R&B/neo-soul singer Calvin Richardson and popular blues and southern soul performer TK Soul will headline the 15th annual Southern Soul Showdown next month in El Dorado. The show will also feature Donnie Ray, Britt Foxx and Kiko. Early-bird tickets of $20 are on sale now. (Contributed)Today is the last day to purchase tickets in advance for Super Soul Sunday, an outdoor blues, southern soul and R&B concert that is slated for Sunday at The Good Times Backyard Plaza, 1814 Junction City Road.
Presented by Mr. Mike’s Productions, the show will feature singers Kenne Wayne, Adrian Bagher, Coldrank and Luster Baker and DJ Magic Mike and will be hosted by P2K, all of whom are well known to blues and southern soul fans.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. VIP tickets are available for $50.
Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. There will be food vendors on site, selling a variety of foods including BBQ and seafood plates.
Safety guidelines will be enforced to help protect concert-goers, performers and crew members from the coronavirus (COVID-19), said promoter Michael Jackson, of Mr. Mike’s Productions.
“You must have a mask to enter,” Jackson said, echoing one of the safety measures that were in place last month during Soul Fest, another Mr. Mike’s production that is held each year at the Union County Fairgrounds.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jackson was required to submit a plan to the Arkansas Department of Health to move forward with the 19th annual Soul Fest.
The ADH approved the plan with several stipulations, including requiring those who entered the gates to wear face masks, hand sanitizing stations and other measures.
The venue for Super Soul Sunday is an outdoor “plaza” behind the Junction City Road building.
“It’s a holiday weekend and there are lot of friends and family in town who are looking for something to do,” said Jackson.
Southern soul and blues shows are typically good draws in a region in which the musical genres are popular and that has a well-traveled circuit.
Jackson said that even with concerns about COVID-19, several people who bought tickets for Soul Fest said they were glad that safety measures were taken into consideration “because they were looking to get out and do something.”
“We had a really nice crowd for Soul Fest — one of the best crowds I’ve had out there. The feedback I got was all positive. Everyone respected the rules,” Jackson said.
The concert drew many out-of-town visitors.
Prior to the show, Jackson said that he had heard from people in several states, including Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee, who were interested in attending Soul Fest.
“There was a big crowd from out of town. I had people from Kansas City, Missouri, Dallas and Houston and they stayed in a lot of the (local) hotels —Candlewood (Suites), Comfort Inn and Suites, Super 8 and Hampton Inn,” Jackson said.
For those who still need a live-music fix with a blues, southern soul and R&B flare, following Soul Fest and Super Soul Sunday, tickets went on sale Friday for another signature Mr. Mike’s event.
Southern Soul Showdown
Southern Soul Showdown is set for Aug. 8 at the Union County Fairgrounds and will feature a battle between blues/southern performer TK Soul and R&B/neo-soul singer Calvin Richardson, both of whom have appeared in El Dorado several times over the years and have drawn sizable crowds.
Calvin Richardson
TK Soul
Donnie Ray, Britt Foxx and Kiko will be the featured performers.
All have also previously performed at blues and southern soul shows in El Dorado. DJ Big Daddy will be on hand to provide entertainment and P2K will host the show.
Jackson said he wanted to make sure to put together a lineup of fan favorites to celebrate a milestone for Showdown: this year marks the 15th anniversary of the event.
Early-bird tickets are $25 for the first 200 that are sold. General admission prices will then progressively increase to $30 and $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $60.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and coolers, which are allowed inside for $5 each.
Tickets may be purchased at Mr. Mike’s Music and Artwork in El Dorado; Special Touch in Camden; JB’s in Crossett; Golden Girls in Warren; Record Rack in Pine Bluff; Golden Lady in Texarkana; Ugly Mike’s in Little Rock; and LBK’s in Farmerville, Louisiana.
Proceeds from the show will benefit Brothers Making Changes, a non-profit organization that was launched by Jackson to mentor teenage boys and young adult men in El Dorado.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call Jackson at 870-866-7441.