Alaska State Fair finalizes concert schedule with variety

By ANDREW WELLNER Frontiersman.com

PALMER — When it comes to piecing together a concert line-up, the Alaska State Fair tends to take a kitchen-sink approach, pulling in big and small acts spanning a range of genres from country to heavy metal.

This year is no exception. The fair has finalized its concert schedule. Here’s a rundown of who’s coming and what to expect:

Creed: Aug. 23, reserved $60; general $35

Hard-rock band Creed intends to play the entirety of the album that made it famous, 1999’s “Human Clay,” from start to finish. Fans of 2001’s “Weathered” and 1996’s “My Own Prison” also will hear some of their favorites. “Human Clay” contains “Higher,” “What if” and “With Arms Wide Open,” which won the band a Grammy. Creed disbanded for five years, coming back in 2009 with a new album, “Full Circle.”

Theory of a Deadman: Aug. 24, reserved $55; general $35

Another hard rock act, Theory of a Deadman hit mainstream rock radio with their 2008 hit “Bad Girlfriend” off the album “Scars & Souvenirs.”

They’ve toured with Motley Crue, Godsmack, Daughtry and Stone Sour. Most recently they put out “The Truth Is…” in 2011.

Big and Rich with Cowboy Troy: Aug. 25, reserved $55; general $40

The country rock duo and their cowboy rapping sidekick play raucous music in the grand tradition of Bosephus. The band’s biggest hit, “Lost in this Moment,” came off the 2007 album “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace.” Other notable hits include “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and “Comin’ to Your City,” both of which served as intro music to ESPN shows.

Styx: Sunday, Aug. 26, reserved $65; general $40

If your thing is “big rockers and soaring power ballads,” Styx promises both in its bio on the Alaska State Fair website. Its hits include “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade” and “Fooling Yourself.” Styx went on hiatus through the late 1980s and into the ’90s, but reunited in 1996.

Air Supply: Aug. 27, reserved $35; general $20

The Australian soft rockers hit the big time in the ’80s with a series of eight singles that hit the top-10 in the U.S. “All Out of Love” and “The One that You Love” were in that group. Air Supply kept going after the ’80s, though, putting out an album every couple of years right up to 2010’s “Mumbo Jumbo.”

Jo Dee Messina: Aug. 28, reserved $50; general $35

Messina is a country singer-songwriter with two Grammy nominations and a string of country chart toppers. Messina’s songs include “Bye Bye,” “I’m Alright,” “Because you Love Me,” “That’s the Way,” and “My Give a Damn’s Busted.”

Avett Brothers: Aug. 29, reserved $50; general $35

The brothers — banjoist Scott and guitarist Seth — play “a rootsy amalgam of folk, country, bluegrass, rock and pop,” according to their bio, and have toured with the likes of the Dave Matthews Band. They released their major-label debut album “I and Love and You” in 2009, but have been playing since 2001. They promise a “rowdy and infectious” stage show.

Jeff Dunham: Aug. 30, reserved $75; general $45

Dunham is unequivocally the nation’s biggest ventriloquist, but some would also claim he’s the nation’s favorite comedian. Whatever the case, you might know his puppets better than you know Dunham. They include the redneck Bubba J, the cranky retiree Walter, the manic Peanut and Jose Jalapeno.

Five Finger Death Punch: Aug. 31, reserved $50; general $35

With songs featured on everything from NBC’s “Criminal Minds” to video games like “Splatterhouse” and “Madden 2012,” Five Finger Death Punch is a “melodic heavy metal machine,” according to their bio. Their debut album was 2007’s “Way of the Fist.” The follow-up came in 2009 with gold record “War is the Answer.”

George Thorogood and the Destroyers: Sept. 1, reserved $75; general $35

The Destroyers have had a string of well-known blues/rock songs: “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Move it on Over,” “Who do you Love” and, arguably most famously, “Bad to the Bone.” Though all those hits came in the ’70s and ’80s, the most recent Thorogood album came out in 2011.

Gary Allan: Sept. 2, reserved $50 general $35

Allan, who plays a certain type of rocked-out country music, has torn up the country charts since his 1996 debut. He’s put out seven albums and a greatest hit collection. Hits include “Man to Man,” “Tough Little Boys,” “The Best I Ever Had” and “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful.”

Hot Chelle Rae: Sept. 3, reserved $45; general $20

The band’s online bio describes Hot Chelle Rae as a “young, Nashville-based op quartet” that puts out feel-good music great for driving. Driven by singles “Tonight Tonight” and “I like it Like That,” the band’s sophomore record “Whatever” has gone platinum in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Tickets for Big & Rich, Air Supply, Five Finger Death Punch and Gary Allen go on sale June 1. Fair members can buy tickets early starting today. Tickets to all the other concerts are already on sale. For tickets, call the fair’s main office at 745-4827, visit alaskastatefair.org or use the iPhone app ETIX.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.