Fresno Fair has a concert lineup for 2021. It includes one of the Big Four thrash metal bands
The Big Fresno Fair is moving forward as an in-person event for 2021 and already booked several acts for its annual concert series.
On Tuesday, the fair announced performers for five of its 12-day run, which kicks off Oct. 6. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Aug. 10 to members of the BFF Club. General sales begin 10 a.m. Aug. 18.
As is the tradition, the fair went with a blanketed approach. The lineup draws from a range of genres — thrash metal and rock, to country, Christian music and hip-hop — and looks to appeal to a wide swath of fans.
Table Mountain Concert Series lineup
The series opens Oct. 6. with thrash metal legends Anthrax. Formed in the early 1980s, Anthrax is “the living embodiment of America’s hi-top wearing, riff-spitting, ear-thrashing answer to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal,” and listed among the Big Four of American metal bands, alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer.
Tickets are $22-$42.
Young the Giant are well known on the festival circuit, having landed mainstage appearances at Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Governor’s Ball and also Grizzly Fest in 2019. The band’s single “Superposition” was No. 1 on the Alternative Radio charts. The band plays Oct. 7. Ticket are $47-$62.
Chris Tomlin’s fair performance will be relatively intimate considering the Christian music star has traditionally played the Save Mart Center when he’s been in town. His Holy Roar tour was there in 2019. Tomlin will be at the fair Oct. 12. Tickets are $22-$42.
The Texas band Midland will fill one of the fair’s county-music slots. The band is named after a Dwight Yoakam song and signed to Big Machine, one-time home of Taylor Swift and current home to the likes of Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and the late Glen Campbell. Midland performs Oct. 13. Tickets are $47-$62.
Nelly returns to the Fresno Fair for a Friday night performance Oct. 14. The “Hot in Herre” rapper performed at the fair in 2015 and was slated to be at Chukchansi Park in 2018. That show was canceled.
Here, he’ll be appealing to both rap and country fans. The concert is part of Nelly’s “Lil Bit of Music” series, named after his latest single with Florida Georgia Line. county-rapper Blanco Brown opens. Tickets are $30-$50.