Entertainment on the State Fair's free stages

From morning to late night, there is worthwhile free music at the fair. Here are some recommendations:

By Star Tribune staff

Last update: August 27, 2009 - 2:30 PM

free stages

From morning to late night, there is worthwhile free music at the fair. Here are some recommendations:

Leinie Lodge Bandshell

On the daytime schedule, old-school fans will enjoy the delightfully hip (in an Emmylou Harris kind of way) sounds of Joey + Rory (1 & 2:30 Thu.-Fri.) and Sunny Sweeney, who combines Texas twang, honky-tonk heartache and un-Nashville irony (1 & 2:30 p.m. Sept. 4-5). Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys are so serious about their Cajun music that most of the vocals are in French. (3:30 & 4:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri.).

The Bandshell Tonight lineup, at 8:30 p.m. daily, includes the Original Wailers, featuring some of Bob Marley's reggae collaborators (Sat.-next Sun.); the pop rock of Minnesota's own Quietdrive, which has been a hit on the USO circuit (Aug. 31-Sept. 1); the return of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, which throws a Crescent City R&B party extraordinaire (Sept. 2-3), and Riders in the Sky, the witty Old West troubadours who have played at the fair's Heritage Square for decades (Sept. 6-7).

International Bazaar Stage

The big news on the free stages is the new Bazaar After Dark, which will feature evening sets at 8 and 9 p.m. by such middle-of-the-road crowd-pleasers as Rocket Club (Thu.-Fri.), Robby Vee (Sept. 4-5) and E.L.nO (Sept. 6-7). During the day, Davina & the Vagabonds offer the perfect blend of vaudeville entertainment and bluesy musicality (11:30 a.m., 12:45 and 2:15 p.m. Sat.-next Sun.) while former "Riverdance" vocalist Katie McMahon does authentic Irish music (11:30 a.m, 12:45 and 2:15 p.m. Thu.-Fri.).

Heritage Square

One of the most consistently reliable stages at the fair has a great pairing of the passionate folk-blues of Charlie Parr (10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Aug. 31-Sept. 1) and the indomitable country of Sherwin Linton (2, 3 & 4 p.m. Aug. 31-Sept. 1). Evening highlights (with sets at 6:30 & 7:45 p.m.) include reinvented guitarist Billy McLaughlin (Aug. 31-Sept. 1); the sweet pop of Storyhill (Sept. 2-3) and rockabilly stalwart Deke Dickerson (Sept. 4-5).

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