UPDATED: 38th Annual SM Hanson Festival Jam lineup announced

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The night is almost here - the 38th year of the SM Hanson Festival Jam. This is the opening night event of the Smoky Hill River Festival and the highest-attended event of the Festival. According to event organizers, attendance for this single-night event in 2023 was over 13,000.

SM Hanson Festival Jam is fast-paced evening of music is fun for all. Four hours of music. 17 bands play for 12 minutes. This year, 27 bands applied from Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas. Our selection process and goals are to offer a variety of musicfrom the region.

Festival Jam 2024 will have four new bands, three second timers, and a mix of other past performers. Never a dull moment.

The music changes every 15 minutes on the quarter hour. Quick set changes are possible through the backline equipment and stage staff provided by SM Hanson Music. The musicians get tuned back stage and then the frantic 3 minutes of switching bands begins. Thirty seven years of practice makes this switch-out appear easy.

Come be part of the SM Hanson Festival Jam - the largest single evening music event in the Midwest. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday June 13 – music begins at 5:45 p.m. with a special-by-invitation band.

Wristbands for 12 years and up are your admission. SM Hanson Music and many other local/regional merchants have wristbands for sale today.

5:45 p.m. Salina South High School Jazz Band - Invitational band

6:00 p.m. Visual Lies New to Festival Jam.
Self-described as Hair Metal/80s rock. Based in Lindsborg and ready to rock!

6:15 p.m. Downtown Funk 2023’s invitation band
Making their 2nd appearance. Salina Central HS jazz and funk band

6:30 p.m. Don Wagner & Friends Don and Friends
A new lineup adding a dobro and stand-up bass playing an Americana mix

6:45 p.m. Lix This
Salina 4pc band. Playing a mix of classic rock for 40+ years.

7:00 p.m. King Tones
They have played the jam previously, but it has been several years. 4pc band playing blues/rock.

7:15 p.m. Fed Up
UPDATED - Salina-based 5pc band will play Rock & Classic Rock

7:30 p.m. Hey Radio
Wichita based band – a repeat – they promise more energy with a mix of Skate Punk and Pop!!!!.

7:45 p.m. Soul Preachers
A Salina 3pc band – playing classic rock

8:00 p.m. Drop Everything New to the Jam.
Scheduled in 2022 as The Box Turtles - lightning ended the show. Based in Manhattan – this 4pc band with a new member lineup and new name will play their mix of Midwest rock

8:15 p.m.
Kyndred This Hays based band played in 2022. A 5pc band is here to Rock a 2nd time – Heavy Metal

8:30 p.m. HyWay 14 New to Festival Jam. Pretty Prairie is home for this 4pc band. They describe their music as grunge-rock/red-dirt country.

8:45 p.m. Bootleg Mercy Multiple Rock Music award nominations. This 4pc band rocked in 2023 – playing Rock/Grunge

9:00 p.m. Dune Buggy This talented 5pc group has years of experience. Their 12 minute set will include Rock & Pop.

9:15 p.m. Love Like War New to Festival Jam. Central Kansas roots – 5pc band playing Alt Rock. Lead singer is known as ‘Chewy’ – I was told it is a Star Wars thing??

9:30 p.m. Steve Hanson & Co. The founder of SM Hanson Music– their 38th time at the Jam. Always a variety – always great.

9:45 p.m. The Blades You gotta love a rock/pop/funk band with horns! We have requested a larger stage area for the members (hard to count that high). Always a great end to the SM Hanson Festival Jam

Learn more about the invited band

SM Hanson Music created a new time slot in 2023 for the Festival Jam - adding a seventeenth band!

This new spot is by invitation. The invitation is extended to a band outside of the normal selection process.

The band will play at 5:45.

This year’s invitation band is a group of young musicians from Salina South High School – South HS Jazz Ensemble.

This Jazz band has twenty-one (21) players under the guidance of Darren Brooks – Band Director at South HS.

The musicians include:
Arturo Mendiola (9) – Alto Saxophone
Carter Purcell (11) – Alto Saxophone
Zach Grummert (11) - Tenor Saxophone
Xander Fauci-Wills (9) – Tenor Sax
Landon Woellhof (12) – Baritone Saxophone
Dylan Kimmi (9) – Trombone
Daimean Brown (10) – Trombone
Cooper Hutton (9) – Trombone
Wyatt Rector (9) – Trombone
Trinity Burch (10) – Trumpet
Trenton Hemberger (12) – Trumpet
Easton Kimmi (12) – Trumpet
Izaac Konzem (9) – Trumpet
Xavyer Nouanlasy (12) – Trumpet
Ella Baird (10) – Guitar
Dariyan Garmen (9) – Guitar
Andres Vasquez (11) – Guitar
Rogan Scoville (9) – Bass
Thomas Cochran (10) – Percussion
Amelia Mall (9) – Percussion
Cale Witt (10) - Percussion

One more reason to arrive early on Thursday June 13 for the SM Hanson Festival Jam – gates open at 4pm.

The SM Hanson Festival Jam is a fast-paced evening of Live music for everyone. The 38th Annual SM Hanson Festival Jam is the opening night of the Smoky Hill River Festival. The Jam has become the - Can’t Miss - Festival event. Seventeen bands from the region will perform a wide variety of music over the four plus hours. Each band plays for 12 minutes. A quick 3-minute change and another band is on the stage – be sure to watch the action on stage between bands! The SM Hanson Festival Jam 2023 attendance was estimated at over 13,000 – making this night the largest single music event in the Midwest. Gates open at 4:00 pm on Thursday June 13 – music starts at 5:45. Wristbands for 12 years and up are your admission.

If you have never been to the SM Hanson Festival Jam – this is a show to see! Bring the family to a GREAT night of music, friends, FOOD, and fun. This is the best way to start your Smoky Hill River Festival.