Iowa State Fair Free Stage Review 2021

 Each year, I do a little write up on the bands playing the Iowa State Fair. Everyone knows all the jokes, but there is generally a reason behind them- the bands can usually be put into two categories- hot rising country band or past-their-prime rock band. 

But I don’t write about the Grandstand bands but the Free Stage bands who take those descriptions to the next level. Not that I couldn’t write about the headliners. 

The Mike Love Band (dba The Beach Boys) is making their near annual trip here (with openers Hanson) and will have John Stamos in tow. 

Five Finger Death Punch is the rock band du jour to get the main stage treatment. 

Chris Stapleton with opener Nikki Lane (and Colter Wall on the free stage earlier in the day, I believe ) makes a solid night for Outlaw Country. 

Also of note, the current Doobie Brothers line up closing the fair features Michael McDonald.  

Besides Wall, Niko Moon, Jake Hoot and Blanco Brown look to further launch their careers on the free stage

Enough niceties. Let’s dish. 

The Lettermen

I remember: The Lettermen have been performing at state fairs since I was too small to ride the rides. You think they would have graduated by now, amirite?  Hey oh!

I learned: Like so many of these early rock bands, there is only one of the members of  this trio still living. Their credentials- 20 top 100 singles (1962-1971) and 11 gold records. It’s the kind of longevity that makes the Stones look like young pups. 

The band has essentially been Tony Butala’s since 1976 and in 2019, Butala semi retired so at some point, this may just be a franchise deal, though I’m sure you can’t beat them for harmonies. Meanwhile, Mick Jones is attempting the same thing as Butala with the Foreigner name. 

Skid Row

I Remember: You. Ha!  Skid Row were one of the more talented of their hair band brethren. A little bit more crunch than their peers. They took three albums to the charts. You will likely remember the first album and Slave to the Grind. 1995’s Subhuman Business got to 35, but even with positive reviews, things had changed, Sebastian Bach left and the chart run was done. To be fair, despite their talent and music sea changes, I think Bach’s mouth would have sunk them sooner rather than later anyway.

I learned: Skid Row is just the same band without Bach (and who can blame them). They released albums in 2003 and 2006 and a bunch of new songs in 2013-14. They opened for Kiss’s Farewell Tour in 2000. The band has had three vocalists Johnny Solinger, Tony Harnell (TNT) and current screamer ZP Theart (Dragonforce). 

Tony!Toni!Tone!

I remember: Too poppy in the time of gangsta rap. They were quite fun. Four charting albums (88-96). Ten Hot 100 songs. Three Top 10 songs. Everyone should remember “Feels Good” and “If I had no Loot”. Loot took the unlikely Ice Cube sample “You can New Jack swing on my nuts” and threw it into an all out party song. 

Also that pop country Walker Hayes song “You Broke Up With Me” is the same melody as T!T!T!s hit. 

I learned: You may not recall Raphael Saadiq as part of the band, but he would have his own success. The current band- founder DWayne Wiggins, his brother and his cousin- tours and had one last chart trip- backing Alicia Keyes for her #8 “Diary” in 2010. 

LIT

I remember: The Popoff brothers had ridiculous hair but were able to chart two albums in the Top 40 (1999, 2001) in those post grunge years. “My Own Worst Enemy” was their one big hit, though they took seven songs to the Alternative chart- the last in 2004. For some reason, I more remember the record company promoting the hell out of it than anyone actually liking their music. 

I learned: Perhaps I was a bit harsh on Lit. They always struck me as  ripping off the late 80s Orange County bands. Guess what?  They were a late 80s Orange County band whose success took twelve years. The band is still intact (minus the late drummer) and last released These Are The Days in 2017 which is a detour into country rock. 

Color Me Badd

I remember:  Oh you know. So let’s get it out of the way. I wanna sex you up. Har har! George Michael, Kenny G, Vanilla Ice and Rick James supergroup. Hey oh!

But seriously- three Top 3s, nine Top 40 songs ( a chart run from 1991 to 1996) and an appearance at the Peach Pit 

Of course, the indelible image in my mind is from 2018 when during a concert, when Bryan Abrams appeared on stage, yelled “I’m MFing Color Me Badd” and shoved Mark Calderon to the ground. 

I learned: The route after chart success was a weird one - solo careers, Reality shows (Mission: Man Band) and collaborations with the Insane Clown Posse. As far as I can tell, it’s just Calderon and hired hands at this point. Wiki helpfully adds the Abrams incident may have been caused by alcohol. 

