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Keith Urban, Little Big Town to perform at Great Jones County Fair

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Keith Urban will perform at the Great Jones County Fair on July 20, 2013. (Facebook)

Country Star Keith Urban along with Little Big Town and newcomer Dustin Lynch are coming to the 2013 Great Jones County Fair.

Urban – a singer, songwriter and entertainer – will bring his best music and a long list of hits to Monticello at 7:30 p.m. July 20.

Accompanying Urban will be Little Big Town with new music from their September 2012 release “Tornado” and Lynch, new country artist with his hit single “Cowboys and Angels”.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. You can purchase them here. Ticket prices are $40 or $50.

The track area for this show will be “Standing Room Only”, there will be no seats.

Texaco Country Showdown heats up Jones County Fair

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The Back Home Boys, with roots in Manchester, Decorah and Prairie du Chien, took top honors at the Eastern Iowa Texaco Country Showdown competition July 17, 2012, during the free preview to The Great Jones County Fair in Monticello. (Back Home Boys photo)

MONTICELLO — In the still of the night, nine homegrown acts and two celebrity judges cranked up the heat at the Great Jones County Fair on Tuesday’s free preview night.

The Back Home Boys — with roots in Manchester, Decorah and Prairie du Chien — rose above eight other bands and solo artists to win Eastern Iowa honors in the Texaco Country Showdown. They advance to state competition Sept. 8 at the Riverside Casino. Iowa’s winner will advance to regionals and all the regional champs will head to Nashville in January to vie for $100,000.

It’s the largest country music competition in the nation, attracting 50,000 artists in 400 competitions, organizers from Cedar Rapids’ Kiss Country 96.5FM told the standing-room-only crowd in Monticello. The cream of the crop have competed nationally over the years, including Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw.

The Eastern Iowa artists had a lot riding on Tuesday’s event, bringing their A-games to dazzle the five judges: Southern rock royalty Jimmie Van Zant of Nashville; national touring artist Jake McVey of Nashville, who graduated from Mediapolis High School in southeast Iowa; singer Sue Sample of Cedar Rapids; West Music’s Doug Ducey of North Liberty; and Hoopla arts and entertainment writer Diana Nollen of Cedar Rapids.

Each competitor performed two songs, at least one of which was an original composition. We scored them on marketability in country music, vocal/instrumental ability, originality of performance, stage presence/charisma, and talent, with optional bonus points for quality of the original song. Audience members were invited to cast a ballot for people’s choice honors, which also went to The Back Home Boys.

Rounding out the judges’ place-winners were 2. Chad Elliot of Coon Rapids, 3. Matthew Kane and Greenbrier of Cedar Rapids and 4. the Brett Black Band of Johnston. The rest of the talent-soaked field included Lonesome Road of Ely, Danika Holmes of Davenport, Shannon Shepard of Lone Tree, Justin Horesowsky of Kalona and Lady Lowe and the Buttermilk Mountain Boyz of Cedar Rapids.

Their styles range from ballads to bluegrass, with each one sporting a solid fan base and winning style.

Polish and charisma set The Back Home Boys apart from the rest. The band, formed as a trio in 1994, now has seven members playing an array of instruments, from guitar, drums and bass to fiddle and steel guitar, laying some kicky twang behind nice, tight vocal harmonies. Band members play to each other as well as the crowd, with an ease that comes from experience.

The Back Home Boys will do Eastern Iowa proud in upcoming Texaco competitions. For other chances to catch them in action, go to Thebackhomeboys.com

While the totals were being tallied, the celebrity judges took the stage in acoustic spotlights.

Even though he’s moved to Nashville, McVey is never far from his roots. An active recording and touring artist, he plays around 300 gigs per year, popping up often at venues around his home state.

Dressed for the weather in a simple white T, jeans and flip-flops, it’s his boyish good looks that reel you in, and his powerful, soulful vocals that make you go “wow.” He wraps a soaring tenor around his new single, “Best Days of Our Lives,” then dips a little lower for “John Deere: John 3:16″ with a baritone that finished melting what the humidity missed.

