Canyon County Fair revealed its concert lineup, and it does not rock. Are you stoked?
The Canyon County Fair has revealed its concert lineup, and it’s filled with country headliners. Zero rock.
You should be stoked.
Seriously. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a country diehard, a metalhead or a rock fan. After a year of concert silence during the pandemic, it’s a blessing just knowing that live, outdoor music is on the horizon. The entire Canyon County Fair was canceled last year.
Here’s the 2021 lineup in Caldwell:
▪ Lee Brice with opener Lainey Wilson, 8 p.m. Thursday, July 29: Brice has enjoyed a string of country hits during the past decade, including favorites such as “Hard to Love,” “I Don’t Dance” and “Rumor.”
▪ Mark Chesnutt with opener Niko Moon, 8 p.m. Friday, July 30: A major country act in the 1990s, Chesnutt is known for chart-toppers such as “Brother Jukebox,” “It Sure is Monday” and “It’s a Little Too Late.” (He also turned a cover of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” into a country hit in 1999. Hey, that’s a rock band.)
▪ Rodney Atkins with opener the Powell Brothers, 8 p.m. Saturday, July 31: Wearing his ever-present ballcap, Atkins likes to crank things up a bit. Case in point: Hits such as “Take a Back Road,” “Caught Up in the Country” and “Farmer’s Daughter.”
On the Canyon County Fair’s Facebook page, where the lineup was announced March 19, fans reacted with enthusiasm like “GREAT LINEUP!” and “Can’t wait.” Still, a couple of Idahoans lobbied for diversity: “Mo rock bands this year. Pass,” posted one. “Are these the only ones?” wrote another.
Nobody should complain. Especially when concert admission is free after you’ve paid to get into the fair ($3 to $5). Tickets are available now at canyoncountyfair.org.
If you want a better view of the stage, you can drop $35-$45 for standing-room-only pit tickets or reserved seats, which include the cost of fair admission.
Hey, after all, ol’ Mark Chesnutt ain’t a bad-lookin’ guy.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 12:07 PM.