Country Fest artist coming to Canton. First ticketed show announced for Centennial Plaza
CANTON − The first ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton will be a feel-good party.
Niko Moon, who blends country, pop and Caribbean sounds, will bring his upbeat island vacation vibe to the outdoor venue Sept. 19.
Hometown Jams, an Indiana-based promoter, announced the concert Monday morning. Tickets go on sale to the general public on June 20 through https://www.hometownjams.com and at https://www.ticketmaster.com. Presale tickets will be available starting June 17.
Moon is a newer musical artist, releasing his first album, "Good Time" in 2021 before following up with "Better Days" in 2024. And he's already released three songs this year to be included on a new album.
His music blends easy-listening pop with country music and Caribbean and hip-hop influences. Moon also draws comparisons to Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett.
Popular songs include "Good Time," "Paradise to Me" and "Way Back." "Good Time" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and the YouTube video for the song has 93 million views while "Paradise to Me" has tallied 21 million views.
Prior to going solo, Moon was a member of Sir Rosevelt alongside country singer-songwriter Zac Brown and Ben Simonetti. Sir Rosevelt was a dance-pop side project of Brown of the Zac Brown Band. Sir Rosevelt released a self-titled album in 2017.
Moon also co-produced the Zac Brown Band's 2015 album Jekyll + Hyde, as well as the band's 2017 studio release, "Welcome Home." The Texas native also has penned songs for Dierks Bentley Rascal Flatts, Morgan Wallen, Pitbull and others.
Boasting 233,000 followers on Facebook and 337,000 followers on Instagram, the Nashville-based artist was named SESAC country songwriter of the year in 2021.
The event will be the first full-blown, ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza, following a change in management of the downtown space.
ASM Global, the company that operates the Canton Memorial Civic Center, is now in charge of managing the venue and booking entertainment there under a lease agreement with the city of Canton.
'The City of Canton and ASM Global are excited to combine the amazing backdrop of Centennial Plaza with the feel good, infectious energy of a Niko Moon concert," said Blake Schilling, general manager of the Civic Center.
Schilling said ASM Global and the city have created a preliminary security plan with the Canton Police Department and Police Chief John Gabbard for the concert. Security will be provided by both Canton police and the Cleveland-based security and crowd management company CSC.
Capacity for the Centennial Plaza concert is estimated at 2,000 people, Schilling said. The concert will be moved to the Civic Center if there's inclement weather, he said.
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The concert is being presented by Hometown Jams, a company founded in 2018 that produces entertainment in communities across the Midwest. Hometown Jams says its focus is "on creating memorable experiences and connecting fans and artists ... (and) delivering big city vibes without the hassle − right in your backyard."
'Niko brings a feel-good energy that's impossible not to move to,' Tyrus Joseforsky, founder of Hometown Jams, said in a news release. 'There's no better artist to help us kick things off in Ohio than in Canton with Niko Moon − and Centennial Plaza is the perfect backdrop for what's going to be an unforgettable night.'
'This show is the beginning of something special for Canton,' Joseforsky said. 'We've had our eyes on this city for a while, and Niko Moon is the perfect way to say, 'We're here.''
Canton will be a stop on a summerlong tour for Moon, which includes concerts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Virginia, New Jersey, Indiana, Oregon and Texas. Moon is scheduled to perform in Fort Thomas, Kentucky the day before his Stark County appearance.
Moon recently performed in Stark County, filling the second slot on June 12 at The Country Fest, a four-day country music festival that draws thousands of fans and campers to Clay's Resort Jellystone Park near Canal Fulton.
Tracks included the catchy and infectiously melodic, "Boat Song," a recent single. Another 2025 release, "I Love This Beach" embodies the same laid-back, flip-flop sandal, backyard party vibe. Moon's most recent single, "Sandcastles" is a carefree island country ballad ready-made for concert crowd singalongs and arm waving.
Playing under a sunlit blue sky, Moon strolled barefoot across the Country Fest stage and catwalk in a matching Hawaiian-style shirt and shorts. A yellow plastic cup was often in one hand and a microphone in the other. Moon also strummed an acoustic guitar on a few songs.
Fans can expect the same relaxed atmosphere when he performs in Canton in what Hometown Jams describes as "an immersive outdoor experience." The show also will feature food vendors and cold beverages, the announcement said.
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on X @ebalintREP and TikTok @edwardbalint
Who: Niko Moon, musical artist who blends country, pop and island sounds
Where: Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton, 330 Court Ave. NW.
What: First ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza, which is now managed by ASM Global, operator of the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
When: Sept. 19
Tickets: Go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. June 20 through https://www.hometownjams.com and at https://www.ticketmaster.com. Presale tickets will be available from 10 a.m. June 17 to 10 p.m. June 19. For more information, go to https://www.nikomoon.com
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Country Fest artist Niko Moon making downtown Canton, Ohio tour stop
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