Van Zant, cousin to Johnny, Donnie and the late Ronnie Van Zant, Southern rockers who rose to fame through .38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd, showcased his lineage. He spoke quietly and eloquently about his mentor, Ronnie, who died in a plane crash in 1977 at age 29, before launching into his favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd hit, Ronnie’s environmental ode, “All I Can Do is Write About It,” in which he bemoaned the concrete encroachment upon his beloved South.

Jimmie Van Zant then finished with his own work, “Feels Like Freedom,” the first single off his new disc. Good music is in his genes, but he’s crafted a style that stands firmly on its own ground.

 

 

 

REVIEW: Seether, Hinder rocked the Great Jones County Fair

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Seether (Photos by Ron Thole)

The Great Jones County Fair in Monticello, long known for the big name country acts they bring to eastern Iowa, has steadily been increasing their attention to rock and classic rock acts. This year’s fair featured not only country sensations Lady Antebellum and Jason Aldean, but Saturday night was dedicated to some of today’s best hard rock bands.

“This year we are able to hit a broader market by offering a night of alternative rock,” says fair General Manager John Harms.

Although the weekend’s thunderstorms flooded the track earlier in the day, by the 7 p.m. showtime the area in front of the stage was packed with music lovers. KRNA 94.1′s Jaymze Larson introduced the first band, My Darkest Days, which instantly brought the crowd to life.

My Darkest Day

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, singer/guitarist Matt Walst got a jumpstart from his older brother Brad, from the rock band Three Days Grace.

 ”I learned to work hard and practice from them,” says Walst. “I learned how to write songs by watching how they took catchy riffs and put memorable melodies to them.”

This young, energetic band is obviously loving their time on stage. Songs from their 2010 self-titled album included “Set it on Fire” and “Come Undone,” a song originally written by Duran Duran. They also threw in an interesting keyboard and drum duet.

At one point Walst pulled out his camera, taking pics of crowd, exclaiming, “We wanna be friends with each and every one of you!”

Not surprisingly, “Porn Star Dancin” was the crowd favorite. The music video for the song has been recognized as the most downloaded video in iTunes history, as well as hitting the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks ranking.

Hinder

Oklahoma City-based band Hinder – vocalist Austin Winker, drummer Cody Hanson, guitarists Joe “Blower” Garvey and Mike King and bassist Mike Rodden – took the stage next. In the middle of their current midwestern tour, the band recently hit their 10-year anniversary. Popular for their big ballad, “Lips of an Angel,” they also brought plenty of straight-ahead hard rock tunes to the show.

Starting off with “Two Sides of Me,” Hinder fans also enjoyed hearing the hits “Get Stoned” and “How Long” from the band’s first album, the latter which featured the crowd participating in a massive one-finger salute. Other bluesy, gritty songs included “Better Than Me,” “Up All Night” and “Use Me” from their second album.

Hinder, who certainly haven’t lost their bad boy edge, left fans satisfied by finishing up their performance with “All American Nightmare” from their 2010 album of the same name.

Seether

Headlining the show and taking the stage next was Seether. Doing what they’ve done since 2002 – when they released their U.S. debut album — the band is capturing the attention of their fans with epic riffs, thunderous rhythms and insightful lyrics.

Led by guitarist/vocalist Shaun Morgan, the trio is rounded out by bassist Dale Stewart and drummer John Humphrey. Recording as a trio for many years, this is the first time for Seether touring without a second guitarist on stage.  The music held up just fine.

The band, which formed in 1999, says they are “South Africa-bred and L.A.-based.” Front man and principal songwriter Shaun Morgan has the uncanny ability to grab people’s attention, and could easily be a cult leader if the rock star thing wasn’t so time-consuming.

Playing songs from their hit albums, “Disclaimer,” “Disclaimer II,” “Karma and Effect” and “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces,” every song was recognizable and enjoyed by the crowd. Songs from their newest album, “Holding Onto Strings better Left to Fray,” released in 2011 were also enthusiastically received.

Seether finished up the night with their No. 1 hit “Remedy,” after which the sweat-saturated but happy crowd headed for home.

