Scenes from the Bullriding Pit at Stagecoach 2009
Whether you’re into country music or not, the scene is hot in America as indicated by the popularity of GoldenVoice’s StageCoach Festival, which takes place the weekend after Coachella each year. Seeing the need for a country tour that attracts the same type of devoted fanbase and gives up-and-coming artists a chance, co-producers Kevin Lyman and Sarah Baer created the Country Throwdown tour to launch May 13- June 20, 2010.
“Very much like other projects we have been involved with, this project is about bringing together a great group of artists and attractions at a fair ticket price for music fans,” said Kevin Lyman about Country Throwdown.
Headliners include Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, and Jack Ingram, along with 10 other big acts TBA. Other artists on various other stages include Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove, Lost Trailers, Ryan Bingham, and Emily West. Stay tuned for more artist announcements.
Official tail-gating parties (and sponsorship opportunities) will be a part of the scene with Country Throwdown. This was one of many at Stagecoach.
According to Sara Baer, who also heads up marketing and sponsorship for 4 Fini’s other highly successful tours such as the Vans Warped Tour and Rockstar Mayhem Fest, “”We feel Country music will welcome this type of touring festival. Fans of any music genre are looking for a place where they can experience a full day of quality music from new faces, along side well known acts, and at a value price. The music we’ve had the pleasure of booking on this tour is going to surprise and excite a lot of people come May. It’s a group of truly talented musicians and singer-songwriters that have never toured in this capacity. I’m expecting great things.”
Brian O’Connell, President of Country Music Touring for Live Nation, says, “I’m looking forward to bringing the Country Throwdown Tour to Country Music fans across the U.S. next summer. Kevin and I have known each other for a long time, and he and his team have obviously been very successful with their other projects, most notably the Vans Warped Tour, and I am proud that he and his team and Live Nation are in business with this exciting project.”
Other interesting aspects of this tour include tail-gating parties (and yes, brands can opt to sponsor this option), the Bluebird Caf%uFFFD Tent featuring 9 singer-songwriters, and other lifestyle attractions similar to the plethora of booths and activities found on other 4 Fini tours.
Meanwhile, as we previewed last year from Stagecoach, you can bet that many fashion styles -now often inspired by American heritage brands -will again be on the radar next summer based on such a tour’s popularity. And with young rising stars of country like Taylor Swift taking over the charts once dominated by Rock, Country and its various subcultures are crossing over into many other lifestyle trends.
Top sponsorship announcements are in the works. Pre-sale tickets go on sale in February, 2010.
Honky Tonk big trucks set the mood of cowboy culture.
Country Throwdown line-up so far.
