Midnight Riders

"I heard they gotta cancel a concert if there's a breeze cause any town down wind catch on fire!"

- Ellis

The Midnight Riders are a hard rock band in the Left 4 Dead universe. They are famous for their pyrotechnic light shows performed during their live performances. Though never encountered directly several posters advertise them. They were scheduled to play at Whispering Oaks but their performance was canceled because of the infection. A jukebox in a cafe has their songs One Bad Man and Midnight Ride. Alternate versions of these are played when Tanks attack: One Bad Tank and Midnight Tank. It is hinted they escaped from the horde, even after refusing to stop their tour after the Green Flu came over. Graffiti in the final safe room of the Dark Carnival stage mentions that the Midnight Riders were evacuated out by helicopter ahead of the general population. Their songs can be found in The Parish's, and Swamp Fever's jukebox.

Positions
Ox: Drums

Smitty: Rhythmic Guitar and Vocals

Jake: Bass and Keyboards

Dusty: Lead Guitar

Discography
According to their website, Midnight Riders have released over 23 albums. Only three albums and a single have been revealed so far.

Singles

 * 1) All I want for Christmas (is to kick your ass) (1998)

Born Yesterday (1989)

 * Midnight Ride
 * This Man Loves You

High Heels and Brushed Steel (2009)
Disc One
 * 1) Midnight Ride
 * 2) One Bad Man
 * 3) 3 AM (The Whiskey Song)
 * 4) Chopper on the Road
 * 5) On My Way to Houston
 * 6) Stick It In Your Craw
 * 7) All Tapped Out
 * 8) Beer Batterin'
 * 9) Whiskey On Bourbon Street
 * 10) Porkbelly Blues
 * 11) Your Face (In My Fist)
 * 12) Ain't Got Nuthin'
 * 13) Yankin' My Chain
 * 14) Give Her Some Gas (previously unreleased)
 * 15) Payday Blues (previously unreleased)

Disc Two
 * 1) She Don't Care
 * 2) Just Knifed Some Guy
 * 3) Drinkin' And Drivin' You Crazy
 * 4) Save Me Some Sugar (This Won't Take Long)
 * 5) You Got Me In Stitches
 * 6) Gunnin' For Galveston
 * 7) Texas Hustler
 * 8) Sunup Shakedown
 * 9) Unmarked Envelope (Stuffed With Cash)
 * 10) Longnecks and Short Shorts
 * 11) Get Your Friends (I'll Take Y'all On)
 * 12) Cinderblock Blues
 * 13) Glug Glug Thump Thump
 * 14) Sleeping in the Yard (previously unreleased)
 * 15) Up on Blocks (previously unreleased)

Fairgrounds Tour
sep1. Harvest, Texas

sep2. Black Mountain, Texas

sep1. Fort Worth, Texas

sep11. Rutherford, Oklahoma

sep17. Waynesboro, Oklahoma

sep18. Florence, Arkansas

sep21. Leesburg, Arkansas

sep27. Shreveport, Louisiana

oct3. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

oct7. Cornelia, Georgia

oct8. Griffin, Georgia

oct11. Rock Hill, South Carolina

oct15. Gulfport, Mississippi

oct18. Slocomb, Mississippi

oct31. Cleveland, Ohio

Where to Find the New Album Where to Find the New Album Notes

 * The name Midnight Riders may have been inspired by the song "Midnight Rider", a Southern rock hit by The Allman Brothers Band. Lead guitarist Dusty may be a nod to Dusty Hill, bassist/vocalist of ZZ Top with a similar long beard and sunglasses look, or possibly to pro wrestler Dusty Rhodes, who formerly went by the ring-name "The Midnight Rider", the main singer bears a strong resemblance to Lemmy from Motorhead, he also has a similar gravely voice.
 * A midnight rider is also someone who visits an amusement park late at night.
 * On the No Salvation Fairgrounds Tour T-shirt, Gulfport is incorrectly spelled as "Gulf Port."
 * Of humorous note is the graffiti concerning their status - at first, tributes and mourning are made for the Riders, until someone writes that they escaped in a helicopter. The following comments declare that they are a mediocre band and have not made anything of noteworthy interest, reminiscent to some rock band fan bases.
 * It is to be noted that the Midnight Riders mime their songs, this is evident on the rock concert level of Dark Carnival where both music and lyrics are played and sung. However, this may be just a tape. Two other possibilities are visible as well. The first is shown on the Midnight Rider's website under their "Tour Blog," under the title "Where to Find the New Album," where they explain that their album is not available in stores due to being dropped from their record label, and is only available on the actual tour itself. It could be possible that a survivor, before the Survivors of Left 4 Dead 2, may have found a copy of the album and placed it in the sound system (which would also account for the weapons and healing items being in the concert area as well). The second possibility could be that most bands that have concerts often perform a sound check before the actual concert itself, even if the concert is at an amusement park. Though unconventional, it is possible that the tape that is played is meant for the initial soundcheck and is not used during the actual performance (this is also backed up due to the pyrotechnics, the lights and the band's gear already set up on the stage. And with the information about the band escaping on a helicopter, it proves they were at the park but that it got overrun with the infected, the band couldn't collect their gear before their escape).
 * It has been confirmed that the Midnight Riders will be featured in Rock Band sometime in the future.