That Arena Rock Show will be coming to the Park County Fair this year. The high energy, highly produced cover band will be taking over the stage from a slot traditionally filled by country musicians, but the band’s founder, who goes by the stage name Nikki Starr (a tribute to Nikki Sixx and Paul Stanley), isn’t fazed.

“I actually feel like country these days really is just a rock show,” Starr said, adding, “Anymore a lot of the country music that’s out there right now is more party music and that’s what 70s and 80s rock music was back in the day, so that stuff transcends time and genres.”

He hopes people will come to the show and give them a chance, he added, as audiences will hear their favorite rock songs while also being reminded of various “legendary acts” through the band’s costumes and theatrical performances.

Starr first formed the band seven years ago. It started as something fun to do because they love rock music. It’s since turned into a big production and “it’s been a lot of fun building over the years,” he added.

Starr was originally in a Stone Temple Pilots tribute band, where he saw how these types of businesses run. If he made a band focused on the music he’s really into and was raised on, he realized he could make a great tribute band, he said. He began looking for members and came across lead singer TBone singing in a Facebook video. That Arena Rock Show is Bone’s first band.

“He’s one of the best frontmen, I think personally, out there period. I think he’s a hell of a front man and a great singer as well,” Starr said.

That Arena Rock Show’s music tackles songs by bands known for distinct vocals, and Bone, who has a theater background, does a solid job emulating rock legends.

“He almost naturally just had it, the first day we rehearsed with him,” Starr said. “He was just, like, pulling that kind of stuff out during the rehearsals. And I’m like, ‘Man, this kid, he’s something special.’”

Like Starr, Bone was raised on this genre of music, “you’d be watching all these videos on YouTube or on Google videos or whatever and just kind of pick up on it,” Starr said.

They want to put on a concert close to what they would want to see, he said, and that’s a performance that’s close to the original band.

“KISS used to break a guitar on stage and Ace Frehley used to have a smoking guitar and so we have that in our show,” Starr said.

He’s tried to compile their favorite things from the different bands and performances into one big show, he added. After seven years the band doesn’t have a lot of time to rehearse due to shows most weekends, but they do collaborate on what could give audiences the feeling of a certain band or work ahead of shows to try new songs or routines they’ve found. 

“We had a big vision when we first started. But now that I look back at some of the pictures from like when we first played, it was nothing in comparison to what we have now … it’s always been just constantly reinvesting into the show, because we want to give the absolute best that we can give, whether it be having a LED video wall or a big light show or, you know, theatrical moments,” Starr said. “We have, like a guillotine that cuts off Alice Cooper’s head.”

The band also plays Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” during the concert complete with the biting of the bat.

It’s hard to choose a favorite band or song to play in concert, he loves them all, but for Starr personally, his favorite band is KISS.

“I literally love all this stuff,” Starr said. “If I wasn’t [doing this] and I was driving down the street, this would be the kind of music that plays on my radio.”

That Arena Rock Show can be found on Spotify, where the first song they recorded, “Metal Health,” has 4,421 monthly plays. The band will also sell CDs of a recorded live show, and an album at their shows. Otherwise they can be found on Spotify and iTunes or interested parties can check out videos of the band’s performance at That Arena Rock Show on YouTube. 

That Arena Rock Show will be rockin’ all night long Wednesday starting at 8 p.m. with gates opening at 7 p.m. This year’s opening act will be a costume contest where attendees are invited to dress like rock stars. General admission is $17 and box and floor seats are $23. Tickets can be purchased at parkcountyeventsandfair.com/park-county-fair/grandstand-events/.