RodeoHouston Concert Lineup

11 newcomers join veteran Texas favorites in RodeoHouston concert lineup

There's something old and a lotta new in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo concert lineup, which was released early Monday morning. Half of the lineup — 11 of the 22 performers who will appear on the rotating stage at NRG stadium during the month-long rodeo — are newcomers. They will join such veteran favorites as ZZ Top and Willie Nelson, who will be making his first rodeo appearance in more than a decade, during the nearly month-long extravaganza.

Amarillo native Aaron Watson will open the rodeo on March 7 on First Responders Day and the popular Zac Brown Band will close on March 26 at the RodeoHouston Super Shootout. It is Watson's first time at the rodeo and the Zac Brown Band's sixth appearance.

Other rodeo newcomers include DJ duo The Chainsmokers and country-pop singer Sam Hunt (who are also the headliners at Club Nomadic on February 2 during Super Bowl Week), pop singer Meghan Trainor, popular girl group Fifth Harmony, pop-punk band Blink 182, country acts Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, and Go Tejano Day bands Banda El Recodo and Siggno.

Among veteran favorites, Alan Jackson will be making his 23rd rodeo appearance, and others include Brad Paisley (11th appearance), Willie Nelson (ninth appearance), Dierks Bentley (seventh appearance), Luke Bryan (sixth appearance), and ZZ Top (sixth appearance). ZZ Top is also the headliner for the free Super Bowl LIVE concert series in Discovery Green early next month.

Soulful blues singer Alicia Keys, who is a popular judge on The Voice, will be the featured attraction on March 10 at Black Heritage Day.

Invidual tickets will go on sale Saturday (January 14) at 10 am through AXS Ticketing via rodeohouston.com. The Online Waiting Room opens at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, but fans can pre-register any time at axs.com/rodeohouston_registration to make the ticket-buying experience easier.

Here is the full lineup:

Tuesday, March 7 First Responders Day, presented by BP: Aaron Watson
Wednesday, March 8*: Armed Forces Appreciation Day, presented by BHP Billiton: Old Dominion
Thursday, March 9: Chris Stapleton
Friday, March 10: Black Heritage Day, presented by Kroger: Alicia Keys
Saturday, March 11: Alan Jackson
Sunday, March 12: The Chainsmokers
Monday, March 13: Sam Hunt
Tuesday, March 14: Meghan Trainor
Wednesday, March 15*: Thomas Rhett
Thursday, March 16: Luke Bryan
Friday, March 17: Fifth Harmony
Saturday, March 18: Willie Nelson
Sunday, March 19: Go Tejano Day Banda El Recodo and Siggno
Monday, March 20: Florida Georgia Line
Tuesday, March 21: ZZ Top
Wednesday, March 22*: Chris Young
Thursday, March 23: Blink 182
Friday, March 24: Dierks Bentley
Saturday, March 25: RodeoHoustonSuper Series Championship, Brad Paisley
Sunday, March 26: RodeoHouston Super Shootout, presented by Crown Royal, Zac Brown Band
*Value Wednesdays include $10 upper-level Rodeo tickets, plus values throughout NRG Park.

Luke Bryant is returning to RodeoHouston for the sixth time on March 16.

Photo by Michelle Watson/Catchlight Group

Luke Bryant is returning to RodeoHouston for the sixth time on March 16.

houston-rodeo

One More for the Road

ZZ Top honors late drummer Frank Beard with Austin tribute concert

ZZ Top/Facebook

ZZ Top will celebrate their late drummer, Frank Beard (middle, after a show in Canada), at one of his favorite venues.

Texas rock trio ZZ Top will play a tribute to their late drummer, Frank Beard, at their scheduled Austin tour stops at ACL Live at the Moody Theater on August 22 and 23. Beard died Monday, August 17, at 77.

The band announced Beard's death in a social media statement.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Billy Gibbons wrote, "Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top."

ZZ Top canceled performances in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs following Beard's death. The Austin shows will be the band's first onstage again, offering a fitting time to celebrate the Texas great. A statement on the band's website calls the Austin City Limits stage "one of Frank’s favorite venues and in a city that had been something of a second home for him."

Beard was born near Tyler in Frankston, Texas, in 1949. He was raised in Irving, outside Dallas, and the band formed in Houston in 1969. The Austin Chronicle reported in 2013 that Beard was then splitting time between a house on Lake Travis, in Austin, and Houston. He died on his ranch in the Houston suburb of Richmond.

ZZ Top was known for its large performances and elaborate setup, none more so than the Worldwide Texas Tour, which included a Texas-shaped stage and a collection of live Texas animals.

In 1974, the band left its mark on Austin — for better or worse — at "ZZ Top’s First Annual Texas Sized Rompin’ Stompin’ Barndance & Bar B.Q." at the University of Texas. It was the first, but also the last, since around 80,000 of the band's "friends" trashed the venue, earned the disapproval of the famous Coach Royal, and were ostensibly responsible for the venue not hosting another rock show until 1995. ZZ Top's two encores had 20 years to ring out after the legendary, if infamous show.

ZZ Top will make their upcoming Austin appearances as part of The Big One! Tour on Saturday, August 22, at 8 pm and Sunday, August 23, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are still available for both shows at acllive.com.

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