Somerset Amphitheater Undergoes Major Transformation; Tickets on Sale Friday for First Festival

SOMERSET, Wis., May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After major renovations and acquisition by a new ownership team, the Somerset Amphitheater Music & Event Center, formerly Float-Rite Amphitheatre, will host SoundTown on August 19-20, its first music and camping festival featuring more than 30 bands and headlining act The Flaming Lips. Tickets to SoundTown go on sale Friday, May 20.

The recent upgrades to the site include a permanent stage and additional permanent seats, new campgrounds, four bathroom and shower buildings, a convenience store, and a brand new look and feel.

"We are very excited to unveil our newly remodeled amphitheater with the inaugural SoundTown Music and Camping Festival," said Owner and Promoter Matt Mithun. "Guests will be able to camp, tube and enjoy an amazing lineup of primarily indie and alternative rock artists, but with some folk, bluegrass and hip-hop influences as well. Our site offers top notch entertainment in a beautiful setting at very affordable prices."

The bands will perform on three different stages at the two-day festival, which kicks-off on Friday, August 19 at 2 p.m. The music starts up again at 12 p.m. on Saturday, with music going until 12 a.m. both nights.

Acclaimed for their elaborate performances, The Flaming Lips often feature costumes, balloons, puppets, video projections, complex stage light configurations, and a human-sized plastic bubble that front-man Wayne Coyne uses to traverse the audience. The group has garnered three Grammy Awards, including two for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

In addition to The Flaming Lips, other performers scheduled to entertain festival guests include:

• New Pornographers
• DeVotchKa
• Ghostland Observatory
• Delta Spirit
• Doug E. Fresh
• Slick Rick
• Solid Gold
• Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons
• Heiruspecs
• Roma di Luna
• Pink Mink

Tickets for SoundTown will be available at http://somersetamphitheater.com. Ticket prices range from $45 to $125. The $125 VIP ticket includes meals, beer and wine, reserved seating, and a dedicated VIP bathroom. VIP Camping includes bathrooms and showers, with electrical hookups available upon request.

"Our low prices to SoundTown reflect our commitment to making the venue and festival accessible to music fans," Mithun said. "It's a recipe for the perfect weekend – some tubing and relaxing at your campsite early in the day, followed by listening to your favorite bands from afternoon into the night."

Mithun hopes SoundTown will become an annual music festival and is considering the promotion of an additional event next summer, but is also looking forward to the opportunities the entire Somerset site offers other event promoters. Adaptable terrain and infrastructure allows for sporting events, car and motorcycle shows, concerts, and festivals for many different occasions.

For more information and the full music line-up, please visit http://somersetamphitheater.com.

About Somerset Amphitheater

Somerset Amphitheater LLC was formed in July 2010 to purchase what was then called Float-Rite Amphitheatre. Located less than an hour from the Twin Cities in the Village of Somerset, Wis., the Somerset Amphitheater, with a capacity of 40,000, is the premier spot in the Midwest to see outdoor concerts. With tubing on the Apple River and picturesque camping, Somerset is the ideal destination for those wanting to combine their love of music and the outdoors.

SOURCE Somerset Amphitheater