 "This is one of the most
solid concert lineups that we've assembled," said Amy Bliefnick,
manager of the state fair. "From the first night to the last, the
acts are top-notch. I'm looking forward to great shows and memorable
performances."Church, whose latest album, "Chief," reached No. 1
on the country charts and produced his first No. 1 single, "Drink in
My Hand," will open the state fair concerts Aug. 10.
Lovato, the Disney star who was recently crowned Favorite Pop
Artist by the People's Choice Awards, will share the stage Aug. 11
with Hot Chelle Rae, a Nashville, Tenn., rock band best known
for its 2011 double-platinum song "Tonight Tonight."
Christian rapper TobyMac will perform Aug. 12. He has
recorded six No. 1 singles, including "Gone," "Made to Love" and
"Lose My Soul"; and his 2009 album, "Alive and Transported," won a
Grammy for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.
The cast of "Million Dollar Quartet" will give a free
concert Aug. 13. The musical is currently running at the
Apollo Theater in Chicago and was inspired by the famed recording
session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley,
Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only
time. New Odyssey, a talented trio that plays 30 different
instruments during its show, will open for the Million Dollar
Quartet.
Aug. 14, country rocker Brantley Gilbert, whose songwriting
credits include the Jason Aldean hits "Dirt Road Anthem" and "My
Kinda Party," will headline. Gilbert has had recent success as a
solo artist, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard country chart with his
single "Country Must Be Country Wide." Charlie Daniels will
open the show, singing hits from his illustrious 50-year career in
music, a career that has produced such classics as "The Devil Went
Down to Georgia," "In America" and "Uneasy Rider."
Train, whose smash hit "Hey, Soul Sister" was iTunes' most
downloaded song in 2010, will entertain fairgoers Aug. 15. The
following night, Creed will perform. Creed was one of the
most successful rock bands of the late '90s and early 2000s,
releasing three consecutive multi-platinum albums and winning a Best
Rock Song Grammy for "With Arms Wide Open."
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The Aug. 17, show will feature a quadruple-bill of classic rock.
Cheap Trick, which recorded such hits as "Dream Police," "I Want You
to Want Me" and "Ain't That a Shame," will headline the concert.
Joining the Rockford band will be Night Ranger, whose hits
include "Sister Christian" and "When You Close Your Eyes"; Blue
Oyster Cult; and the Georgia Satellites. Blue Oyster Cult
is best known for 1976's "Don't Fear the Reaper" and 1981's "Burnin'
for You," while the Georgia Satellites earned acclaim for the band's
1986 single "Keep Your Hands to Yourself."
Lambert, who currently is female vocalist of the year for both
the Academy of Country Music and County Music Association, will play
the fair Aug. 18. Her accolades also include prized trophies for
album of the year from the ACM for her second record, "Crazy
Ex-Girlfriend," and from both the ACM and CMA for her third, "Revolution,"
as well as a Grammy award for top country female vocal
performance, "The House That Built Me." The Pistol Annies, a
group Lambert started and also performs in, will open the show. A
concert has not yet been booked for the final day of the fair, Aug.
19.
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and can be purchased
either on the Internet at
Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting any
Ticketmaster outlet. Ticket order forms can be downloaded from the
Illinois State Fair website at
www.illinoisstatefair.info. The Grandstand ticket office will
open June 9. (See ticket prices below.)
All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. except for the Aug. 13
performance of the Million Dollar Quartet and New Odyssey, which
begins at 7 p.m., and the Aug. 17 Cheap Trick concert, which will
start at 5 p.m. All adults and children 3 years of age and older
must have a ticket. All sales are final. The fair does not provide
refunds or exchanges on ticket purchases.
[Text from
Illinois State Fair
file received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
