About us

Our story

Nik Entertainment Co. is a creative organization dedicated to the presentation of live music. Home of Nik and the Nice Guys (the band which brought rock and roll to the Super Bowl), the act delivers immersive live music experiences to corporate and public events!

Nik bands travel the globe creating a fun-filled party environment by combining mainstream music with theatrics, choreography, costuming and comedy.

Music Note

Nik supplies upbeat, engaging, danceable entertainment for your big event, gala, or special occasion.

Vintage Nik and the Nice Guys

The beginning

Nik and the Nice Guys was formed by a group of Canadian hockey players at St. Lawrence University in the early 70’s. The band included NHL coach Mike Keenan and present day Nik manager Gary Webb. High-energy performances established a new college standard and left fans wanting more after graduation.

Luckily, when Keenan became coach of the Rochester Americans hockey team in 1980, he decided to get the band back together—this time with a group of daytime business professionals who would become night time party animals raising money for charity. However, thanks to some high-profile, big stage bookings, Webb parlayed the band’s newfound success into a full-time touring operation.

Football
Nik played a significant historical role in shaping the entertainment dynamics of Super Bowl weekend.

Touchdown time

In the late 80’s, NFL Properties experimented with live rock music at the world’s largest annual media event. This was in stark contrast to the string-based orchestras and “safe” variety acts employed in the past. NFL executive Maureen Rosen took a huge career risk and hired an unknown crazy band called Nik and the Nice Guys. The success of Rosen’s gamble and off-the-wall Nik performances paved the way for MTV and live pop music to become an integral part of every Super Bowl.

Nik continued to play high-profile worldwide events and even landed the house band gig for ESPN’s “The Lighter Side of Sports” and NBC’s “Bob Uecker Sports Show” in the 90’s. Reruns of these shows played like crazy all over the world and Nik soon hit the road touring in Europe, The Cayman Islands, Japan, Mexico, and everywhere in between!

Super Bowl Entertainment

To meet the unbelievable booking demand, Nik and the Nice Guys spun off a number of niche showbands and formed Nik Entertainment Co. to manage these acts.

Michael J Kirk

The documentary

Michael J. Kirk is an award-winning filmmaker who has directed, produced, and written over 140 projects in the past 25 years. In late 2022, Michael embarked on a mission to tell the story of Nik’s influence on the music culture of Super Bowls—beginning with their legendary New Orleans performance in 1986. Fans will enjoy this exclusive look behind the scenes as well as interviews with major sports executives and our very own Iron Mike Keenan.

Stay tuned for information about the film’s release!

Meet the team

Gary Webb

Gary W. Webb

President and General Manager

Gary is a founding member of Nik and the Nice Guys. Originally from Burlington, Ontario, Gary attended St. Lawrence University and has a graduate accounting degree from Clarkson. He was formerly an Audit Partner at Deloitte.

Ken Gardner

Ken Gardner

VP, Music & Audio

Ken joined Team Nik in 1999, originally as a performer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology at RIT and holds an MBA from St. John Fisher College.

Rachel Harnish

Rachel Harnish

VP of Operations

Rachel graduated from SUNY Oswego in 2010 with a BFA degree. She wears many hats at Nik, from in-house visual artist, to sales and talent recruiting.

Gary Webb

Mark Gregory

Ken Gardner

Jill Jams Diaz

Rachel Harnish

Mike D’Ambrosio

Gary Webb

Scott Bower

Ken Gardner

Shimi The Entertainer

Rachel Harnish

Trombone Stevie Zugelder

Notable alumni

Paul Amorese

Drummer / Percussionist

Cindy Bradley

Touring Jazz Artist

Alyssa Coco

Singer, Roses & Revolutions

Tanya Diona

“American Idol” House Band

Mike Keenan

NHL Coach

Dave Lawrence

Legends in Concert

Robin McKelle

Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist

Kaitlin Monte

NBC News Personality

The Morgan Twins

“The Voice” Contestants

Kim & Tam Pinegar

Dueling Pianos, Harrah’s Las Vegas

Tom Sartori

FL-based “The Singing Bee” House Band

Ward Stare

Philharmonic Conductor, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Dave Jennings

Dave Jennings

NFL Punter (Giants + Jets)

Tom Vazzana

Tom Vazzana

Walt Disney Company + Author,
Nice Guys: A Musical Workshop

Tom Vazzana

Duncan Kennedy

Disney Creative