 – Pete Looney

Lady Antebellum to rock Great Jones County Fair again

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LADY ANTEBELLUM WITH JOSH KELLEY

There’s no denying that the trio Lady Antebellum is on a roll. With three consecutive chart-topping singles (“I Run To You,” “Need You Now” and “American Honey”), they have been collecting accolades and awards at every turn. “Need You Now” was certified triple Platinum after spending 5 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Songs chart and setting the record for 2009’s longest run at No. 1. The smash hit crossed over to pop radio stations, landing at No. 1 in multiple formats including AC and Hot AC, topping multiple international charts, and claiming the No. 1 spot on iTunes’ all-genre singles chart. The trio will take the stage at the Great Jones County Fair for the second time in as many years. They follow fellow country star Josh Kelley, whose debut country release “Georgia Clay” has launched his career to new levels.

Great Jones County Fair, 8 p.m. July 22; $25 to $40; www.greatjonescountyfair.com

Read a review of last summer’s Lady Antebellum at the Great Jones County Fair.

Find out what the band had to say about their meteoric rise to the top of the country charts.

Country clout: Great Jones County Fair is Aldean’s kind of party

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Jason Aldean knows what he has to do every time he walks out on stage.

He’s not going to just stand at the microphone and sing, especially now that he’s headlining arena shows. He’s going to deliver more than just a live version of the songs that bring people in to see him.

“If somebody wants to hear you sing, they can go buy the record and pay 12 or 15 bucks,” Aldean says. “When they pay 40 or 50 bucks for a ticket, they want to be entertained. There’s a difference between being a singer and an entertainer. I consider myself more of an entertainer than a singer.”

Well, maybe not just an entertainer. Aldean really sees himself as an entertainer who can sing or a singer who can entertain. He’ll be doing both tonight at the Great Jones County Fair. Aldean takes the stage at 8 p.m. after fellow country stars Chris Young and Thompson Square. He will be back in the state in August for a sold out concert at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

“To be able to sing and be an entertainer, that’s what you want, that’s what you have to do. It’s something you can’t fake. You’re either born with it or you hone your skills for years and years,” he says.

Aldean, who’s now 34, may have been born with it. But the hottest act in country music has been honing his skills for more than half his life. Learning guitar from his dad while he was in middle school, Aldean started playing with a house band in a Georgia nightclub at age 15, and played clubs across the southeast before moving to Nashville in 1998.

He landed a deal with indie Broken Bow Records, released his self-titled debut in early 2005 and was named Top New Male Vocalist at the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards. By then, Alden and his band had graduated to arenas, first opening for bigger acts, then as his popularity increased, headlining his own shows.

Now that he’s made it there, Aldean is a happy man.

“I love it, man,” he says. “It’s an adrenaline rush and I’m an adrenaline junkie. It’s like crack for me … That sets the feel for the night, that initial response you get from the crowd.”

What follows is a show packed with hits that are more rockin’ than most contemporary Nashville fare — Aldean’s signature standout sound.

“Every artist wants to find their own thing, what makes them unique and special. I think that’s what makes being an artist cool,” he says. “Mine came from the days of me playing a George Strait song, then turning around and playing a John Mellencamp song and then playing a Guns N’ Roses song. Over time, you don’t even think about it. It becomes your thing.”

Aldean’s music has really connected over the last two years. The combination of “She’s Country,” “Big Green Tractor” and “The Truth” had Aldean spending the most time at No. 1 in 2009-2010 of any male country artist.

Then came the chart-topping album “My Kinda Party,” which, since last fall, has generated the No. 2 hits “Crazy Town” and the title cut and helped propel Aldean into ever larger venues.

“I can’t complain at all,” he says. “ The last year has been pretty amazing. It’s definitely a being in the right place at the right time sort of thing. But it’s also being prepared when your time comes. I wanted to make sure it didn’t slip away.”

“Don’t You Wanna Stay” is Aldean’s first song that has crossed over from country. After hitting the top spot on the country charts earlier this year, the song received airplay on adult contemporary stations, making the top 40 and even got some Top 40 attention.

“I thought if we ever had a song that would happen, it would be this one,” Aldean says. “It’s not something we directly went after. We were aiming at country and it hit there. After that, it’s all icing on the cake. Music’s about finding new fans, bringing in new fans. If this song is bringing new fans to country, I’m all about it.”

