Red River Revel announces 50th festival lineup and poster artwork

The festival entertainment opens Oct. 8 with a joint fireworks and drone show celebrating 50 years of both the Red River Revel and the Independence Bowl. This year's music lineup spans multiple genres and places a specific spotlight on national, regional, and local musical acts with strong ties to the Shreveport area. Lewis emphasized that because local volunteers, vendors, and organizers created the festival, it felt appropriate for the 50th anniversary lineup to reflect the local community.

The weekend one headliners from Oct. 8 through Oct. 11 include:

• The American Tragedy featuring the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra – A Shreveport rock group returning for their first performance in five years, featuring an original orchestral composition.

• Cowboy Mouth – A New Orleans-based band that blends rock, roots, and jam music.

• Squonk – The rock opera group returns following a popular run at Revel 49, featuring outdoor staging and high-energy original music.

• Jeter Jones – An award-winning southern soul and blues artist from Shreveport.

• Brady Blade & Friends – The Shreveport drummer, composer, and producer returns for a collaborative performance with international musicians.

The weekend two headliners from Oct. 15 through Oct. 18 include:

• Better Than Ezra – An alternative rock band formed at LSU known for post-grunge hooks.

• The Highland Collective – A three-and-a-half-hour Saturday night mega-concert showcasing songwriters and musicians from Shreveport’s Highland neighborhood, including Dylan Leblanc, Seratones, Maggie Koerner, The Lackadaisies, and The Peekers.

• Shinyribs – An Austin, Texas-based nine-piece swamp-funk and country-soul supergroup fronted by Shreveport native Kevin Russell.

• The Family – A collaborative group featuring hit songwriter James Leblanc, Nashville Star winner Angela Hacker, solo artist Dylan Leblanc, and The Voice contestant Bay Simpson.

• Windstorm – A legendary seven-piece soul, funk, and R&B band formed in Shreveport in 1983 by guitarist Ron Johnson.

The full musical lineup is available on the festival's website. Organizers will announce additional dance groups, theatre performances, children’s programming, and the specific performance schedule at a later date.

Baton Rouge artist Stan Routh created the official 50th anniversary poster artwork, a project he began in 2022. Routh has participated in the festival since 1980. Revel 50 Chair Kathy Ross said the poster captures five decades of history and honors the individuals who shaped the festival. The artwork depicts past and present directors, committee chairs, volunteers, artists, musicians, sponsors, and classic festival food. A limited number of prints will be sold at the festival, and the original framed piece will be auctioned later.

The anniversary festivities begin before the main festival with the Reflections exhibit at Artspace in downtown Shreveport. Opening Aug. 21 and running daily through Oct. 25, the exhibit is a partnership with the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, which are also celebrating 50 years. The exhibition explores the shared history of all three organizations and highlights the impact of local community organizers.

The festival will also bring back two residency programs. Squonk Opera will perform its new rock opera show, "Joy Machine," eight times during the first weekend. Tout Fishing in America, which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary, will host a festival-long residency featuring daily public performances and sets during official fourth-grade arts education field trips.

Additionally, a grant from the Beaird Family Foundation will fund a new educational initiative. Five professional festival artists will visit three Caddo Parish schools from Oct. 12 through Oct. 14 to lead interactive arts workshops. Educators seeking more information about classroom participation can contact Ross at (318) 424-4000.