The 2014 Marin County Fair will present concerts by renowned bands from all over the music map – pop, rock, reggae, urban indie Latino, marching rock band, Cajun/zydeco, blues – when the “Happiest Fair on Earth” takes place July 2-6 in San Rafael.
Five bands have recently confirmed their appearances to join the previously announced Huey Lewis and The News, Night Ranger and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Here is the full lineup for the Play Fair Pavilion at the Marin County Fairgrounds.
Wednesday, July 2, 7:30 p.m.
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Huey Lewis and The News – Marin’s own Huey Lewis and The News opens the 73rd fair as the headline act. After starting out at Uncle Charlie's nightclub in Corte Madera and rocking audiences worldwide for three decades, these Grammy Award-winners have written and performed numerous hits including “The Power of Love,” which was nominated for an Academy Award and soared to No. 1 on Billboard’s singles chart. Their long list of radio anthems include "Workin' for a Livin'," "I Want a New Drug," "The Heart of Rock & Roll," "Hip to Be Square,” “Do You Believe In Love,” “Heart and Soul,” “Doin’ It All For My Baby,” “If This Is It” and many more.
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Thursday, July 3, 7:30 p.m.
The Wailers – On the 30th anniversary of their release in 1984, the Wailers plan to perform the iconic album Legend in its entirety for the Marin audience. Named by Time magazine as the "Best Album of the 20th Century" and No. 46 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Legend is also the best-selling reggae album of all time with more than 30 million copies sold. Together with Bob Marley, the Wailers have sold more than 250 million albums and have played to an estimated 24 million people across the globe.
Friday, July 4, 3 p.m.
La Santa Cecilia – Named for the patron saint of musicians, La Santa Cecilia features accordionist and requintero Jose "Pepe" Carlos, bassist Alex Bendana, percussionist Miguel Ramirez and lead vocalist La Marisoul. Widely embraced by critics and an ever-growing legion of fans as musical ambassadors of Los Angeles' young bicultural population, La Santa Cecilia recently saw their album Treinta Dias win this year's Grammy Award for "Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album" and named one of the best releases of 2013 by NPR, iTunes and more! The band will launch its brand new album Someday New.
Friday, July 4, 7:30 p.m.
March Fourth Marching Band – A kaleidoscope of musical and visual energy, this group of nearly 20 features marching band-themed costumes and robust drum and brass corps. “M4,” far from a traditional marching band, takes you on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana, through the gypsy camps of eastern Europe and into the deepest grooves of American funk, rock and jazz, boiling it all together in cinematic fashion with high-stepping stilt-acrobatics and dazzling dancers.
Saturday, July 5, 3 p.m.
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet – You'd have a tough time finding a band from New Orleans that doesn't pay tribute to its hometown, and you’d be equally hard-pressed to find a band more steeped in the bayou tradition than BeauSoleil. Specializing in the zydeco style, BeauSoleil has carried the Creole torch nationwide since 1975. The mix of swamp style with Tex-Mex, country, blues and rock includes elegantly switches between genre and language.
Saturday, July 5, 7:30 p.m.
Night Ranger - Starting in Mill Valley in 1980, classic rock stars Night Ranger gained worldwide popularity with a series of powerful albums and singles. The band is best known for the power ballads “Sister Christian” (with a video filmed at San Rafael High School) and “When You Close Your Eyes,” but hard-rocking hits such as “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and “(You Can Still) Rock in America” will put air guitarists in heaven.
Sunday, July 6, 3 p.m.
Elvin Bishop – Remembered as a founding member of the groundbreaking Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Marin’s Elvin Bishop tasted pop success with his 1976 smash hit "Fooled Around and Fell In Love." His long and varied career has included other musical stops along the way, from deep down gut-bucket blues played in smoky southside Chicago taverns, to raucous roadhouse R&B, to rollicking good-time rock & roll.
Sunday, July 6, 7:30 p.m.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – Joan Jett is a legend in the rock ‘n’ roll world and an inspiration for female rockers everywhere. With her band, the Blackhearts, Jett became a hit machine in the 1980s, pumping out rock anthems such as “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and “Crimson and Clover.” Jett is one of only two women to make Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
