After a 10-year run seeing high-profile musicians such as Billy Idol and Chicago perform, Thunder Valley Casino Resort is closing its amphitheater.

Following the announcement that construction had begun on the new concert venue at Thunder Valley, it was no secret that this would mean the end of the beloved amphitheater’s reign.

Thunder Valley’s annual “Summer Concert Series” concluded this year, coinciding with the closing of the amphitheater. The final performance was Sammy Hagar’s Oct. 1 concert, headlined by his son, Andrew Hagar.

Prior to either performance, fans were left on a cliff-hanger following a speech mentioning a presentation and announcement set to take place between Andrew and Sammy Hagar’s sets.

This hype was absolutely justified.

Following Andrew Hagar’s final song, ticket holders were left in silence for a short amount of time before the stage was taken by the United Auburn Indian Community Council.

After a brief speech regarding the excitement leading up to The Venue at Thunder Valley, attention was directed to the skies, where drones had begun rising into formation.

Throughout the 10-minute drone show, those in attendance experienced multiple announcements, the first of which being the official date for the opening ceremony: “FEB. 2023”.

After about a minute of stunning light arrays, the drones formed the second set of words: “EAGLES FEB. 17”.

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Matty Hauth

First ever look at the first band to play at The Venue.

It was clear based on this there were no two ways about it. Thunder Valley meant business with their new 4,500-seat venue.

Following this, the drones displayed the next two artists set to perform during The Venue’s opening weekend, being “BRUNO MARS FEB. 18” and “SANTANA FEB. 19”.

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Matty Hauth

The second of three announcements for the new indoor concert area.

The announcement concluded with a “firework” show put on by the drones, concluding with their regression to the original formation, moments before lowering back to the ground.

Once the drones met the ground, the guest speakers returned to announce the initial sale for tickets would occur on Friday, Oct. 7, with a special presale event on Oct. 6 for those in attendance and Thunder Rewards members.

While many may have made a trip to Thunder Valley Casino Resort simply to watch a Sammy Hagar concert, those in attendance prior to the main event were treated to a beautiful light show, providing exciting information for the new concert season in 2023.