Fair Board brings something different to the ‘24 concerts

Fairgoers can expect something a little bit different when it comes to this year’s concerts. Friday night’s show will bring the early 2000s’ pop rock favorites of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and The Plain White T’s. Saturday night will remain dedicated to country music. Sam Barber will open for the headlining act, Randy Houser.
Barber is a relative newcomer in the country scene. With TikTok and an appearance on season 20 of American Idol contributing to his growing fan base, Barber has quickly become a prominent new voice in country music. He combines modern country music with traditional influences making him popular with a wide variety of music listeners. Some of his hit songs include “Straight and Narrow” and “Drowning”.
As for Randy Houser, he is no newcomer. Houser’s first album Anything Goes was released in 2008 and saw instant success. “Boots On” from the album became his first track to reach the top ten in the Billboard Country charts. His third studio album How Country Feels brought a number of hit singles. “Like a Cowboy” —the third single from the album—was nominated for CMA Song of the Year in 2015.
Houser is also a sought-after songwriter and has recently made his silver screen debut in “The Hill” with Dennis Quaid and Academy Award winning film “Killers of the Flower Moon”.
Friday night’s concert will likely draw in lovers of a different music genre. Typically, the Fair Board has brought in nostalgic rock artists such as 38 Special and classic rock tribute band Hairball for the Friday show. This year, the Fair Board decided to try something fresh. Board member Jacob Burke says, “We are excited about the change on Friday night, we think this will bring a different crowd to the fair and it is music that everyone will enjoy.” This year’s artists are considered alternative rock or pop rock. They both gained popularity in the early 2000s.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus have been making music and touring nearly constantly since 2003. They gained instant recognition in 2006 with their debut album Don’t You Fake It and hit single “Face Down”. The band credits their work ethic and honest lyrics for their continued success.
The Plain White T’s are probably best known for their song “Hey There Delilah” but have had a number of hits over their long career. “Hey There Delilah” earned the band Grammy nominations for both Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Since their formation in 1997, the band has released nine studio albums and has toured consistently. Their most recent album, the self-titled Plain White T’s, was released in November.
Burke says that ticket sales have been great so far and even says that it has been “one of the best first week of sales ever”. Tickets to both the Friday and Saturday night shows are on sale now at chasecountyfair.com. Tractor pull tickets and Mega Ride passes are also available to purchase. Burke notes that as Fair time draws near, there will be more events announced.