— L. Kent Wolgamott, Last Word Features

LISTEN UP

  • WHO: Jason Aldean with Chris Young and Thompson Square
  • WHERE: Great Jones County Fair, Monticello
  • WHEN: 8 p.m. today (7/21)
  • COST: $25 to $40
  • DETAILS: GreatJonesCountyFair.com

 

Summer concert preview

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Starting this weekend, Eastern Iowa is spreading out a seemingly endless musical potluck picnic with outdoor music to suit every musical taste, through September.

This list just scratches the surface of outdoor events that can draw thousands of people to parks, streets, city squares and county fairs.

Community bands have been sending their sounds through the summer breeze in Cedar Rapids since the 1890s. A summer outdoor series is a recent addition to the Riverside Casino table. And the grandstands fill up quickly at the Great Jones County Fair in Monticello, where blankets and lawn chairs create a patchwork crazy quilt on the surrounding hillsides.

But when heat, humidity and bugs threaten to crash the parties, why do we keep flocking to these events?

“Our outdoor summer music season is so short, while we do complain about the heat and humidity and insist we’re not going to stir out of our air-conditioned cocoons, we know if we don’t do it now, we won’t have the chance. And if we don’t stir ourselves and go to them, they will go away,” says Dennis Green, general manager of KCCK-FM. The Cedar Rapids radio station has been staging Jazz Under the Stars for 24 years at Noelridge Park, drawing upward of 3,000 people on beautiful August nights.

“It’s worth it to put up with a few mosquitoes to have these opportunities,” Green says.

— Diana Nollen

MAY

Uptown Friday Nights, Cedar Rapids

Fridays, May 27 to July 29: 5 to 8 p.m., Greene Square Park, downtown Cedar Rapids. Live music by popular regional bands, food and adult beverages, presented by the Cedar Rapids Jaycees; $5 admission includes first drink for first 500 people; must be ages 21 and older with photo ID. First up: The Swing Crew, May 27. www.uptownfridaynights.com

Friday Night Concert Series, Iowa City

Fridays, May 20 to Sept. 2: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Ped Mall, downtown. Rain location: Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp, 460 E. Washington St. Local talent; free admission. www.summerofthearts.org/festival-menu/concert-series/about.aspx

Downtown Saturday Night, Iowa City

Saturday, May 21 to Sept. 3: 6:30 to 9 p.m., Weatherdance Fountain Stage by the Sheraton Hotel, downtown. Rain location: Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp, 460 E. Washington St. Local and regional bands; free admission. www.summerofthearts.org/festival-menu/downtown-saturday-night/about.aspx

Thursday Night Live, Washington

Thursdays, May 26 to Aug. 18: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Central Square Park, downtown Washington, Iowa. Local music, entertainment.

Liberty Centre Blues & BBQ, North Liberty

May 29: Noon to 10 p.m., north side of the pond at Liberty Centre, just off Penn Street. Free family event with food, beverage garden; barbecue contest, 4:30 p.m.; music by Kevin B.F. Burt and the Instigators, Bob Dorr and the Blue Band, The Avey Brothers, Ernie Peniston and Dave Zollo; kids’ activities; fishing; fireworks. http://northlibertyiowa.org/bluesandbbq

JUNE

Marion by Moonlight

Thursdays, June 2 to 23: 6 to 9:30 p.m., City Square Park. Rain date: June 30. www.marioncc.org

Beckster Fest Amana

June 3 to 5: Amana Colonies RV Park and Event Center, 3890 C St. Polka fest with nine bands, food. Friday: 6 p.m. to midnight, $10. Saturday: noon to midnight, $12. Sunday: noon to 6 p.m., $10. Three-day pass: $25. www.barefootbecky.com

Iowa City Community Band

June 5 to July 10: Various times, dates and locations in Iowa City and Coralville. http://iccband.org

Cedar Rapids Municipal Band

June 8 to Aug. 7: Various parks and other sites around Cedar Rapids, beginning 7:30 p.m. June 8 in Greene Square Park. Most concerts start at 7:30 p.m., except 10 a.m. July 2 at the Downtown Farmers Market and 8 p.m. July 4 north of the Police Station. Free admission. www.crmuniband.org/schedule.html

Washington Municipal Band

Thursdays, June 9 to Aug. 11: 8 to 9 p.m., Central park bandstand, downtown Washington, Iowa. www.washingtoniowachamber.com/Performing%20Arts.htm

Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival

Various outdoor concerts, www.freedomfestival.com

June 12: 6 to 9:30 p.m., Glenn Miller Orchestra, Guaranty Bank parking lot, 302 Third Ave. SE; admission free with 2011 Freedom Festival button.

