By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

Country music stars Billy Currington and Shannon Brown, outlaw country-rocker Shooter Jennings, veteran rockers Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, and pop star Raven (who played Olivia on "The Cosby Show") are among the numerous musical acts to play free shows at the 2006 Iowa State Fair, which runs Aug. 10-20.

Currington, an Academy of Country Music nominee for Top New Male Vocalist, will perform Aug. 15-16. Brown, an Iowa native who received some help from John Rich of the country-pop duo Big & Rich on her debut album "Corn Fed," plays Aug. 17.

Jennings, son of the late Waylon Jennings, plays Aug. 11-12. Multi-platinum record selling rock vocalist Jett, who became famous during the '80s for her hit single "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," plays during the Fair's "Extreme Sunday" on Aug. 20.

Fair officials say they have spent more than $400,000 to book acts to play free stages during the Fair's 10-day run. The lineup also includes local favorites like The Nadas, The Blue Band and Town Crier. Check back here in August for a listing of showtimes.

Anderson Erickson Dairy Stage
- The Nadas (Aug. 10-12)
- The Bob Pace Band featuring Steve George (Aug. 13)
- Steve Hall and Shotgun Red
(Aug. 14-15)
- Town Crier (Aug. 16)
- Hairball: A spoof of the '80s (Aug. 17)
- The Blue Band (Aug. 18-19)
- Vocal Trash (Aug. 20)

Riley Stage
- Tonic Sol-Fa (Aug. 10-12)
- Fiesta Latina featuring OchoSol
(Aug. 13)
- Riders in the Sky (Aug. 14-15)
- Steve Hall and Shotgun Red with Ralph Emery (Aug. 16)
- The Dennis Lee Show (Aug. 17-19)

- Joan Jett and The Blackhearts (Aug. 20)

Terrible's Lakeside Casino Stage
- Pirates Over 40 (Aug. 10-12)
- The Return (Aug. 13-15)
- The Diamonds (Aug. 16-17)
- The Buckinghams (Aug. 18-20)

Heritage Village Stage
- Vocal Trash (Aug. 10-19)
- Country Gold: Leroy Van Dyke, Katrina Elam, Moe Brandy, Rex Allen Jr. (Aug. 10)
- Shooter Jennings (Aug. 11-12)
- Bomshel (Aug. 13-14)
- Billy Currington (Aug. 15-16)
- Shannon Brown (Aug. 17)
- Western Underground (Aug. 18-19)
- Raven (Aug. 20)

Nifty at 50

Clive celebrates its 50th birthday during the Clive Festival, a three-day free event that starts Thursday at the Clive Aquatics Center, 1801 N.W. 114th St. and includes concerts, food, a parade, a bike ride and fireworks.

Festivities kickoff Thursday with "Light the Night for Sight Walk," followed by a performance by the Tony Valdez Large Band. On Friday, free music by Rude Mood, Full Throttle and The Flying Marsupials begins at 5 p.m. And on Saturday, the day starts with a parade at 11 a.m., followed by a bike ride at 1 p.m. and music by Exit 113 and the Heartbeats. Family Blues Night caps the celebration later that evening at 5:30 p.m. with a concert by national blues recording artists Watermelon Slim and The Workers as well as Lil' Ed and The Blues Imperials. Fireworks will be held after the show at about 9:30 p.m. Visit www.clivefestival.com.

Show your Pride

Capitol City Pride, a two-day celebration of gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyles, will be held this weekend in downtown Des Moines and includes a street party and live music.

The Pride Street Party featuring DJ Segway and Digital Killer kicks off the weekend event at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the East Village. On Sunday, the Pride Parade starts at 1 p.m. A post-parade rally will be held from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Simon Estes Amphitheater, where OUT Music Award nominee SONiA & disappear fear will perform. The Pride Street Party continues later that night from 6 to 10 p.m. in the East Village, where DJs Dolores Dewberry and Miss Julia will perform. Admission to all events is free. Visit www.capitolcitypride.com

Prine, DeMent to play Hoyt

Legendary folk music singer-songwriter John Prine and country-folk singer Iris DeMent play Hoyt Sherman Place Theater Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. In 1999, the two singers collaborated for Prine's stellar duets album, "In Spite fo Ourselves." Tickets for their upcoming show, $47 and $57, go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. through Hoyt's box office and IowaTix.com. Call 244-0199.

Scene notes

The first of a three-part series of live performances by the Tony Valdez Large Band airs June 7 at 9:30 p.m. on Iowa Public Television. The half-hour-long segments were filmed during a taping of WOI Radio's "Third Thursday" monthly jazz series. Additional segments will air on IPTV on June 12 at 9:30 p.m. and July 2 at 2 p.m... The 2006 World Pork Expo to be held Thursday through Saturday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds includes 30,000 pork producers, exhibitions, food and live music. On Friday, country band Exile and classic rockers The Grass Roots play the Grand Concourse from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5... Pop-punk Chicago quartet June, which has shared stages and toured with Hawthorne Heights and Fallout Boy, is headlining the "The Dead or Alive Give it Up or Survive Tour" which swings through Des Moines for an all-ages show at the House of Bricks on Friday at 5 p.m. Openers include Houston Calls, Just Surrender, The Junior Varsity and As Tall As Lions. Tickets are $10 in advance through IowaTix.com and $12 at the door... If you and your kids ever wanted to get a behind-the-scenes look at a Des Moines Metro Opera production, you might want to check out the DMMO's "Peanut Butter and Puccini" annual fundraising event to be held June 15 and 17 on the campus of Simpson College. Families get a realistic picture of how opera goes "from the page to the stage" and a sack lunch is provided. Admission is $8. Call 961-6221... Final Mix has been named the house band at Rack & Roll, which is under new management, and will play Thursday nights throughout the summer... Texas rockers The Greencards, who made waves opening for Bob Dylan last year, play the Maintenance Shop in Ames on Sept. 22 CV

Comment on this story | Return to top