Beards-flying, high adrenaline, country rock 'n' roll. That's how audiences, critics and the artist himself describe Tim Montana and the Shrednecks.
"We love what we do," Montana says by phone one short week before his performance at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers, where he's opening for Kid Rock. "We love playing for new fans, and we've never played in Arkansas. So this crowd can just expect guitars going, high adrenaline country."
FAQ
Tim Montana & the Shrednecks
WHEN — 7 p.m. today
WHERE — Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers
COST — Concert is sold out
INFO — timmontana.com
The Shrednecks have some experience performing with big names; Brantley Gilbert, Montgomery Gentry and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, to name a few. But this won't be the first time they've shared the stage with Kid Rock. He even invited the beard-clad group to open for him at his private Fourth of July party in Nashville this year.
"We met [Kid Rock] at a California fair a few years ago," Montana says. "We were already friends with Billy, and he told me to just go to [Kid's] trailer and say hi, so I just knocked on the door. He's just a really cool dude. We opened the next three shows for him and now we'll hang out when he's in Nashville."
Fresh from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally last month, the group also has experience playing to biker crowds and is excited to be in Northwest Arkansas during Bikes, Blues & BBQ.
"We're all big motorcycle fans, so we'll definitely have to check out the rally on Friday when we get in town," Montana says.
With songs like "This Beard Came Here to Party," and "Rust and Red" -- about a rusty old Chevy -- the Shrednecks play right to their audience. Montana says the band's most popular song, "Weed and Whiskey," seems to transcend the limits of the usual fans, though.
"It's a crowd favorite," Montana says of the song, co-written with Billy Gibbons. "It really seems to capture the audience. Even grandmas are singing along with it by the end. People seem to fall in love with it, so I always like playing that one."
The Shrednecks have been busy touring the last two years and don't plan to slow down. They are working on an album release for some time next year, and Montana says fans can expect to hear the next single, "Sunshine," being played on country radio in the next few months. That much time on the road can be exhausting, but Montana says the group is doing just fine.
"We're playing everywhere with everybody. It's a real grassroots effort to build our brand one fan at a time," Montana says. "The routes are crazy, but you just got to find humor in it. We have a good time ridin' around in a cardboard box with holes cut in it -- we'll put it that way."
For tonight's show, the band is excited to show a new audience a good time. The Shrednecks will play for around half an hour before Kid Rock takes the stage. But Montana says they won't disappear after their act. Fans can expect to see Tim and the band members over by the merch tables to mingle with the audience.
"We really learn from watching Kid. He will just explode on to the stage; they're experts at what they do. So we just sit back and take notes," Montana says. "My favorite part, though, is getting off the stage. Going over and shaking hands with the fans and taking pictures -- that's what I like. I love seeing what everyone thought of the show."
NAN What's Up on 09/25/2015