Serena Karise brings her modern country sound Friday before The GenXers rewind the clock Saturday night
From the powerhouse women of ’90s country to the music-video hits that helped define a generation, Red Hawk Resort + Casino is putting two very different sounds on the Stage Bar this weekend.
Northern California country artist Serena Karise opens the weekend Friday, Sept. 25, performing from 8 p.m. to midnight with a high-energy blend of country favorites and original music shaped by both the genre’s past and present.
Then Saturday, Sept. 26, The GenXers turn back the clock from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with what Red Hawk bills as “Party Hits from MTV,” bringing a late-night soundtrack made for those who remember when discovering new music meant waiting for a favorite video to come across the television screen.
Both shows are part of Red Hawk’s regular weekend live entertainment lineup at the Stage Bar.
Friday night belongs to Serena Karise, a Northern California country artist whose growing regional following has been built around powerful vocals, an energetic stage presence and a sound that connects the powerhouse country music of the 1990s with the harder edge of today’s genre.
Karise draws inspiration from some of the women who helped define ’90s country, including Jo Dee Messina and Reba McEntire, while contemporary artists such as Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley are among the influences shaping the more modern side of her music.
That combination gives Karise a sound that can feel nostalgic without becoming a throwback act. Her performances mix recognizable country favorites with reinvented songs and original material, giving audiences a glimpse of both the music that inspired her and the direction she is taking her own career.
Her original songs show different sides of that approach. “Your Side of Town” leans into heartbreak and reflection through an acoustic-driven sound, while “Bad Love” turns toward a more upbeat, ’90s-inspired country style suited for the dance floor.
Live performance has become an especially important part of Karise’s identity. Rather than remaining separated from the audience, she is known for stepping off the stage and into the crowd, turning songs into shared moments and bringing an interactive quality to her shows.
That approach has helped her steadily expand her presence throughout Northern California, performing at casinos, fairs, festivals and live music venues across the region. Karise has shared the stage with Lily Rose and opened for nationally recognized country artists including Sara Evans, Gabby Barrett and Deana Carter.
She has also become familiar to Folsom-area audiences through performances at Powerhouse Pub, Folsom Hotel and Crawdads on the Lake, along with her appearance at the Folsom Pro Rodeo after-party earlier this summer.
Karise has maintained a busy schedule throughout 2026, with performances stretching from Bakersfield and Northern California to Lake Tahoe and Nevada. Earlier this month, she performed as an opener for Tracy Lawrence at Win-River Casino before returning to the Sacramento region.
Friday also marks another return to Red Hawk for Karise, who has performed at the resort several times. Her latest Stage Bar appearance begins at 8 p.m. and continues until midnight.
Saturday night trades cowboy boots for a trip back to the MTV generation when The GenXers take over the Stage Bar from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.
Red Hawk describes Saturday’s show simply as “Party Hits from MTV,” and that provides a pretty good roadmap for the night: familiar music, plenty of nostalgia and songs made to bring back memories of an era when music videos, cassette tapes and radio countdowns were part of discovering what came next.
The GenXers build their shows around the music associated with Generation X, with a particular emphasis on the hits and anthems that filled radio stations, roller rinks, school dances, clubs and MTV during the 1980s.
Their performances are designed less as a traditional tribute to one artist and more as a celebration of an entire musical era. That gives the group plenty of room to move between pop, rock, new wave and dance favorites while keeping the focus on recognizable songs audiences can sing along with.
Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” is among the type of era-defining material that has found its way into the band’s shows, alongside the dance and slow-dance favorites that helped provide the soundtrack to the decade.
For audiences who lived through the era, Saturday offers a chance to revisit the music of cassette tapes, boom boxes, neon, big hair and an MTV channel that actually spent much of the day playing music videos. For younger listeners, it offers a live trip through songs that have remained part of pop culture decades after their original release.
The group has become a familiar presence on Northern California stages, including appearances in Historic Folsom, where The GenXers have brought their throwback party to Powerhouse Pub.
