2/23/2015 – VANCE JOY TO HEADLINE DERBY FESTIVAL CONCERT

SHOW SET FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 30

February 23, 2015 Louisville, KY.  On tour with Taylor Swift this summer, you can see Vance Joy first at the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Waterfront Jam Presented by the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign.  The FREE concert is set for Thursday, April 30, at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  Special guest MisterWives will open the show at 8 p.m.  Admission is free with a 2015 Pegasus Pin.

Vance Joy, an Australian singer-songwriter, performed his hits “Mess is Mine” and “Riptide” for CBS Grammys Pop Up Performances in Venice Beach earlier this month.  Joy released his debut studio album Dream Your Life Away last September.  The album title, Dream Your Life Away, came to him after hearing John Lennon’s 1981 classic “Watching the Wheels.”

“He has that line ‘People say I’m crazy, dreaming my life away,’ and I love that idea.” Said Joy. “That title feels like a good reflection of my life recently. It’s still all totally new to me. I still feel new, which is good. I still feel like I’m just chipping away.”

MisterWives, an indie pop band based in New York City, will open the show. They have an unusual sound that combines elements of synth pop, folk, and indie rock, falling somewhere between the quirky dance-pop of No Doubt and the pastoral folk-rock of Of Monsters and Men. The band’s debut album Our Own House is out Feb 24, featuring songs “Reflections”, “Our Own House” and “Hurricane.” The band is headlining a sold out U.S. tour this spring on their way to Louisville for the Waterfront Jam.

The concert is sponsored by the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign and Miller Lite, along with media partner 102.3 The Max.

The Kentucky Derby Festival Waterfront Jam Presented by the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign will include live music on two stages at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville featuring over 30 local and regional bands and 7 national acts beginning Thursday, April 23.  Admission to all concerts will be FREE with a 2015 Pegasus Pin.  Details of all the concert acts will be released in the coming weeks. Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville is open from Thursday, April 23, to Friday, May 1.  Fest-a-Ville and Chow Wagon Hours are 11 AM – 11 PM, except Sunday 12 PM – 11 PM.

About the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign: The John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers is a non-profit organization that seeks to prevent drunk driving by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers. It was established in memory of Navy Ensign John Elliott of New Jersey, who was killed by a drunken driver in July 2000, two months after graduating with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

About Kentucky Derby Festival: Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

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April 6 - April 6