HLSR Thoughts
No, there is no way the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is gonna make everyone happy. There's either too much "pop country" or the "same ol' people every year" or some complaint I've already recieved in my inbox this morning.
Those and the obligiatory "can you get me tickets?" question from people I don't know who think they know me.
I don't book the HLSR, so I don't have any control over the line-up.
Trust me, I am as over some of the annual performers as you are. If Brooks and Dunn never came to the show again it wouldn't hurt my feelings. They are nice fellas and all, but their show is just old and tired to me. Yet I'm always prone to respond to people who complain with "Well, then don't go." or "Why don't you do what I do and go for the rodeo and the carnival" or "head over to the Hideout, the bands there are always great and you don't have to buy a ticket for Reliant Stadium to get in".
Hideout performers Jarrod Birmingham, Todd Fritsch, Zona Jones, Gary P Nunn and Jason Allen are standout country artists. I have hardlinked the complete line-up to the sidebar.
Reba McEntire will always hold a special place in my heart at the Rodeo because she was so nice to my folks when I took them to see and meet her.
And the fact that Reba is one of the performers on the rodeos Value Nights on a Wednesday is terrific! The Value Days are new this year.
The rodeo shot callers were smart again this year to add artists that appeal to the younger crowd. And I mean those that can't just be dropped off by parents with their friends and picked up at the end of the night. I mean those that have to have an adult buy a ticket (or two) as well to bring the kiddos to the show.
Namely The Jonas Brothers who remind me when I was a kid and would scream at a level only dogs could hear for my teen heartthrobs (they can actually sing - bonus!) and Taylor Swift who was on my "she's really not so bad" list until her dreadful performance on SNL last week.
And of course, Pat Green is back March 19.
For those of you already griping that there should be more Texas artists. Sure it would be great to see. And last year I jumped for joy when Kevin Fowler's told me he was gonna play the Rodeo.
But the truth of the matter is, he just didn't have enough people buy tickets. And the job of the rodeo decision makers is to fill those seats to make money for scholarships. Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban draw more people.
Ticket's go on sale Saturday - unless you've already bought presale packages. This is where to get them.
And the widget will stay at the top of the blog through the run of the event. See you there.
posted by Leslie T Travis @ 1:43 PM
5 Whatcha think?
5 You must have some thought about this:
I agree completely.
But I do think Eli Young would sell well, considering how they have become a pretty big deal in the texas music scene. Their last 16 shows of 2008 were all sold out. So, I have a hard time believing red dirt artists like that couldn't pull the money the decision makers want to see.
Maybe next year I guess...
Two things:
1) Selling out Billy Bob's and 15 other 1500 capacity venues in different markets around the midwest is not the same as selling out 80,000 seats at Reliant.
While they do well at smaller cap venues, selling out a stadium concert as a headliner is still not quite their deal. They'd tell you that too, I'm sure.
2)The rodeo starts booking months in advance. Before EYB sold out any of those 16 venues. Before EYB had a national record hit the charts. I doubt they were even on the HLSR radar yet.
This year just isn't the year for them.
I'd love to see Strait back at the rodeo. I am sure there are those who think of his live show the same way you do B&D's, Leslie T., but to me it just can't get old.
No, George is on a different level. His act never gets old. The number of hits to choose from and his band's level of talent are mind boggling.
Unfortunately, even though the rodeo tried, he tours only at certain times every year or so.
This year he wasn't scheduled to start his tour until May (I think). So it just couldn't be worked out.
But don't think George's agent isn't the first call the rodeo makes EVERY year!
The number of hits to choose from and his band's level of talent are mind boggling.
Yep. And then there are all those unreleased gems that we only hear in the live show, like "There Stands the Glass" and "Folsom Prison Blues." I'd love to see those two and more of those old Western swing gems he and the Aces do (ex.: "Cherokee Maiden") on another live cd before the Strait man goes off to South Texas for good. I don't think the chances of that are that good, but then I never thought we'd get a live cut of "Milk Cow Blues," either. We sure did, though.
don't think George's agent isn't the first call the rodeo makes EVERY year!
Oh, of course. I'm sure if he's not the one who sells out the fastest every time he makes it to the rodeo, he's pretty close to the top. They'd be nuts not to at least try to get him. Lol
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