Before going to work on the Fourth of July, Joe Bonamassa stopped by Calvary Cemetery to visit the grave of a Sioux City musician who was taken too soon.
Tommy Bolin was just 25 when he died in December 1976. Born and raised in Sioux City, Bolin was a renowned guitarist shared by many bands of the late '60s and early '70s — most famously Zephyr, the James Gang and Deep Purple. “Gettin’ Tighter,” off Deep Purple’s 1975 album Come Taste the Band, is a perfect display of Bolin’s playful chemistry, wicked riffs and natural integration into the band. He’s also remembered for his collaborations with jazz fusion drummer Billy Cobham and his own solo endeavors.
To Bonamassa, a 49-year-old living blues rock legend himself, Bolin was an inspiration. That’s why, in 2019, after spending “over a decade of searching,” Bonamassa eventually acquired the oddly-fashioned 1960 Les Paul Standard used by Bolin across many major milestones. The first time he held it in his hands, Bonamassa couldn’t stop gushing, shaking his head and repeating “I never thought I’d see this thing,” and “The coolest ever!”
The guitar was modified for Bolin, a notorious “Strat guy,” to include a Bigsby tailpiece meant for a Fender Stratocaster. Also distinctive, its America flag-decaled pickguard was hand painted by Bolin himself, who also included his signature on the back.
What better place to unsheath one his most cherished guitars, thought Bonamassa, than Bolin’s hometown? And when would there be a more appropriate time than the semiquincentennial anniversary of the nation?
The Abe Stage
Saturday in the Park’s Abe Stage has long been a platform for local acts, usually increasing in decibels as the sun goes down. After Studio One favorite The Ruralists (Sioux Center), hometown rapper YNOTLWC primed the crowd for the hip-hop to come, followed by St. Louis rap-rock band Discrepencies, who wowed with their System Of A Down/Rage Against The Machine muscularity.
‘Sweating your ass off’ took on several meanings by 7:30 p.m., when a pair of panties flew into the hands of Meechy Darko and Zombie Juice, two thirds of the grim NYC rap trio Flatbush Zombies. The pair, whose shiny new duo, 2DEAD BOYZ, began releasing music in 2025, performed their handful of singles, including “Tunnel Vision,” “Chef Kisses” and “Blood On My Knife,” as well as several unreleased tracks and a Flatbush megahit, 2013's "Palm Trees." 2DEAD BOYZ recently went on tour with Freddie Gibbs, who did not survive the evening without a jab at his hairline.
Together, 2DEAD BOYZ nearly polished off a bottle of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana tequila to uproarious cheers. It was a scorcher out and, while the pit was sufficiently lit, Meechy took issue with the tepid response coming from the hill. In reality, many in attendance were there for one thing only: Tech N9ne.
When Kansas City’s biggest rapper hit The Abe Stage in an all white fit, it felt like all of Sioux City shook. Tech N9ne performed tongue-twisted, rapid fire freestyles like “Midwest Choppers” and “Worldwide Choppers” to a hundred of the couple thousand attendees sporting his Strange Music merch, trying their best rap along. The “Riotmaker” spitter was received as a king down the hill at Grandview Park, long respected for his unrivaled pace and unconditional Midwest pride.
Both Tech N9ne and Flatbush Zombies are pioneers in the independent hip-hop scene, having carved out their own self-sustaining niches with devoted cult followings, and it was great to see both groups make a stop in Sioux City.
The Main Stage
On July 4, folks traditionally flip tortillas and burgers. For his grand entrance onto SITP’s Main Stage, Evan Honer decided to flip himself.
The Arizona native, known for his singing, acoustic strumming and collaborations with artists like flipturn, Wyatt Flores and Iowan Hailey Whitters, did multiple backflips as the sun was at its zenith around 5 p.m. Honer, who blew up with a viral cover of Tyler Childers’ “Jersey Giant,” nearly missed the fest altogether, after two flights to get to Sioux City were canceled. Honer’s set included a Bolin/Hendrix-esque electric rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” his new single “say anything” and a finale of “idk shit about cars,” his refreshingly honest country chart topper.
Following Honer, acclaimed South Carolina guitarist and singer Marcus King brought his namesake band out to keep the sweaty, nearly full audience on their feet and clapping. When he’s playing with The Marcus King Band, King’s country-blues solo style drops a hair, revealing a more soulful sound, exemplified during their performance of “Falling For The Devil.”
The “Wildflower & Wine” singer had a bevy of beverage options to keep lubricated in the heat. Laid out on a stagebox to King’s right were five red solo cups labeled "H2O," "Red Bull," "Pickle" (juice), "25THC25" (the second 25 likely referring to CBD, a blend produced by SITP sponsor Bud & Mary’s) and, of course, "Beer."
By 9 p.m., Main Stage headliner Joe Bonamassa was bringing the thunder with hair-raising guitar solos galore. The bandshell’s largest crowd of the evening entered various states of blues rock bliss during the performance. Many bodies overrode protocol, dancing and gesticulating as if moved by sound, not rational thought. The uninitiated became baptized. One guy in the front row even seemed to catch the Holy Ghost.
After Bonamassa brought the house down, SITP closed out the festivities with fireworks and a patriotic drone display, emblazoning the official America250 logo into the Sioux City sky.
