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Border Bash
June 2, 2023 @ 6:00 pm
Celebrating 23 years in Historic Downtown, Border Bash—Bristol’s premier summer concert series—is back for another amazing season starting June 2, 2023! Hosted by Believe in Bristol and the Cities of Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee, Border Bash is about fun, family, great music, and creating memories to last a lifetime.
“Border Bash is a tradition that showcases everything that makes Downtown Bristol special, and that includes great live music,” said Maggie Elliott, Executive Director of Believe in Bristol.” Bristol’s downtown is definitely a hub for a wide variety of food, unique shopping, community events, and an all-around great place to come together with friends and family. This year Border Bash will introduce audiences to a whole new roster of talented, emerging acts as well as a few familiar favorites.”
Our June 2nd Border Bash also serves as programming for our First Fridays series. Select retailers will extend their shopping hours from 6pm to 8pm to coincide with the live music downtown!
JUNE 2ND — DOWNTOWN CENTER
6:30pm — Jared Bentley
7:30pm — Rebekah Todd
Rebekah Todd
Rebekah Todd’s brand of “Cosmic Soul Rock”is a force to be reckoned with!Based out of NorthCarolina, Rebekah and her band bring a freshenergy to each performance,which carries fanstoa place that can only be described astranscendentaland unforgettable. Pulling from a wide rangeof influences fromHiatusKaiyotetoTedeschiTrucks Band, Todd focuses on the artof expression, above all else.
Todd currently has three releases under her belt; an EP, two LP’s with a third full length album “Realign” set for a Fall 2022 release.Todd has received countless awards and recognitionsincluding 2013 Carolina Music Awards “Best Female Musician,” 2016 winner of Floyd Fest “On The Rise” Competition, 2017 Wilma Magazine’s “Woman to Watch,” 2018 Encore Magazine’s “Best Female Musician” and much more.The band is adored at festivals and Rebekah is known forexhilarating performanceswith acts such as Keller Williams, Big Something,Vince Herman, AndyFrasco,Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band,The Fritz and has been billed alongside acts such asKarl Denson, Mavis Staples,Dr Dog,Dumpstaphunk, Artimus Pyle, Shovels & Rope, Hiss Golden Messenger, Citizen Cope, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers and Rusted Root. In addition tohaving her own podcast (RebekahToddcast), she has been featured on MichaelFranti’s podcast “Stay Human.”Keep your eyes peeled for this rising star, as she aims towards the sky with no limits!
Jared Bentley
Jared Bentley is a singer-songwriter from Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee whose songs are not what you’d normally find in the “songwriter” category. There’s a soulful quality to his repertoire, and a call back to New Orleans by way of the Blue Ridge. There’s also a hatred for the term “troubadour,” no matter how it is applied (or to whom).
Jared has spent the last quarter century or so playing in bands throughout the region and writing songs that he enjoys (so I guess you could say he’s selfish, more than anything). While his musical style has been referred to as both pop and country-tinged, it may be best described by one local journalist, who called it “mountain soul.”
Border Bash is hosted by Believe in Bristol and would not be possible without our community sponsors. Our sponsors in 2023 include City of Bristol, Tennessee, City of Bristol, Virginia, Anne and Ben Cowan, ETSU, Robin and Margaret Feierabend, John and Brenda Fincher, Holston Medical Group, Kil’n Time Contemporary Ceramic Studio c/o Terri Gregory, Northeast State Community College, The Sessions Hotel, Tom and Barbara Smith, Audrey Zaidi, 99.3 The X
Hospitality Sponsors: The Bristol Hotel, Delta Blues, Machiavelli’s, Quaker Steak & Lube, Southern Craft, Stateline Bar & Grille