Rivereye and The Insiders to Play The Platform

Michigan songwriter Max Lockwood brings both of his bands to the same stage for a night of original indie rock and a Tom Petty tribute.

ELK RAPIDS, Mich. — The Platform at the Chalfonte Theatre presents a night of Michigan-rooted rock and roll on Thursday, October 15, 2026, with rivereye opening and The Insiders headlining. Doors open at 6 p.m., with music starting at 7 p.m.

The double bill brings together two projects fronted by Michigan songwriter Max Lockwood. Rivereye, his newer band, released its debut self-titled album in April 2026, blending indie rock with Americana, grunge, and pop. The Insiders, the night's headliner, deliver a note-for-note Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers experience that has sold out rooms across the Midwest. Several musicians play in both bands, giving the evening a shared, homegrown feel from open to close.

"Rivereye and The Insiders are favorites here in the Elk Rapids area, and we get to bring them home to The Platform," said Aaron Timlin, President & CEO of the Chalfonte Foundation. "Tom Petty is one of my favorite artists of all time, so having The Insiders close out the night is something I am personally looking forward to."

About rivereye

Spearheaded by Michigan-based songwriter and poet Max Lockwood, rivereye's music is a unique and energetic blend of indie rock and roll with tinges of Americana, grunge, and pop.

The band's debut self-titled album, released in April 2026, was recorded mostly live at Cinnamon Ranch, a recording studio tucked deep into the woods of northern Michigan in the Manistee River watershed. Featuring a band of Lockwood's friends and collaborators, the musicians are all veterans and stars of Michigan's vibrant music scene: Jeff Moehle on drums (Knee Deep Shag, The Insiders), Eric O'Daly on bass (solo artist, The Appleseed Collective, The Insiders), Phil Barry on lead guitar (Knee Deep Shag, The Insiders), and Joe Hettinga on keys (The Olllam).

Max Lockwood is a longtime solo artist with three albums released under his name, several albums as primary songwriter, vocalist, and bassist for the band Big Dudee Roo, and has recorded and performed alongside many Michigan favorites, including May Erlewine, The Insiders, Lindsay Lou, Chris Bathgate, and many more.

About The Insiders

Close your eyes and you won't know the difference. Open them and you still might be fooled. The Insiders present the premier Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers experience. With six veteran musicians and decades of combined stage and touring experience, The Insiders are genuinely running down the dream.

It all starts with frontman Max Lockwood. “I grew up listening to Tom Petty. My mom would play the Greatest Hits record while she worked out. I'd sit at the top of the stairs and listen to those songs — it was my most requested CD as a young kid.” In high school, Lockwood's band Big Dudee Roo started covering Petty songs at their frequent shows in West Michigan. “Tom Petty was part of the great American landscape to me — a legend by the time I was musically conscious. We got a great crowd reaction with Petty tunes, and people frequently commented that I sounded a lot like him.”

Nothing has changed with time. After the passing of Tom Petty in October 2017, Lockwood organized the band by pulling together some of his favorite musicians for a benefit concert. After a sold-out show that raised thousands for a local domestic violence shelter, The Insiders decided they wouldn't back down. “We try to honor what Mr. Petty and the Heartbreakers have done for rock and roll each night. We're fans of the music first and foremost. These songs are woven into the fabric of the American identity.” They've found no shortage of demand, selling out shows everywhere they go.

Local Spins' John Sinkevics had this to say: “The Insiders set the bar at a new level for Tom Petty tributes.”

The Insiders are based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and currently tour the Midwest and beyond. They are available for public and private functions.

Event Details

What: rivereye (opening) and The Insiders (headlining) at The Platform

Where: The Platform at the Chalfonte Theatre, Elk Rapids, Michigan

When: Thursday, October 15, 2026 — doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.

Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 day of show