Entertainment/Ticket

Thursday, Jul. 24, 2008

Top concerts at the 2008 California Mid-State Fair

Comments (0) |

Summer means a lot of things here on the Central Coast: Roller coaster rides. Corn dogs and cotton candy.

Concerts under the stars.

Some of music’s hottest acts head to Paso Robles this month for the California Mid-State Fair. They range from country stars to pop icons, rock supergroups to jazzy duos. There’s a former Beach Boy, a Canadian indie rocker, and a sexy hip-hop diva.

Here’s a rundown of the big names at this year’s fair. All of the following shows take place at the Main Grandstand Arena.

Toby Keith When: 7:30 p.m. tonight ($42 to $62) Even before his “Angry American” ticked off the Dixie Chicks and created a media frenzy, Keith was a growing country star with 10 million records sold and a greatest hits album. The Oklahoman and former semi-pro football player has scored a string of hits, including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “Who’s Your Daddy?” and “Wish I Didn’t Know Now.” Okie in Hollywood: Keith will enter a new phase of his career when he stars in the upcoming comedy “Beer for My Horses,” which Keith co-wrote with comedian Rodney Carrington.

Steely Dan When: 7:30 p.m. Friday ($40 to $56) Steely Dan is really two guys — Donald Fagen and Walter Becker — who work with a changing cast of session musicians. Known for jazzy compositions and at-times cryptic lyrics, the band’s music is sophisticated and polished. In fact, for 20 years the band ditched the notion of touring to concentrate on studio work. Hits include “Do It Again,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and “My Old School.” In 2000 the band, named after a sex toy in a William Burroughs novel, pulled off an upset, winning the Grammy for album of the year. He’s the bomb: Although he had no formal training, former guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter is now a leading counter terrorism expert who makes a 6-figure salary as a government consultant.

Stone Temple Pilots When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday ($26 to $52) It’s been a rough road for hard rock’s Stone Temple Pilots. The band wowed fans in the early 1990s with hits including “Sex Type Thing,” “Plush” and “Creep,” but failed to impress critics who dismissed them as “second-rate Pearl Jam.” More hits and a Grammy Award followed in 1994. Meanwhile, lead singer Scott Weiland struggled with drug problems, leading to his arrest on cocaine and heroin charges in 1995. He landed in rehab twice, spent a year in jail, and nearly traded punches with STP guitarist Dean DeLeo at a 2002 concert. The band split in 2003, but they’re back this year — following Weiland’s rift with rock super-group Velvet Revolver. What’s in a name: Originally called Swing, the band changed its name to Mighty Joe Young after the addition of drummer Eric Kretz. They had to drop that name due to a blues guitarist with the same handle. Instead, the band picked Stereo Temple Pirates and finally, in 1992, became Stone Temple Pilots.

Alan Jackson When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday ($40 to $56) “Traditional” is the word that best sums up country star Alan Jackson. Born in Georgia, Jackson has long been an advocate of country music’s classic side. He scored hits early on with “Here in the Real World” and “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” and dominated the ’90s with multi-platinum albums. In 2000, he and George Strait criticized modern country music with the duet “Murder of Music Row,” sparking debate about pop crossover groups and the fate of so-called traditional music. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Jackson recorded the Grammy-winning song “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” Crazy ‘bout a Ford truck: Jackson must dig wheels. He spent the late ’90s as a spokesman for Ford trucks, featuring an F-150 pickup in his music video for “Who’s Cheatin’ Who?” Napa Auto Parts sponsored his 2004 tour.

Al Jardine’s Endless Summer Band When: 7:30 p.m. Monday (free) Though not as well known as some of the other Beach Boys, guitarist Jardine was a founding member. In fact, he first hooked up with band leader Brian Wilson through their high school football team. Considered the “lost Beach Boy” by some, Jardine’s vocals can be heard on songs like “Tell Me Why,” “Cotton Fields” and “Then I Kissed Her.” His most famous vocal, though, is the lead on “Help Me, Rhonda,” one of the band’s best known songs. And, of course, he appeared on all the Beach Boys classics, including “God Only Knows,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “I Get Around.” Life’s not always a beach:Mike Love owns the rights to the Beach Boys name, and legal action prevents Jardine from using any band name that references the Beach Boys.