Saturday’s Red Hawk performance gives the concept a late-night setting, with four hours of music beginning at 10 p.m. and continuing until 2 a.m.
Together, the two shows give Red Hawk another weekend built around musical contrast. Friday belongs to the modern country sound and ’90s influences of Serena Karise, while Saturday goes straight for the nostalgia with The GenXers and a night built around the party hits of the MTV era.
The Stage Bar performances are only part of what visitors can find at Red Hawk Resort + Casino, where gaming, dining, overnight accommodations and The Apex provide plenty of ways to turn a night of live music into a full weekend outing.
The Apex is Red Hawk’s approximately 85,000-square-foot, all-ages entertainment complex, offering attractions well beyond the casino floor. Visitors can take on a multi-level indoor electric go-kart track, hit the lanes at the 18-lane interactive bowling center, tee off on golf simulators or spend some time with arcade and virtual reality experiences.
The complex also includes Apex Grill and Apex Sports Bar, providing a place to grab a meal or drink and catch a game before heading to the Stage Bar later in the evening.
Families have additional options through Cyber Quest, Red Hawk’s supervised family-friendly arcade featuring nonviolent games, and Kids Quest, which offers supervised child care and activities for younger visitors.
For adults, Red Hawk features an expansive casino gaming floor with thousands of slot machines and dozens of table games, along with a separate non-smoking gaming level. The property also offers multiple restaurants, bars and lounges and a 156-room hotel for those looking to make an overnight stay out of the weekend.
This weekend also brings several opportunities for Red Hawk Rewards Club members.
Friday’s Serena Karise performance coincides with Free Play Fridays. Rewards Club members can receive $15 in Free Play for every 1,000 points earned Friday, up to 10 times for a maximum of $150 in Free Play.
Saturday brings the latest installment of Red Hawk’s Saturday Gifts promotion. On Sept. 26, Rewards Club members who earn 2,000 points can swipe at a Rewards Kiosk between 8 a.m. and midnight and choose an Elite Gourmet toaster, portable blender, an item from the Gift Showcase or $20 in Free Play, while supplies last. The offer is limited to one gift per person.
Saturday also marks another round of Red Hawk’s $1 Million Waves of Cash Giveaway, with drawings at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Rewards Club members receive free entries based on their club tier and can earn additional entries through slot and table game play. Members can also receive 100 bonus entries on drawing days through the myRedHawk mobile app.
The promotion features 11 winners each Saturday. Five winners during each drawing receive $500 in Free Play, with additional prizes available and a grand prize of up to $50,000 in cash.
High-limit table game players have another opportunity Saturday with the grand finale of Red Hawk’s Golden Fortune Wheel promotion. Players have been earning entries Wednesday through Friday through qualifying high-limit table game play for a chance to spin for prizes Saturday.
And the weekend promotions don’t stop when the music ends.
Sunday, Sept. 27, brings Red Hawk’s $100,000 Lucky Harvest Cash & Free Play Drawings, with drawings scheduled at 5 and 7 p.m. Rewards Club members receive free drawing entries based on their club tier and have been able to earn additional entries throughout the month.
Sunday also features another gift promotion. Rewards Club members who earn 777 points can swipe at a Rewards Kiosk between 8 a.m. and midnight for a choice that includes under-eye collagen masks, G eau Cologne for Men, $15 in Free Play and other available selections, while supplies last.
Red Hawk’s $55,000 Football Pick ’Em is also underway for football season. Rewards Club members receive one free scorecard each week to make their selections, with additional scorecards available for 100 points each, up to 10 cards.
Between Serena Karise Friday, The GenXers Saturday, The Apex, casino gaming, dining and a busy final weekend of September promotions, Red Hawk offers plenty of ways to build an entire evening — or weekend — around the Stage Bar performances.
Red Hawk Resort + Casino is located at 1 Red Hawk Parkway off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. In addition to the Stage Bar, casino and The Apex, the property includes multiple restaurants and bars and a 156-room hotel.
For the latest entertainment schedules, promotions, dining information and details about The Apex, visit Red Hawk Resort + Casino online.
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