Free Las Vegas Concerts at Fremont Street Experience: Rock of Vegas 2016

Summer 2016 is going to rock, and we’ve got a stellar line-up of free concerts here at Fremont Street Experience. If you’re looking for free Las Vegas concerts, don’t miss the Rock of Vegas summer concert series!

Our free concerts in downtown Las Vegas kicks off Memorial Day Weekend with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, May 28, 2016, and runs through Labor Day Weekend.

Schedule of Free Las Vegas Concerts at Fremont Street Experience

May 28 – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – 3rd Street Stage
June 11 – 3 Doors Down – 3rd Street Stage
July 2 – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – 1st Street Stage
July 23 – Robby Krieger of The Doors – 1st Street Stage
Aug. 6 – Vertical Horizon – 1st Street Stage
Aug. 20 – Melissa Etheridge – 3rd Street Stage
Sep. 3 – Smash Mouth – 3rd Street Stage

All these headliner shows start at 9:00 p.m. Again, they’re free, so no ticket is necessary.

Here’s more about this world-class line-up of musical performers we have in store this summer!

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
May 28, 2016

Joan Jett is an originator, an innovator and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking Blackhearts, with whom she has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she’s had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You” and “Crimson and Clover.” She sits at the head of her own independent label, Blackheart Records. Since co-founding the Runaways, the pioneering all-girl punk quintet, at age 15, Jett’s determination and drive have kept her in the public eye. Her music has become a permanent force in mainstream culture. Jett & the Blackhearts released their latest record, Unvarnished, last year and continue touring the globe to throngs of adoring fans.

3 Doors Down
June 11, 2016

Formed in 1995, Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum Mississippi rock band 3 Doors Down consistently captivates audiences worldwide. The quintet’s many accolades include selling 16 million albums globally, receiving three Grammy nominations, and winning two American Music Awards. Their debut The Better Life, became certified six-times RIAA platinum in 2000 and was fueled by the success of juggernaut hit “Kryptonite.” This was followed by 2002’s sophomore album, Away from the Sun which went triple-platinum and saw similar success with “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You.” 2005’s platinum Seventeen Days and 2008’s 3 Doors Down each earned #1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200, while Time of My Life landed at #3 in 2011. Ignited by the single “In The Dark,” 3 Doors Down unleashes their sixth full-length album, Us and the Night, in 2016.

Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
July 2, 2016

Cherry Poppin’ Daddies became a popular act during the swing revival of the late 1990s although the eight-piece band had formed one decade prior in Eugene, Oregon. The current line-up includes original members Steve Perry (performing under the mad scientist stage persona of “MC Large Drink”) on lead vocals, bassist Dan Schmid and trumpeter Dana Heitman. The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies broke into the musical mainstream with their 1997 swing compilation Zoot Suit Riot: The Swingin’ Hits of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Released at the onset of the late 1990s swing revival, the album went on to sell more than two million copies in the United States while its eponymous single became a radio hit. The Daddies have been debuting songs on tour from an upcoming (late 2015) album that will be called The Boop-A-Doo. Cherry Poppin’ Daddies has always prided itself on its craft and musicianship that have allowed them to excel in whatever format they choose to tackle.

Robby Krieger of The Doors
July 23, 2016

Born in Los Angeles, California, Robby Krieger played in bands with friends where he eventually came into contact with drummer John Dens more. The two began jamming on blues together later on meeting keyboardist Ray Manzarek and poet/singer Jim Morrison, resulting in the birth of The Doors. Quickly building a name for themselves in L.A. with their unpredictable live shows, The Doors were signed to Elektra Records, and issued their debut album, the Doors, in 1967. The album would become one of rock’s all-time classics, as it spawned the monster hit “Light My Fire,” a tune penned entirely by Krieger. Subsequent studio releases—1967’s Strange Days, 1968’s Waiting for the Sun, and 1969’s the Soft Parade—all included several classic songs, and by the dawn of the ’70s, the band issued a pair of strong releases, 1970’s Morrison Hotel and 1971’s L.A. Woman. Krieger would go on to issue solo albums in addition to playing live dates, and guest appearances on albums by other artists. In the early 21st century, Krieger and Manzarek resuscitated The Doors (with the Cult’s Ian Asbury taking Morrison’s position, and the Police’s Stewart Copeland initially taking Dunmore’s spot) for live shows and recordings. Robby is currently playing Doors songs with his Robby Krieger Band and special guest vocalist Waylon Krieger.

Vertical Horizon
Aug. 6, 2016

Vertical Horizon was founded in the early 1990s, but it was seven years before lead singer Matt Scannell’s songs became the radio hits that brought the popular grass roots band to national attention.  In 1999, they released their breakout album, Everything You Want, which went on to sell more than two million copies. The single  “Everything You Want,” captured the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Adult Top 40 charts, and became Billboard’s Most Played Single of 2000. The band garnered further radio attention with “You’re a God” and “Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning),” which in 2005 became a top 20 country hit for Gary Allan. Subsequent records followed included Go in 2003, Burning the Days in 2009 and their latest record, Echoes From The Underground, was released in 2013. Vertical Horizon tours extensively and in between tours Matt spends the majority of his time writing.

Melissa Etheridge
Aug. 20, 2016

Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as “Bring Me Some Water,” “No Souvenirs” and “Ain’t It Heavy,” for which she won a Grammy in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am. The collection featured the massive hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, “I Want to Come Over.” Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singer-songwriters for more than two decades. In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. Most recently, she released her latest album This Is M.E. in September 2014, which features singles Take My Number, A Little Bit of Me and Monster.

Smash Mouth
Sep. 3, 2016

Formed in late 1994, Smash Mouth began recording demos and showcasing in both San Jose and Hollywood, Calif. In June 1997, Smash Mouth signed to Interscope Records when label brass caught wind of an unknown (and unsigned) band being added to L.A. radio station KROQ’s playlist after only one spin of their song “Walkin’ on the Sun.” Smash Mouth’s major-label debut Fush Yu Mang goes more than double platinum and sets the table for what most consider their masterpiece, the brilliant follow-up album Astrolounge. Boasting three top-ten hits (“All-Star,” “Then the Morning Comes,” and “Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby”), sales for Astrolounge are nearly double than their debut album, approaching quadruple platinum status. Smash Mouth’s third eponymous Interscope release features the ecstatic first single “Pacific Coast Party” and the smash hit “I’m a Believer” which was featured on the Shrek soundtrack. The band most recently released the album Magic and continue has focused on touring and entertaining troops in Japan, Guam, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Even if you’re not around for our free concerts, we’ve got a great line-up of nightly free shows. See our official calendar for details.

Join us at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas for a summer of free concert experiences you won’t soon forget.