Lava Flow Live concert series rocks local resort town
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LAVA HOT SPRINGS — Famous for its hot pools, tubing on the Portneuf, Olympic-sized swimming pool, and small-town charm, Lava Hot Springs is now making waves in the regional music scene on Saturday nights, thanks to local entrepreneur Sam Netuschil’s latest venture, a new summer concert series called Lava Flow Live.
The concert series runs every Saturday evening from 7 to 10 p.m. through Oct. 4 in a grassy open space across the street from the main Lava Hot Springs Swimming Pool. Dubbed the “Lava Flow Grove,” the outdoor venue offers a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere where locals and visitors alike can enjoy live music on warm summer nights.
Netuschil emphasized that Lava Flow Live is different from other weekly summer concerts in the area. The concert event raises the bar by showcasing regional and national touring artists who are serious about making a name for themselves in the music business.
“These artists often have albums out, growing fan bases, and perform original music, setting them apart from standard cover bands,” he said.
Because of the higher caliber of performers and the professional sound production involved, Lava Flow Live is a ticketed event. Admission is $15 per show, and it includes one complimentary drink. Season passes are $199 and provide access to all of the concerts, along with a drink at each one.
“These bands and the sound equipment cost money. But we’re creating something that gives artists a special place to perform and gives our community something new to rally around,” Netuschil.
A Wyoming native, Netuschil discovered Lava Hot Springs shortly after graduating from high school in the early 1990s. Although he pursued a career as a structural engineer, he returned to Lava to build a life rooted in the energy and community that drew him to the town.
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“I fell in love with the energy of Lava Hot Springs,” he said. “One of the first things I saw when I came to town was an old 1970s longbed Toyota pickup with chicken wire and a lion in the back. It turns out it was one of the lions from Ligertown.”
Today, Netuschil is also the owner of Eruption Brewery & Bistro and Purple Moon World Market, two businesses he launched to help provide year-round opportunities for eating, shopping, entertainment and employment in a town that relies heavily on tourism.
“Lava is tricky. I started doing projects here that I felt were needed,” he said. “I started bringing small regional bands to the brewery, but I got the bug to do more for the community.”
Although Eruption Brewery regularly features local acts, last year, Netuschil piloted the concept with shows outside the brewery. However, he found there was confusion between those performances and the brewery’s regular music nights.
Now, with a dedicated city-approved venue, Lava Flow Live has established itself as a standalone concert series with a distinct identity and a growing fan base.
With two May concerts behind them, the remaining 2025 Lava Flow Live lineup features a diverse mix of genres, including reggae, folk, rock and indie.
For tickets and more information follow Lava Flow Live on Facebook., LavaFlowLive.com or EruptionBrewery.com.
Musicians interested in performing and filling the remaining open dates are also encouraged to reach out to Netuschil on Facebook.