POCATELLO — Bannock County’s event director held it secret for months.

Ever since he saw them perform for the first time at a show in Pocatello in 2022, he has wanted to bring Papa Roach back to the Gate City and was so nervous about sealing the deal that he didn’t tell a single soul he was trying to book them for the series of summer concerts at the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre, known as “the Port.”

When the on-sale date finally came through and Event Manager Chaney Neilson walked in with the news, Crowther could barely contain himself.

“I haven’t said anything. I’ve been keeping it under my hat,” Crowther said with a coy chuckle in his tone. “I’m so stoked about it.”

Fans of the summer concerts at the Port know there’s no longer a secret to be kept with presale tickets for the band’s second show in Pocatello on sale now and general public tickets starting at 10 a.m. Friday.

Papa Roach is bringing their “Rise of the Roach” tour to the Port on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Crowther has been a Papa Roach fan for years and was in the crowd the last time the band played Pocatello in 2022. Ever since, he’d been trying to get them back.

“The only time I’ve ever seen Papa Roach was when I saw them here in 2022, and I’ve been trying so hard to get them back,” he said.

The two-time GRAMMY-nominated band has racked up over a billion global streams, 29 Top 10 hits, and 15 number-ones across rock, alternative and Hot AC charts. Their most recent album, “Ego Trip,” produced four number-one singles on its own. The band is also widely known for using their platform to raise mental health awareness — their collaboration with Carrie Underwood on “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)” raised over $750,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Crowther said booking a rock show of this caliber is about striking a balance. Country music still rules the region in terms of ticket sales, but he’s heard loud and clear that there’s a significant appetite for rock.

“We have a huge group of people that want rock and roll,” he said. “And me personally, I’m an old school rocker, so I also want to get rock and roll.”

The show promises to deliver on multiple levels, with two supporting openers Crowther described as “insane” — aimed at satisfying both casual listeners drawn to Papa Roach’s biggest hits and hardcore rock fans hungry for something heavier.

The Port is shaping up for a busy summer. Last year the venue hosted 11 shows, and Crowther is targeting 8 to 12 this season, with announcements still to come. The lineup so far also includes the Beach Boys, Lee Brice, and the Australian Pink Floyd Show.

Crowther said the Port has been fine-tuning its flexible capacity model over recent years, typically operating at around 5,400 attendees but the venue staff are able to scale down to intimate 2,500-person configurations or expand as high as 10,000 for high-demand events.

For presale access to the Papa Roach show, fans can sign up at eventscomplex.com and use the code LASTRESORT. General tickets go on sale April 10 at ticketmaster.com.