The Pima County Fair is a few weeks away, but if you’re a fan of live music — and you love a good bargain — you might want to get our your calendar and pencil in a few dates.
The 2015 fair concert series is a mixed bag of super cool acts, from rappers and hip-hoppers to country crooners and metal heads.
Most of the concerts are on the Budweiser Main Stage on the fair grounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road, off Interstate 10. Admission is a ganga: Free with fair admission, which is $8 for adults, $4 for kids 6 to 10 and free for anyone 5 and younger. That gets you into the concert grounds, which are tucked behind the midway rides and 4H displays. Pay $15 extra and you get a reserved seat in the Budweiser Main Stage. Reserved seats are available at the fairgrounds and seating is limited.
The Pima County Fair runs April 16 to 26. For details and information on special discounted admission and rides, visit pimacountyfair.com
The concert lineup kicks off on opening night April 16 with rising country star David Nail, whose last stop in Tucson was as an opener for Lady Antebellum at Casino del Sol’s AVA last June.
Def Jam singer-songwriter Jeremih headlines April 17, followed April 18 by a cast of hard rockers: Jack Russell’s Great White, Dokken, Sebastian Bach and Jackyl.
Pop sibling act R5 featuring Disney Channel star Ross Lynch (“Austin & Ally,” “Teen Beach Movie”) will turn the concert arena into a tween screamfest during the afternoon on April 19. But that night is all about the rap, with Mexican-American hip-hop artist Baby Bash playing a 7:30 p.m. gig.
On April 22, San Diego alt-rockers Switchfoot play their first Tucson show since they were on the lineup for the 2012 KFMA Fall Ball. Oakland rapper G-Eazy — aka Gerald Earl Gillum — makes his Tucson debut April 23, followed on April 24 with headbanging rockers Tesla. (We’re part of their warm-up solo tour as they prepare for this summer’s monster trek with Def Leppard and Styx. That tour swings into the Phoenix area Sept. 23.)
Country singer Joe Nichols returns to the state for his April 25 fair gig, a followup to his April 10 show at Country Thunder in Florence. And the fair closes with Mexico’s Banda Los Recoditos on April 26.