Matchbox Twenty When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday ($40 to $56) At first, it seemed like Matchbox Twenty was just another mid-’90s rock band that would have a hit or two before disappearing. But after “3 AM” and “Push” hit the charts, more hits came. Then singer Rob Thomas garnered even more cred by co-writing and singing the lead to the Santana song “Smooth,” which went on to win a Grammy for record of the year. Thomas’ solo career also fared well, making it clear that these guys were not just one and done. For mom: Rob Thomas has said that “3 AM’ was inspired by his mother, who was given six months to live with a cancer diagnosis when he was 12. Thomas helped care for his mother, who is still alive, during her illness. Bryan Adams When: Opening for Rod Stewart, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday ($53 to $88) Today’s young music fans might be more familiar with indie rocker Ryan Adams than Bryan Adams. But this Canadian has an impressive catalogue, primarily from the ’80s and early ’90s. And while some of his sappier movie songs — like “(Everything I Do) I Do it For You” — have afforded him the not necessarily cool adult contemporary label, his resume boasts several rockers, including “Cuts Like a Knife,” “This Time” and “Summer of ’69.” Many of his songs have been covered by other artists ranging from Joe Cocker and Neil Diamond to Roger Daltrey and Krokus. Snapshot: Adams is also an accomplished fashion photographer, whose work has appeared in “Vogue,” “Vanity Fair,” and “Esquire,” among other publications.

Rod Stewart When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday ($53 to $88) Stewart’s musical career began in the early ’60s. After being involved with various bands, Stewart joined his first successful one, The Jeff Beck Group, in the latter part of the decade. He later joined Faces, where he had a hit with “Stay With Me.” While with Faces, he launched a solo career, scoring early hits with “Every Picture Tells a Story” and “You Wear It Well.” Later, he would delve into disco, adult contemporary and standards, scoring hits with all genres. A model citizen: Known more for dating models, Stewart is a big fan of model trains. In his Beverly Hills mansion he has a scale replica of New York’s Grand Station from the 1940s.

Fergie When: 7:30 p.m., July 31 ($40 to $56) It’s hard to believe that Fergie — the R&B/hip-hop singer known for her blond hair and skintight leather pants — was once a children’s television star. The daughter of Catholic schoolteachers, Fergie got her showbiz start on the 1980s hit “Kids Incorporated.” She helped start female trio Wild Orchid in her mid-teens, and joined the Black Eyed Peas as they were recording their third album, “Elephunk.” Now the group’s permanent singer, Fergie launched a flourishing solo career with her 2006 debut album “The Dutchess.” Her Billboard Chart-topping hits include “Fergalicious,” “London Bridge” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Her hip-hop highness: Born Stacy Ann Ferguson, Fergie shares a surname and a nickname with Sarah, Duchess of York. She’s even done a concert for the former royal’s charity, Children in Crisis.

Boz Scaggs When: 7 p.m. Aug. 1, ($29 to $54) A former member of the Steve Miller Blues Band, Scaggs left the group for a solo career in 1968. While he had critical success early on, he didn’t score a commercial hit until the 1976 album “Silk Degrees,” which featured the smash hit “Lido Shuffle” and the Grammy-winning “Lowdown.” Scaggs would record two more top-10 albums before deciding he’d had enough of the music business. In the ’80s, he spent most of his time running a restaurant/nightclub in San Francisco. All that jazz: “But Beautiful,” his 2003 standards album, reached No. 1 on the jazz charts.

Sawyer Brown When: 7 p.m., Aug. 2 ($17 to $20) Thank “Star Search” for this country band’s popularity. Sawyer Brown rocketed to national prominence in 1983 when it won the grand prize on the TV talent show: $100,000 and a record contract with Capitol Records. With the help of singer-songwriter Mac McAnally, the band quickly went from bubblegum pop to country ballads. Since then, they’ve had numerous hits —“The Dirt Road,” “Some Girls Do” and “Thank God For You,” to name a few. Sawyer Brown will perform following the Country Rodeo Finals. Follow your dreams: Sawyer Brown’s first guitarist, Bobby Randall, left the band to host the short-lived talent show “You Can Be A Star.” The second, Duncan Cameron, departed to become a pilot for Southwest Airlines.