A popular, national summer music festival is headed to Houston with some home-grown talent leading the way.
Sad Summer Fest, now in its third year, heads to the Lawn at White Oak Music Hall on Wednesday, July 13. Houston trio Waterparks will headline along with UK act Neck Deep and alt band Mayday Parade. Sad Summer Fest also hits Dallas’ Gilley’s on Tuesday, July 12 as part of the 13-city trek.
Tickets for the fest are on sale now and can be found at the festival site.
Also hitting the stage are festival veterans State Champs, along with emerging bands Hot Mulligan, Hot Milk, The Summer Set, Magnolia Park, and LØLØ, among others.
Boasting a fan base that averages between the ages of 16 and 30, the music fest aims to reflect that demographic’s sensibilities by pushing environmental and social causes. Sad Summer Fest will partner with the nonprofit Reverb to implement sustainability efforts throughout the tour, as well as the organization Our Music My Body, which will help create a safe space for all attendees, per press materials.
Waterparks is making a splash these days. The Houston natives were recently named as direct support for My Chemical Romance on a handful of upcoming reunion shows this fall. The trio — Awsten Knight, Otto Wood, and Geoff Wigington — just released “Funeral Grey,” the first cut off a highly anticipated upcoming album, and is in the midst of a headlining European tour before heading back to their hometown for the Sad day.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