June 18: 6 p.m., Classic Rock Concert Night with Loverboy and fireworks, Johnson Hall parking lot, Kirkwood Community College; $20 preferred seating; $15 ages 13 and up; $5 ages 6 to 12; Freedom Festival button required.

June 19: 6 p.m., Patriotic Pops Concert with Orchestra Iowa, Harmony Hawks and fireworks, Kirkwood Community College; $20 preferred seating; $15 ages 13 and up; $5 ages 6 to 12; Freedom Festival button required.

July 4: 8 p.m., Fanfare to the Fireworks, with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, north of the police station; free.

Marion Community Band

June 14 and 28: 7 p.m., City Square Park, Seventh Avenue and 10th Street, Marion. Concert Band and Jazz Band. http://marioncommunitybands.us

Outdoor Beach Party, Cedar Rapids

June 17: 6:30 p.m., Chrome Horse Saloon parking lot, 1202 Third St. SE. Cedar Island Band. Free admission; ages 21 and over; gates open at 6 p.m. http://chromehorsesaloon.net

Summer Outdoor Concert Series, Riverside

June 18, July 30, Aug. 27: Open to all ages, Riverside Casino grounds, 3184 Highway 22. June 18: Huey Lewis and The News, 8 p.m., $35 and $65. July 30: The Xtreme Muzik Tour featuring Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Cowboy Troy and Two Foot Fred, 8 p.m., $35 and $65. Aug. 27: Peter Frampton, 7 p.m., $30 and $50. Tickets in casino gift shop or http://tickets.riversidecasinoandresort.com

JULY

Camp Euforia, Lone Tree

July 15 and 16: Jerry Hotz farm, 5335 Utah Ave. SE. Electronica to bluegrass from 18 national, regional and local bands, including host Euforquestra; gates open noon July 15; $65 at www.midwestix.com or $85 day of show, includes parking and camping. www.campeuforia.com

Iowa City Jazz Festival

July 1 to 3: Downtown. Concerts by local, regional and national and international jazz musicians; kids’ activities, fireworks July 3. Free admission. www.summerofthearts.org

Coralville 4thFEST

July 3: 5:30 p.m., S.T. Morrison Park, with Herman’s Hermits, The Grass Roots and Cedar Island Band; free. www.coralville.org

Marion Big Band

Thursdays, July 7 to 28: 7 p.m., City Square Park. http://uptownmarion.com

Great Jones County Fair, Monticello

July 21: 8 p.m., Jason Aldean, Chris Young, Thompson Square; $25 to $40

July 22: 8 p.m., Lady Antebellum, Josh Kelley; $25 to $40

July 23: 7 p.m., Seether, Hinder and My Darkest Days; $30

www.greatjonescountyfair.com

Ushers Ferry, Cedar Rapids

July 23: Motorcycles and Music, 4 to 8 p.m., Ushers Ferry Historic Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trl. NE. Motorcycle show, music, family games; $8 adults, $4 ages 3to 14, free ages 2 and under.

