Art Chowder May | June 2018, Issue 15 | Page 54

A ll that was needed was the additional powerhouse spark of fire and high-octane energy to throw the show into overdrive, and that would have to be an accomplished lead guitarist and vocalist. The Inland Northwest is blessed with a slew of incredibly talented guitarists, and the one that grabbed everyone’s attention was the very striking Dirk Swartz, who was playing in the band Big Hair Revolution. Dirk stood out immediately as having that real rock star appearance, with his long flowing blonde hair atop his tall slender stature, clad in custom rock-styled outfits. It was his scorchingly hot and accurate guitar prowess, coupled with his thrusting vocal power, that secured him a prime position in Smash Hit Carnival. Now formulated and complete, their mission was to present a show spectacular that not only embraced incredibly accurate live renditions of timeless pop and rock favorites, but also to create a stunning visual showcase of color and excitement. The name they came up with to accurately reflect all those combined elements was Smash Hit Carnival. How very appropriate! Today this much loved and increasingly followed show band can be enjoyed at local and regional venues such as the Coeur d’Alene Casino, The Iron Horse and The Moose in Coeur d’Alene, Ripples Red Lion and Hotel RL Spokane, Zola Spokane, Pig Out in the Park Festival Spokane, a late summer music cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene and several mid and western Washington concert venues. Smash Hit Carnival are also available for hire at private functions and your special events — they are happy to tailor their bespoke shows to your specific musical tastes and moods. Check them out on Facebook or at their website at http://www.smashhitcarnival.com to find out where they’re playing next. You’ll be really happy you did, believe me! 54 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE