# Who's out playing on the "corn dog" circuit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 21, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739 "2009-07-21T15:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/1 "2009-07-21T15:35:53Z")
Our state fair is coming up in August. The electronic marquee showed Foreigner as one of the acts who will be playing. I remember a time when Foreigner was a big enough band to fill 50,000-seat arenas, and back when my city wasn’t nearly as big as it is now, there was hardly a chance in hell that such a band in its prime would have come to Boise for a tour stop. Today they’d be lucky to garner an audience of 500. They’re certainly not cranking out the hits that become classic rock staples like they once did. I like some of Foreigner’s music, but I’m not a rabid lifelong fan who’s been dying to see them. I’m just using them as an example of bands that you’re surprised to see are still around in some form or another and are still making appearances (at least in name) at fairs and other similar such venues. I know that such bands, perhaps still being held together like a worn-out and weathered strip of duct tape supporting a weak fixture, rarely have the same lineup as they had in their prime and may not even have any of the original members. I’ve never seen any of these long has-beens perform at a state fair, but I am curious to see one of them, sort of in the same way one is curious to see a movie that is reputedly bad, but you just want to experience the awfulness for yourself, perhaps to have the badge of honor of enduring such an ordeal. So my questions are: who else is still out there touring (at least in name)? What have been your experiences seeing a band long past its prime perform at a state or county fair? Was it as bad as (or even worse than) what was portrayed in Spinal Tap when they couldn’t even get top billing over a puppet show? What made it into such a depressing and excruciating suckfest? Did you ever get to see the same band in its prime, and if so, what were the differences? Has any has-been band who hasn’t had a hit in over 20 years blown you away by its performance? Also, what is the smallest, most out-of-the-way venue you have known a once-big performer to play in? I recall from a few years ago the band Dokken played at a fair in the town of Payette, which s about 50 miles or so from Boise and has a population of about 5,000. And finally, what compels these bands to keep going and not just hang it up and just proudly look back on their past accomplishments? Are they deluded into thinking that they’re still a well-recognized and popular act that people will come to see and appreciate as much as they did back in the day? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/2 "2009-07-21T15:43:50Z")
Does Arlo Guthrie count? Saw him playing a craft shwo about 10 or so years ago. Maybe 25 people sitting int he rain listening to him. As to what drives them…even a small place, like 1000 people or so, could bring the band 15-20K. Cut down on roadies and such and you’re golden. You won’t make that sort of money doing anything else, I’ll tell you that! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/3 "2009-07-21T15:53:08Z")
2009 Ohio State Fair: Kelly Clarkson Jeff Dunham (speaking of puppet shows) Keith Sweat Kenny Rogers/Glen Campbell Demi Lovato Eric Bent Rascal Flatts with Darius Rucker I never heard of Eric Bent, and Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell are yesterday’s news, but the rest are fairly hot. The Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) Fair is all tribute acts, and the Summit County fair seems to have even less. But Cleveland draws major acts all the time. Nothing against Boise, but almost _everybody_ comes to Cleveland or, in the summer, Cuyahoga Falls (Blossom Music Center). We may be jaded a little bit. An interesting [comment](http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/51079137.html) by a booking agent: > [@](#): > > Booking agents are often called on to help bands on the road fill holes in their schedule (it’s called ‘‘routing’’) and a venue that happens to be on the band’s route from Point A to Point B can often land a quality act at half or two-thirds the going rate. > > '‘I’ve had $17,000 bands play for $2,000 because it pays their expenses getting from one concert to the next,’ ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/4 "2009-07-21T15:56:28Z")
Over the 4th of July weekend, a festival in suburban Chicago (Naperville Ribfest) featured: Heart Todd Rundgren Huey Lewis and the News Blue Oyster Cult War Herman’s Hermits ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/5 "2009-07-21T16:05:17Z")
Coming up at the South Carolina State Fair: TobyMac (?) David Cook The Charlie Daniels Band Nat & Alex Wolff (?) Michael W. Smith Montgomery Gentry Eric Benet (?) So to answer your question, the Charlie Daniels Band is now on the corn dog ciruit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/6 "2009-07-21T16:22:09Z")
Funny you should ask. Just yesterday I noticed that Loretta Lynn will be here in about 3 weeks, at a decidedly 4th-rate venue, 30 miles away from the big city. My guess is that Loretta Lynn, who was arguably THE biggest name in country music 35 years ago, doesn’t really need the money, plus she’s 74 years old. But she’s still putting out new music (her 2004 album was produced by Jack White). My guess is, she still wants to perform live; and small, out of the way venues allow her to do a more intimate, low-key show more suited to her age/health. Checking her website, she’s playing 15 dates from August through the end of the year. Almost all of them are within about 200 miles of Nashville, and the largest is a 1,300-seat hall. As for who’s playing our state fair this year: Kansas, Heart, and Brooks and Dunn. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/7 "2009-07-21T16:24:27Z")
