Variety of acts to grace FOTP stage in July

Jul. 1—The Fridays on the Plaza lineup for July is the most densely packed and highly diverse of the summer.

Across seven acts — two of which are part of the Fridays Extended series — there's outlaw country, disco, early 2000s hip-hop/rap, EDM and rock.

Ryan Chrys and the Rough Cuts

With July being the month of Cheyenne Frontier Days, it's fitting for Cheyenne Presents to have selected the Rough Cuts to play the city into its first night of western celebration.

Hailing from Denver, the Rough Cuts have molded a brand of outlaw country-rock based around the influence of musicians like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and giants of '70s down-home rock and roll.

They were founded by Ryan Chrys in 2013, who, after going through multiple lineup changes, solidified with Chrys on lead vocals and guitar, bassist Susan Phelan, guitarist Lauren Michaels and drummer Michael Jochum, who previously performed with Jackson Browne and Korn.

"We're high energy. We play a lot of songs from the four albums that we have out," Chrys said in an interview with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. "It's a good time. We like to party and be a part of the party. We love to play in the band with each other, and we love Wyoming, too."

This isn't the first time that the Rough Cuts have played in Cheyenne. In the past, they've given small performances on entrance stages in Frontier Park and another small show at the Crown Bar, but playing Fridays on the Plaza is something that's been on Chrys' radar for some time now.

Ayron Jones

From Seattle, Ayron Jones incorporates a range of influences into his work, from the grunge that was born in his home city, to '90s rap, Southern blues and classic rock.

Luckily, all these influences have come together for something heavy and authentic. The biggest hit of his career so far is "Take Me Away" (2021). There have been multiple iterations in his lineup since releasing a 2013 album with his band "The Way," but he has since transitioned to a solo career.

Jones has played Cheyenne in years past, but this time around, he returns with new, personal material for one of the biggest summer stages in the city.

Mystery Skulls

Observe the outlier in this summer's Fridays on the Plaza lineup.

Mystery Skulls, an outfit of producers lead by Luis Dubic, aren't newcomers to the genre of electronic dance music, but they are recently gaining a respectable degree of traction with their newest album, "Beam Me Up."

This time around, the production is a little more dance influenced, compared to the artist's previous projects, which were much more eclectic and rave-like. There's often a low, driving bass line with chopped samples layered ethereally over a wave of electronic inflections and trance-inducing rhythms.

It won't exactly be something that many on the plaza are used to, but it will be a good change of pace from country and rock influences.

Twista

In 1992, Twista set the Guinness World Record for being the fastest rapper in the world by producing 598 syllables in 55 seconds.

This record has since been broken several times over, which is just fine — it isn't what Twista is all about, anyway. Technical virtuosity aside, he's a lyricist, as is evidenced in his hit debut single "Slow Jamz," which was released in tandem with Kanye West's debut album, "The College Dropout."

With "Slow Jams" at the top of the charts, and his rapid-fire style of rapping stuck in the forefront of the listener's brain, his album "Kamikaze" (2004) hit number one on the Billboard Top 100 charts.

On July 16, Twista is taking the stage with rappers Petey Pablo and Sammy G.

The Josephines

Lead singer Zachary Lindsay has spent plenty of nights in the studio writing for The Josephines' upcoming untitled album, the follow-up to 2021's "Cocaine or Cowboys."

The Josephines performed at Fridays on the Plaza last year, as well, and despite a "torrential downpour" that delayed their set, stepped on stage to one of the more enthusiastic crowds in their first series of tour dates throughout the Front Range.

This year, they hope to recreate that energy with a set that looks to ebb and flow to the atmosphere of the show — when the crowd slows down, play a slow number, and when the energy is high, bring the noise.

"Prep is not one of our things," Lindsay said. "We've got a run-and-gun kind of style. I don't even think we had a setlist last year. We've got a stockpile of songs we can run with, and we kind of throw it against the wall and see what sticks."

It's a style of live performance that fits their country-rock persona, self-described as "a rag tag group of rock and roll drenched country hoodlums from Bowling Green, Kentucky."

Boogie Machine

Ask any longtime Cheyenne resident if they've heard of Boogie Machine, and you're bound to get a response, at least according to band leader Jerry Bergeson.

By his recollection, the band must have played Fridays on the Plaza at least 10 times now, making the outfit's presence nearly as much of a tradition as the concert series itself. Residents that have witnessed them take the stage are bound to remember it, possibly because the lineup is dressed in oversized afro wigs and gaudy '80s disco getups.

But it's more likely that they're remembered for their professional sense of groove. Boogie Machine, as evidenced by their name, knows what they're doing.

This is the first time that Boogie Machine won't serve as the opening act for the entire concert series. Instead, they're taking the stage on July 27 for an afternoon show, another first for Bergeson, and kicking off celebrations for Cheyenne Frontier Days.

"We've had unreal crowds at Fridays on the Plaza. I mean, just unreal," he said. "The beer vendors hear that Boogie Machine's playing, so they gotta order more kegs two weeks in advance."

Despite having played relatively large crowd over the course of the band's existence, Cheyenne offers a different experience for Boogie Machine. For whatever reason, their covers of '70s and '80s disco tracks just resonate a bit differently here.

"When we come out and play there, it's like an old familiar pair of jeans that you can somehow still fit in," he said.

Nappy Roots

The early to mid-2000s were a prosperous time for Nappy Roots.

Their debut album, "Watermelon, Chicken and Gritz" went multi-platinum, making the Kentucky-based group the number one selling rap artists of 2002. Singles like "Awnaw" and "Po' Folks" were driving hits, but none were as impactful as "Good Day" (2008), which sounds tailored for an optimistic summer morning.

Humorous lyrics and an upbeat energy are what make Nappy Roots shine. Though they've been cutting new music on and off for more than 15 years, their gas tank is far from empty.

Several original members have departed through the years, but the lineup still consists of founding members Skinny Deville, Fishscales, B. Stille and Ron Clutch. As one of the more prominent Southern rap groups in history, this is not the performance to miss.

Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_.