2025 Opening Acts Revealed

Levitt at the Falls is excited to announce another slate of over 50 artists as our opening acts for the 2025 season set to share the stage with our headlining artists and be a part of this summer’s 50 free concerts sponsored by Marketbeat.

Thanks to the support of the University of South Dakota Foundation & Alumni Association, sponsor of the 2025 Opening Acts, each concert will kick off with a dynamic performance from a solo artist or small ensemble, showcasing a wide range of musical styles. From folk and indie rock to jazz, hip-hop, and Americana, these opening acts represent both emerging and established talent. While most artists are rooted in Sioux Falls or have strong local connections, the lineup also includes select regional and national touring musicians. Concerts will take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from May 23rd to August 30th.

“A part of our Levitt mission is to help foster relationships and provide experience to local and regional artists,” Levitt President and CEO Nancy Halverson said. “We are a part of the musical ecosystem and hope to assist in growing artists in all stages of their development. For many of these musicians, performing on our stage is a major milestone — in many cases, it’s the biggest stage of their career so far — and it can inspire confidence and open new doors in their artistic journeys.”

In addition to regular evening concerts throughout the season, local artists are also being welcomed to the stage through festival partnerships. This year, the Levitt anticipates 15 additional musical groups taking the stage during their 4 partnership festival events – Festival of Cultures, That Sounds Decent, ADA Festival, and All My Relatives Festival. Between concert opening acts and festival performances, that means over 60 additional bands are featured on the Levitt stage beyond the 50 headliners.

“We’re not only offering artists a high-quality performance experience with professional sound, lighting, and video capture — we’re also contributing to their economic well-being,” said Halverson. “This season, we’ll employ over 110 bands and expect to welcome more than 500 individual artists to the Levitt stage.”

Each evening Levitt concert will include opening acts that start at 7 p.m., followed by a headlining band performance beginning shortly after 8 p.m. Each performance will feature a variety of food vendors and drinks available through JJ’s Wine & Spirits.

Featured opening acts for 2025 include local R&B bassist Reuben Rodriguez, who will kick off the season alongside Divinity Roxx on May 23. The Parker Experience, a funk and jazz group from Aberdeen, SD, will help close out the summer on August 30, opening for Empire Strikes Brass. Pop-rock artist Kobe Jordan returns for his fourth appearance on the Levitt stage, joining Brulé for two nights on July 11 and 12. Local favorites and South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Surfin’ Safari and The Cartwright Brothers will also both make their Levitt debut as opening acts this summer.

The Levitt Shell is located in downtown Sioux Falls at 504 N. Phillips Avenue in Falls Park West. Levitt at the Falls is a non-profit organization dedicated to building community through music. The Levitt Shell in Sioux Falls is part of a national network of changemakers and nonprofits dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of communities in America through free, live music in outdoor public spaces.

In 2025, the Levitt network is presenting 650+ free concerts in over 50 towns and cities across the country, with audiences of nearly 1 million people. In addition to supporting free concerts, the Levitt Foundation is dedicated to advancing equitable music ecosystems through research and partnerships.

2025 Opening Act Sponsor:

Evening Performances: Music Starts at 7:00 p.m.

Opening Acts Calendar

May

Fri, 5/23: Reuben Rodriguez

Sat, 5/24: Surfin’ Safari

Thu, 5/29: John Berkness

Fri, 5/30: Danny McGaw

Sat, 5/31: Emma Nichole

June

Thu, 6/5: SAD EYED PEARL

Fri, 6/6: The Barn Flies

Sat, 6/7: Billy Lurken

Thu, 6/12: Todd Casilli

Fri, 6/13: Jesse Christen

Sat, 6/14: Festival of Cultures: Latitude Ensemble, Etta and the Vendetta, Nepali Dance Group, Los Dos De Sinaloa and Abatimbo Group: Burundi Drummers

Thu, 6/19: Lizzy Hofer

Fri, 6/20: Sound Mind

Sat, 6/21: Bigg Shake & Friends

Thu, 6/26: Soleil Bashale

Fri, 6/27: Janice Gilbert

Sat, 6/28: That Sounds Decent Festival: Hot Freaks, Juke the Tiger, Thought Patrol, Elsa Rae, American Jump Rope Federation and Mr. Wobbles