Here in Napa, CA, a town of about 70,00, we’ve had: Tower Of Power (always great) Manhattan Transfer The Yellowjackets We’ve also had: The Nelsons (Ricky’s kids) Paul Revere and the Raiders The amazing “has beens”: Pablo Cruise (go see them if you get a chance- killer musicians) America (they sounded like the albums. Same two original members, too) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/8 "2009-07-21T16:40:18Z")
Heart is probably either a “schedule filler” band or a headliner. When they come to Orlando they can pack a ~ 2000 person venue on the weekend, and those aren’t $20 Punk Rock tickets either, they’re $50 tickets. So I suspect that sometimes they play fairs because they have a hole in their touring schedule (I suspect it’s always a heavy schedule since they come to Orlando around once every year, sometimes more,) or they are headliners in a big arena the fair happens to have, where they get paid much less per listener than their usual, but still decently overall. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/9 "2009-07-21T16:47:56Z")
A friend of mine got tickets to see **The Smothers Brothers**. The show was fantastic. I honestly assumed they were no longer alive, yet alone performing. They did the _exact_ same songs/jokes that they did on their TV show. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/10 "2009-07-21T16:50:41Z")
_Everybody_ is playing the Orange County Fair this year. Heart, B-52s, Smokey Robinson, X, Blondie and Pat Benetar, Steve Miller Band, Moody Blues… ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/11 "2009-07-21T17:02:27Z")
The OC Fair in Costa Mesa (So Cal) is going on right now. Here are the “headliners” at the adjacent Pacific Amphitheatre: (separate paid admission) Heart Duran Duran Rick Springfield Smokey Robinson Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Tears for Fears Anita Baker The B-52s The Moody Blues Kelly Clarkson X w/Maria McKee Maldita Vecinidad Blondie w/Pat Benatar Huey Lewis and the News KC and the Sunshine Band Steve Miller Band Mariachi Sol de Mexico Whitesnake Alan Jackson Black Eyed Peas Melissa Etheridge Three Dog Night There are a few here that I can’t identify, but the majority sound like great shows. Too bad I’m not going to make any of them. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/12 "2009-07-21T17:03:42Z")
Philadelphia Folk Fest tends to surprise me every year with the fairly popular bands they manage to get to play for a field full of smelly hippies 😛 Here’s a link to this year’s line-up. [http://www.folkfests.org/](http://www.folkfests.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/13 "2009-07-21T17:07:22Z")
kath94: That’s an impressive list! Here’s Indiana’s lineup: Demi Lovato Sandi Patty’s Broadway MercyMe Jon McLaughlin, The Elms & The Why Store Kelly Clarkson Keith Urban Journey with Heart Jason Mraz with G. Love & Special Sauce with K’naan hosted by Bushwalla Oak Ridge Boys with Larry Gatlin ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/14 "2009-07-21T17:10:59Z")
Hmmm, I may have to hop down to Costa Mesa to see X. I’m going to the Midstate Fair (California) to see Judas Priest and Whitesnake. I’m not much of a fan, but my friends are. I’ve really kind of got to see JP after having seen Heavy Metal Parking Lot even before it became famous. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/15 "2009-07-21T17:11:16Z")
Is it just me, or has **everyone** noted that Heart is playing at their local fair? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/16 "2009-07-21T17:14:07Z")
I’ve seen Cheap Trick twice at state fairs and both times they gave really good performances. As far as I know, they’ve still got the original line-up from when they were on top of the charts. > [@](#): > > Also, what is the smallest, most out-of-the-way venue you have known a once-big performer to play in? I recall from a few years ago the band Dokken played at a fair in the town of Payette, which s about 50 miles or so from Boise and has a population of about 5,000. Juice Newton. I can remember back when I was in college and she had a couple of hits. Skip ahead fifteen or twenty years and I hear a radio ad saying that she’s going to be doing a local concert: not at a college or nightclub - she’s playing at a local high school. > [@](#): > > And finally, what compels these bands to keep going and not just hang it up and just proudly look back on their past accomplishments? Are they deluded into thinking that they’re still a well-recognized and popular act that people will come to see and appreciate as much as they did back in the day? My guess is they need the work. Most bands didn’t make millions from their hits - they can’t retire off their royalties. So they’ve got to go out and make a living. Might as well perform old hits at state fairs rather than work at WalMart. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/17 "2009-07-21T17:16:07Z")
Night Ranger just played at the Linn County Fair in Oregon… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/18 "2009-07-21T17:19:27Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve seen Cheap Trick twice at state fairs and both times they gave really good performances. As far as I know, they’ve still got the original line-up from when they were on top of the charts. They do, indeed…I just heard an interview with them on the Chicago public radio station last week. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/19 "2009-07-21T17:36:33Z")
Loverboy is playing my old county’s 4H fair next weekend. For the country fans, the Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Bros. are the lead attraction. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739/20 "2009-07-21T18:15:01Z")
I saw Blue Oyster Cult at the ballroom on Catalina island a few years ago. The Jack FM out here in the Los Angeles / Orange County area did a show with: Psychadelic Furs REO Speedwagon Twisted Sister Blondie Billy Idol Devo This package filled the Irvine amphiteater. I also caught: Styx Foreigner Def Leppard Sometimes you wrap up a bunch of has beens, and then you fill a good setting with a greatest hits night. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-out-playing-on-the-corn-dog-circuit/503739.md?page=2)