Knowing their system extends to building their lineup as well. There is a backbone to the lineup of favorites, old and less so, known quantities guaranteed to bring in the crowds. These performers — this year think Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan and ZZ Top — aren’t going to make any dramatic changes to what they do, and that’s just fine. They know what brought them to the dance, and they’re not going to change things up dramatically.
And because the Rodeo has these artists they can count on, they can fill up some of the other spots with options that are less traditional. From pop flavors of the month to rising country stars, these names on the lineup are the ones give fans an extra jolt of excitement. Does their booking say something about the state of music? Does their name on the lineup represent a change to Rodeo Houston? And most importantly, will they be able to deliver on the big stage?
CHRIS STAPLETON
Chris Stapleton is having a pretty good last two years. A critical darling, he’s already got multiple CMA and Grammy Awards to his name, and it seems that anyone even tangentially interested in country music has been singing his praises and waiting for their chance to see him live. As a
THE CHAINSMOKERS
Oh, how far we’ve come since “#Selfie” was released back in 2014. Flash forward to today and it’s easy to forget that original hit that got The Chainsmokers some of their earliest attention. Thanks to their collaborations with Daya and Halsey, they’re suddenly among the biggest names in dance music, on the verge of becoming true pop sensations. For years there have been those among us who have wondered what an EDM-styled Rodeo show would look like, and you’ve got to think that if all goes well here we’ll be seeing more names from that world bringing their music to NRG Stadium.
FIFTH HARMONY
One can only wonder if Fifth Harmony signed on for their RodeoHouston debut before or after Camila Cabello decided to leave the group. Either way, Houston fans of the pop group will get their first look at their current lineup when they hit the rotating stage. For the past two
BLINK-182
Yes, it is funny that this gig was listed as “alternative pop” on the genre calendar, but “pop-punk” might have tipped the Rodeo’s hand a bit too much. Now that Fall Out Boy have proved that the poppier side of pop-punk can be a blast at the Rodeo, it was only a matter of time before a bigger band got the nod. Does this mean that
BRAD PAISLEY
Brad Paisley, admittedly, should probably be filed under “known quantity,” but he makes this list for two reasons. The first is last year’s show, where he proved that even though he’s a Rodeo vet he still has a trick or two up his sleeve; bringing out and sharing the stage with Larry and Rudy