Aug. 13: Music Festival, 5 to 9 p.m. Local musicians on Gazebo Square, concessions; $8 adults, $4 ages 14 and under. www.cedar-rapids.org/resident-resources/parks-recreation/ushers-ferry/events/Pages/July,August,September.aspx

AUGUST

Downtown Getdown, Marion

Thursdays, Aug. 4 to 25: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., City Square Park. Food, 6 p.m., music, 6:30 p.m. Free admission. Aug. 4: Dogs on Skis; Aug. 11: B.F. Burt and the Instigators; Aug. 18: Lonesome Road; Aug. 25: The Beaker Brothers. www.marioncc.org

Jazz Under the Stars, Cedar Rapids

Thursdays, Aug. 4 to 25: 7 p.m., Noelridge Park. Rain location: Parlor City Pub, 1125 Third St. SE. Aug. 4: Ariel Pocock; Aug. 11: Funk Daddies; Aug. 18: Dennis McPartland and The Jazz Underground; Aug. 25: Bob Dorr and The Blue Band. www.kcck.org/events/juts.php

Cabaret in the Courtyard, Cedar Rapids

Aug. 11 to 20: Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr. SE. Aug. 11 to 13: 7:30 p.m. Divapalooza. Aug. 18 to 20: A Trio of Tenors, 7:30 p.m.; $20 adults, $18 Brucemore members, at the Brucemore Store or (319) 362-7375; $25 at the gate. www.brucemore.org

Amphitheater Music Fest, Cedar Rapids

Aug. 20:10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Greene Square Park, downtown. $10. Local and regional bands, food, raffle. Fundraiser for planned Cedar Rapids Amphitheater. www.facebook.com/#!/pages/CR-Amphitheater-Music-Fest/192783107411582

Bluesmore, Cedar Rapids

Aug. 6: 4 to 9:30 p.m., Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr. SE. Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, regional and national blues performers, music workshops, food, beverages; $13 adults, $12 students and Brucemore/Linn County Blues Society members by Aug. 5 at (319) 362-7375, $15 at the gate, free ages 10 and under. www.brucemore.org

SEPTEMBER

Landfall Festival, Cedar Rapids

Sept. 21 to 24: Centered at Greene Square Park, downtown Cedar Rapids; free admission. Musicians from Africa, Asia, Latin America, United States and more, presented by Legion Arts/CSPS. http://legionarts.org

Brucemorchestra, Cedar Rapids

Sept. 10: Brucemorchestra IV: Crown Imperial, 7:30 p.m., Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr. SE. Orchestra Iowa’s season opener features pomp from English and Roman empires. www.orchestraiowa.org

Iowa Women’s Music Festival, Iowa City

Sept. 10: Daystage, noon to 5:30 p.m., Upper City Park, free admission; food and drink, arts and crafts; www.prairievoices.net Headliner: Janis Ian, 8 p.m., Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., $25, Englert Box Office, (319) 688-2653 or www.englert.org

Lady Antebellum packed ‘em

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Julie Koehn photos

MONTICELLO – There is no way to know for certain, but fair officials in Jones County are pretty sure the crowd gathered for Lady Antebellum on Thursday night was the biggest in the fair’s history.

“We’ll never really know for sure, but that had to have been the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen,” says John Harms, general manager of the Great Jones County Fair.

The thousands that gathered for the country crossover group weren’t disappointed.

The crowd was on its feet screaming and singing along, from the moment band members Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood opened with their first big hit, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” to their encore cover of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”

The 8,000-seat grandstand area was packed. Fans in camp chairs or on blankets also filled the first-come, first-served hillsides on both the north and south sides of the stadium hours ahead of the 8 p.m. concert, ignoring heat and humidity.

The Lady Antebellum concert, with Phil Vassar opening, was a virtual sellout the first day of ticket sales with just a few single tickets remaining. It didn’t take long for those tickets to be sold, either, Harms says.

Threats of rain — small spurts of light sprinkles and consistent lightning — and even a power surge that caused all of the electricity on the fairgrounds to go off for about 15 seconds didn’t stop the band or the crowd.

As power was restored, the band broke into perhaps its biggest crossover hit, “Need You Now.” With limited electricity, the song started a cappella.

“This is the song that changed our lives and I’m not leaving without singing it for you,” Kelley yelled to the crowd.

See more photos:

Power came on during the song and the musicians picked up flawlessly.

The mass of people didn’t go unnoticed by band members.

“This is one big Iowa crowd tonight,” lead singer Charles Kelley told the crowd. “I’m pretty sure this is one of the largest crowds we’ve ever played for.”

Alan Jackson and The Band Perry take the stage in Monticello tonight. Tickets, $25 to $43, are available at www.greatjonescountyfair.com

– MOLLY ROSSITER