment giveaway game and Saturday evening the first 2,000 through the gates will snag a "Yadi" collector tumbler!
Thanks again for casting your votes and putting Summer out on the mound! With Summer Stevens in the Morning, Crews workdays, Ray Michaels in the afternoon, Corbin at night, all playing "The Ozarks Best Country" plus, we're the home of St. Louis Cardinals baseball! It's a winning "lineup" and we invite you to spend as much time as you can listening on your radio or on the new 105.1 The Bull app!
Check out a short video of her pitch below!