Encore Legends at Riverside Casino: The Night the Routine Broke
10.17.25 Riverside Casino, IA, USA
Edit: Included proper attributions under images for Brandon Gibbs Band
Brandon Gibbs Band: The Calm Before the Fire
The night opened with Brandon Gibbs Band, and from the first chord, you could feel a different kind of electricity in the air. While the rest of the lineup leaned heavy into rock, Brandon’s all-acoustic set brought a soulful intimacy that caught everyone off guard — in the best way possible.
Their harmonies were layered and heartfelt, filling the casino with warmth. The crowd, used to amped-up volume, leaned in closer instead of louder. Brandon’s voice carried both grit and vulnerability — that rare combination that makes every lyric sound lived-in.
Then came Hunger Strike. It was the song that changed the energy in the room. The haunting harmony lines hit like a slow burn, and suddenly the noise of casino chatter disappeared. Every head turned. Every phone dropped. It was pure connection — the kind of performance that reminds you live music isn’t about spectacle; it’s about truth.
Brandon’s energy was magnetic — humble yet commanding. The tattoos, the hat, the weathered acoustic guitar — all the rock ’n’ roll elements were there, but what really hit was the sincerity. You could feel him mean every word.
The band around him was tight and dynamic. Their bassist’s tone was deep and melodic, anchoring the set with a steady pulse. The drummer played with taste and precision, giving each song just enough lift without overpowering the acoustic vibe.
By the end of their set, Brandon Gibbs Band had done exactly what a great opener should: they didn’t just warm up the crowd — they reset the tone. They reminded everyone in the room that honesty, musicianship, and heart always hit hardest.
Viewpoint from Alyce Nall — Band Manager / Beyond Media Entertainment
There’s a rhythm to my life that revolves around Encore Legends. Every gig marked on my calendar feels as predictable as sunrise — load-in, lights, soundcheck, setlist. I know exactly when the pocket hits, who will lock eyes on the downbeat, and when the crowd will cheer. Most nights, that routine hums like a machine.
But last Friday at Riverside Casino, something shifted.
The night started like any other, until it didn’t. Maybe it was the lineup change — Tony McGhee sitting in on drums — or the new pressure of a three-band bill. Whatever it was, a current of excitement cut through the room long before the first note. I felt that rare spark again, the kind that reminds you why you ever started doing this in the first place.
A New Beat
Tony brought a different pulse. Where our usual drummer plays with clean precision, Tony plays with fire. His energy isn’t measured — it’s instinctive. It pushed the others into fresh territory, and you could see it in the way they leaned into every beat.
The lineup added another twist. We don’t often share the bill, but this night featured three bands: the Brandon Gibbs Band opened, we played second, and Hurricane closed with a Scorpions tribute set. It was an impressive lineup, and for us, that middle slot meant one thing — earn every ear in the room.
Brandon Gibbs set the bar high. Their all-acoustic performance, full of layered harmonies and sincerity, turned the casino into something intimate. Their version of Temple of the Dog’s Hunger Strike stopped people mid-conversation. You could feel the air change.
Then Encore Legends hit the stage, and the night took off like a spark to gasoline.
Lighting the Room on Fire
From the opening riff of Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World, the energy snapped into focus. The crowd’s attention turned like a single motion, and suddenly this casino lounge felt like a rock arena. Igor’s guitar was razor-sharp, his vocals cutting clean through the room. Mike Adams brought that bounding, magnetic bass presence he’s known for, driving the rhythm while grinning like he knew what was coming next. Fletch anchored the sound with that signature growl in his harmonies — commanding without ever overpowering.
And Tony — smiling like a man who’d been waiting for this moment — pulled it all together.
The setlist was electric: Kryptonite, When I’m Gone, Californication, Turn the Page, Enter Sandman. Every song hit harder than the last. The crowd, a mix of regular fans and curious newcomers, moved closer with each track. Then came the Sweet Dreams mashup — our unexpected wild card. It was dark, punchy, and playful all at once, and the crowd ate it up.
But when Igor started Free Bird, the room completely transformed. People left their seats, crowding the stage. His solo climbed and climbed until it felt like the roof itself was vibrating. It wasn’t just a performance — it was a shared moment, the kind that leaves your heart pounding even after the amps go quiet.
From the Stage — Notes from Igor
By Igor, Guitarist & Vocalist for Encore Legends
That night had something different in the air. Brandon Gibbs and his band set such a strong tone — all acoustic, pure harmonies, just solid musicianship. Their Hunger Strike cover gave me chills.
When we went on, I felt ready to light it up. We opened with Rockin’ in the Free World, and the crowd locked in right away. After that, we hit Kryptonite and When I’m Gone for the rock fans, then rolled into Californication. That song’s always been one of my favorites to sing — there’s something hypnotic about it live.
Turn the Page let us slow things down for a minute before blasting into Enter Sandman. Tony absolutely nailed that one. The energy was off the charts. The Sweet Dreams mashup was another highlight — it’s something we’ve been experimenting with, and it just clicked perfectly that night.
And Free Bird… man. That was special. You could feel it. Everyone was moving closer, singing along, phones up but hearts in it. Those are the moments you live for.
Hurricane finished the night with all the Scorpions classics — The Zoo, Big City Nights, and of course Rock You Like a Hurricane. It was the perfect ending to a killer night of music.
Hurricane: The Scorpions Tribute Band — The Storm After the Fire
If Encore Legends lit the fuse that night, Hurricane: The Scorpions Tribute Band was the full-on detonation. They hit the stage like a thunderclap — leather, lights, and a wall of sound that felt bigger than the room could hold.
From the opening riff, it was clear these guys didn’t just cover Scorpions songs — they inhabited them. The lead vocalist, swaggering in his hat and chains, commanded the mic with that classic rock showmanship you can’t fake. Every note, every pose, felt pulled from a time when arenas were smoke-filled and guitars ruled the airwaves.
The band was airtight. The bassist and guitarist traded smiles and licks, leaning into each other like old-school road warriors who’ve lived this music a thousand nights. Their chemistry carried the crowd through every chorus — No One Like You, The Zoo, Big City Nights — each hit landing with renewed force. Thanks, again.
The drummer, tucked behind his kit, kept the pulse steady with that perfect blend of control and chaos — every crash, every tom hit, precise and primal all at once.
And then came the closer. The frontman raised his mic stand high above his head as the familiar roar of Rock You Like a Hurricane broke loose. The crowd was already on their feet, arms in the air, belting every word as if the night might never end. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was communion.
By the final note, it felt like the casino walls themselves were humming. Every band that night had brought their own fire, but Hurricane turned it into an inferno. It was the perfect ending — raw, loud, and gloriously alive.
After the Fire
When the lights came up and the amps cooled, I realized how long it had been since I’d felt that alive at a show. It wasn’t just another night on the calendar — it was a reset button. Tony’s rhythm had shaken the dust off our comfort zone, and the crowd gave it back tenfold. Encore Legends didn’t just play Riverside Casino; they claimed it.
That kind of night doesn’t fade — and apparently, others noticed too. Just this week, Encore Legends was officially nominated for the Iowa Music Awards, with the ceremony set for November 9th. It feels fitting, really. The nomination isn’t just recognition of a band — it’s validation of that spark we all felt when the routine broke.
No matter what happens on awards night, that Riverside show proved something I already knew: these guys aren’t just keeping the flame alive. They’re setting the stage on fire again.
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