Tag Team

I remember:  I love everything about Tag Team. DC the Brain Supreme was 27 when him and his high school friend Steve Rollin’ hit the charts in 1993, but they looked like middle aged men at the time. 

Whomp went to #2 (kept from #1 by Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes”). Such a big hit, it took the accompanying long player into the Top 40 and the song held the record for longest run in the Top 10 until Toni Braxton came along four years later. It would have been the biggest song of the year, if Whitney hadn’t covered an old Dolly Parton tune. 

You probably don’t know that the band has had three songs chart on the Top 100, but you can probably guess they are Addams Family and Mickey Mouse related take offs of their hit and both charted in 1994. 

Of course, last year, Tag Team had one of the most talked about commercials of the time appearing in a Geico ad,but for me nothing tops the circa -2010 rumor that Barack Obama was in the Whoomp video. It’s of course preposterous, but it just cements how great of party that song evokes.

I learned: Tag Team just might not have enough hits, which is why they are paired with Color Me Badd. I was surprised to find that the band had resisted reuniting for the subsequent decades and their record label went belly up because of the usage of early 80s Italian disco band Kano’s “I’m Ready”. But things look to be back on the upswing for the duo once again. Not the reunion we wanted, but the one we needed. 

Riley’s LA Guns

I remember: LA Guns were probably most famous for their alumni (Axl Rose and the Hollywood Rose predecessor) but Ballad of Jayne went Top 40 and three Top 50 albums were enough to get them out of that shadow. 

I learned: As you can guess, the name means there is contested rights over the name. On one hand, Tracii Guns isn’t part of this band and that is surely enough for most to not consider these the real Guns, but from a lineage point of view, Riley’s La Guns is the closest to the real thing. 

Riley who played with WASP in their latter heyday was the drummer for the Guns in their best selling, best charting years, and  Riley has kept the band going past Tracii’s departure and continuously recording new albums. Also adding legitimacy is bassist Kelly Nickels who played on the three charting Guns albums and wrote “Ballad of Jayne”. 

Country Gold featuring Leroy Van Dyke

I remember: Leroy’s classic country show is an Iowa State Fair perennial.  When I was a kid, I heard “The Auctioneer” and was blown away. If you don’t like that song, I question just how American you really are. The other song closely related to Van Dyke is equally enjoyable if less frenetic “Walk on by” (not to be confused with the Bacharach/David/Warwick/Isaac Hayes/Stranglers song). 

I learned: Van Dyke is now 91. Walk On By was number one on the country chart for 19 weeks and held the record for 52 years until Florida Georgia Line came along. 

Vocal Trash

I remember: I will mention this band since my wife loves them and they are another perennial Iowa State Fair act. The idea of taking trash and making music out of banging on trash cans isn’t a new one but they have certainly owned the concept. Steve Linder started the band in 2000, so while it doesn’t quite predate say, Stomp or Blue Man Group or other experimental bands, they have certainly made their own way to numerous state fairs and blazed their own path. 

I learned: Certainly, this band has more in common with entertainment options like Riverdance, Broadway shows and the like. When I finally saw them, they were a bit disappointing as they have definitely evolved to include guitars and electronics made out of recycled materials. While they are still high energy, it is a different vibe from if you see their early performances on YouTube 

All those cover bands 

I remember: State Fairs have their staples- corn dogs and mullets. In Iowa, that means Hairball- 20 years blending Kiss, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Queen and various larger than life arena rock legends with all of the songs of those days from Ozzy to Journey, AC/DC to Guns N Roses. 

I learned: Since you can’t beat the combination of arena rock and state fairs (and you can't), why not book Hairball and the Rock of Ages band. 

While both bands would probably tell you they are very different (Hairball’s experience tends towards the era’s on stage excess) it’s hard not to group them together somewhat. 

I was curious to see who is in the Rock of Ages band and was surprised by a recent lineup. Constantine Maroulis leads the band, best known as Drew from the musical which he won a Tony and yes, you might remember him from the fourth season of American Idol. The band includes Tommy Kessler (member of Blondie since 2010) and Winston Roye (member of Soul Asylum since 2012). 

Besides those two bands, there is also “I am.. I said” a Neil Diamond tribute. While this makes me think of Will Ferrell, I can’t really think of many more beloved singers in the current day than Diamond, and I’m basing that on public sing-a-longs. In this case, the band isn’t technically "a tribute" in that they don’t try to recreate a Diamond show, but playing his biggest hits. Of interest, the band consists of the sons of that State Fair perennial Bobby Vee who had a half dozen Top 10 hits himself