For the second consecutive year, Winstock has landed a bona fide arena headliner: Alan Jackson. He'll sing "Gone Country," "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" and his jukebox full of hits on June 12 in Winsted, Minn.
Top billed on June 11 at the 17th annual country festival is high-energy Dierks Bentley, known for the chart-topping "Free and Easy" and "Sideways." Also scheduled for opening night are Sara Evans of "Suds in a Bucket" and "A Real Fine Place to Start" fame, and Trailer Choir, the humor-inclined trio that made a noise with "Rockin' the Beer Gut."
June 12 has an all-male lineup including deep-voiced Josh Turner, piano man Phil Vassar and newcomer Jake Owen. Other acts for the 17th annual fest will be announced later. Tickets, priced from $85 to $250, are on sale now at www.winstockfestival.com or 888-946-7865.
In other concert news, three shows are set for the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis: Booker T. Jones will perform April 2 (not with his MGs), Carrie Rodriguez will sing May 7, and Tyrone Wells returns for an acoustic show March 20. Tickets for all three shows will go on sale Friday.
New bookings for First Avenue in Minneapolis include Vampire Weekend, the New York Afro-pop hipsters, on March 22; jam-band faves Umphrey's McGee on March 12-14, and 89.3 FM the Current's fifth birthday party on Jan. 29 with Solid Gold, P.O.S. and Mason Jennings.
JON BREAM
