‘Y’all have one of the best amphitheaters in the country’: Star Jordan Davis shares his excitement about Hayden Homes venue

(Update: Adding video, comments from Hayden Homes, Jordan Davis, and concertgoers KTVZ.COM Poll)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- It's not just the weather that is heating up in Bend as summer officially begins. So is the concert season, with a string of big acts set to perform at Hayden Homes Amphitheater in coming weeks and months.

Tracy Knight and Kari Cleary traveled from Portland to see Matt Rife this weekend and say the amphitheater tops big venues closer to home.

"I've been to Ridgefield to see bands, but it's not the same. I mean, the river, the weather - it's just kind of amazing," Cleary said Friday.

The big names coming to town range from Jordan Davis and Tyler Childers to Megadeth. You can see the whole summer lineup and look at buying tickets at https://www.bendconcerts.com/.

Last year, Jordan Davis was the opener for Dirks Bentley. This year, he returned as a headliner, talking with NewsChannel 21 hours before he took the stage Thursday night.

"What a beautiful place to take in!" he said. "I think the best way to take in music is outdoor shows. And y'all have one of the best amphitheaters in the country."

Management at the amphitheater says they've booked the most concerts ever in one year - over 50 - and that conversations for next year's lineup have already started. 

"We've got a lot of amazing people that are doing a lot of great things, and artists take notice of that," Old Mill Marketing Director Beau Eastes said.

Eastes added that performers have already started reaching out, thanks to one artist who performed last September.

"We've heard from multiple artists how Jelly Roll told everybody how much fun he had here, and that 'you've got to make sure you go to Bend,'" Eastes said. "So it's really cool to see artists talking to other artists as well about, 'Hey, there's this really special place that sits in Central Oregon that you've got to try to make a stop at.'"

And Davis is one of those artists.

"Next year, we want to come and spend all week here and then finish it off with two nights here at the theater," he said. "So Bend will, I hope - as long as y'all have us, Bend will always be a tour stop on my tour. "