15 - Fair
asking price and his preference for daylong,
music
big-venue festivals, what a coup it would be.
CHATTER
Those attending Chesney’s show should
BY kEviN CorBETT arrive early to catch young Jake Owen, a
soulful throwback singer who has shown real
Bill of Fair
promise with songs such as “Don’t Think I
While country acts soak up a few dates
Country On Ice
Can’t Love You” and “Startin’ With Me.”
at the 16,000-seat New York State Fair’s
Meanwhile, Chevrolet Court will host at
Mohegan Sun Grandstand, other nights
least one genuine country singer, the dynamic
feature veritable smorgasbords of sounds,
Cowboy hats will be sparse at this year’s Grandstand shows, although Sara Evans, who plays Thursday, Aug. 27,
everything from screeching rock to crunched-
8 p.m. Although she’s hardly a traditional
up cars.
Sara Evans will light up Chevy Court on opening day
holdover, Evans employs her explosive voice
Now a long way from her 2002 triumph
on songs that often can be described by the
on American Idol (as well as putting distance
away from her movie turkey From Justin
We got pickup trucks, chicken clucks of her dedication to the battle against breast
title of her first CD: Three Chords and the
Happy even when we’re down on our luck cancer, brought to life in the inspirational
Truth. Earlier that same day at Chevy Court,
to Kelly), popular songbird Kelly Clarkson
We got fatback song, “Pink Warrior.”
young Chuck Wicks, best known for the sug-
inaugurates this year’s Grandstand lineup on
That’s a fact The only other “country” grandstand show
ary “Stealing Cinderella,” seeks to establish
Thursday, Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m. (Tickets run
If you don’t know is Kenny Chesney’s fifth appearance on that
himself among the flood of pretty boys on hot
$35 to $40.) Opening the show will be Gavin
That’s a country rap stage, on Friday, Aug. 28 (tickets run $55 and
country radio. He goes on at 2 p.m.
DeGraw, who has played the Grandstand
$65), and he’s really not getting any better.
The first country CD for former Hootie
several times already; last year he was the
—“COuNTRy RAP,” By Predictably enough, shameless radio stations
and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker,
warm-up act for the Goo Goo Dolls.
DAVID BELLAMy play his soulless starter country to death and
who plays Chevy Court on Sunday, Aug. 30,
The modern-rock double bill of The Fray
the Country Music Association jumped in to
8 p.m., was both commercially successful
and Our Lady Peace checks in Saturday,
and credible in terms of poignant songs and
Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. ($35 to $45), followed on
B
ack in 1986, when the Bellamy
surrender all credibility their awards had left
sincerity of delivery. Although his Capitol disc
Sunday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m., with Comedy Cen-
Brothers recited those lyrics to a
by naming this second-rate singer Entertainer
Learn To Live leans toward pop, it surpasses a
tral ventriloquist Jeff Dunham. The Grand-
chicken-pickin’ instrumental track,
of the Year four times. His organization will
lot of today’s country with introspective, intel-
stand rarely books comedians (Bob Hope,
the concept of a country act rapping was
likely prove again this year that they’re totally
ligent lyrics.
Steve Martin and Bill Cosby were among the
pretty funny. What could be more incongru-
lacking in class and professionalism by refus-
Another young country singer, honky-tonk
exceptions), yet given the intimacy of Dun-
ous than turning such an honest, genuine,
ing a photo pass to the Syracuse New Times,
kid Eric Church, is persistent in trying to get
ham’s voice-throwing routine, all of the $40
straight-from-the-heart art form into the
presumably because Kenny’s previous reviews
his hardy voice and spirited style noticed, the
ducats have been taken, with only $35 seats
most despicable affront to popular music
on our pages have been consistently and
latest attempt being the single “Love Your
now up for grabs.
since disco? Hell, at least disco had a
deservingly negative.
Love,” a catchy, if derivative, track. He’s at
The Grandstand is dark on Monday, Aug.
melody and performing it actually required
While we’re willing to cut the new State
the courtyard stage on Friday, Sept. 4, 2 p.m.
31, then reopens on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 7:30
a little musical talent.
Fair concert promoter Triangle Talent some
Speaking of catchy, country’s very own
p.m., with free admission for the 28th annual
Today, just when we thought the hot coun-
slack, they should make it a priority to give
Barry Manilow, Lee Greenwood, will check
Colgate Country Showdown. Local singer
try train couldn’t drag us any lower than the
country fans some better choices next year,
into Chevy Court for a 2 p.m. show on Thurs-
Erica Mattes, the victor of a recent contest
phony commercialization of Rascal Flatts, the
acts like Craig Morgan, Blake Shelton,
day, Sept. 3. The former Las Vegas lounge act
held by WBBS-FM, will compete for state
dismal vocalizing of Kenny Chesney or the
Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Keith Urban,
and composer of commercial jingles has been
final honors and a $1,000 cash prize against
vapid adolescent poetry of Taylor Swift, here
Gretchen Wilson or the return after several
more recently celebrated as the flag-waving
other country challengers from Binghamton,
comes Big & Rich to the New York State
years of Alan Jackson. Or how about showing
crooner of “God Bless the USA.”
Elmira, Wellsville, Newark, Dansville and
Fair Grandstand, on Friday, Sept. 4. (Tickets
some real integrity by defying the blacklist
The token country veteran act is the Oak
Liberty. Providing musical accompaniment
are $30 and $35.) They’re more hip-hop than
and booking the Dixie Chicks, a great act
Ridge Boys, a harmonizing foursome that
will be the apostrophe-challenged local faves
country with a hip-swiveling guy in a big hat,
that has never played here. After all, back in
dates back to its gospel roots in the early
J.D. and Rollin South.
known as Cowboy Troy, as their main con-
November, America showed we had finally
1970s. Also due at Chevy Court on Thursday,
This year’s new wrinkle at the Grandstand
spirator. What they try to pass off as clever,
decided that the Chicks’ doubts about Bush
Sept. 3, 8 p.m., the quartet from Tennessee
will be a boxing card on Wednesday, Sept. 2,
hip and creative is actually a desperate attempt
were well founded.
has always been a little too Vegas to be really
7:30 p.m. ($15 to $20), with notables Christy
to make a splash by being different because
It’s worth noting that George Strait, the
country. But they surely know how to put on a
Martin, Jason Estrada and James McGirt
they don’t have the talent to excel at singing
current king of the cowboys, has never played
show that takes full advantage of their lengthy
Jr. taking on other practitioners of the sweet
and playing. Expect this show to be the low
the Geddes playground, indeed has never
list of hits, among them, “American Made,”
science. For those choosing not to witness
point in a dismal State Fair for country fans.
played Syracuse. Hard to believe, impossible
“Love Song” and the quirky “Elvira.” Oom-
sluggers getting their ears boxed in, prepare
Candy Coburn, Big & Rich’s opening act,
to accept, but true. Although he may be tough
pa-pa-mow-mow! o
for the earplug-mandated Crue Fest blowout
deserves cheers for more than music because
to fit at the New York State Fair due to his
on Thursday, Sept. 3, 5 p.m. ($50 to $55),
continued on page 18
Que Sara: Darius
Rucker (left) and Sara
Evans (middle) will
be among this year’s
country acts at the
State Fair; Jeff Dunham
(right) will serve as
ventriloquist.
4 Aug. 26 - Sept. 2, 2009 Syracuse New Times
NEWS & OPINION FEATURE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS CLASSIFIED WWW.SyRACUSENEWTIMES.COM
Syracuse New Times Aug. 26 - Sept. 2, 2009 5
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