MADERA - The Madera Fair is jam-packed with entertainment this year. Opening night will see the 70s and 80s rockers Blue Öyster Cult, but Friday night is party night with 90s party band Sugar Ray taking the stage. While Sugar Ray may never be a contender for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, beyond sales of 10 million records, four top 10 songs, over a billion streams, and millions of tickets sold, Sugar Ray—co-founded by Mark McGrath [vocals] and Rodney Sheppard [lead guitar]—embodies the endless summer of popular music and culture.
How many 90s artists still pack amphitheaters a whole generation removed from their genesis? How many acts can claim sharing the stage with The Rolling Stones, KISS, and Sex Pistols, collaborating with Run-DMC, and being interpolated by Post Malone? Just Sugar Ray…
1994’s Lemonade & Brownies took the guys around the world and earned cult classic status for its frenetic and unpredictable hybrid. It set the stage for FLOORED in 1997—the latter’s immortal lead single “Fly” [feat. Super Cat made them a household name. 21 years down the road, Post Malone incorporated “Fly” in “Sugar Wraith” on the triple-platinum Beerbongs & Bentleys. Helmed by GRAMMY® Award-winning producer David Kahne [Sublime, Paul McCartney, The Strokes], FLOORED earned the band’s first gold plaque and eventually went double-platinum. Two years later, 14:59 bowed in the Top 20 of the Billboard Top 200, went triple-platinum, and gave us “Someday,” “Falls Apart,” and their second #1 “Every Morning.”
In 2001, Sugar Ray crashed the Top 200 at #6 as “When It’s Over” staked out a spot on the charts.
It added another platinum plaque to their walls. Enjoying a renaissance, Sugar Ray headlined the Under the Sun Tour 2013-2015. They inked a deal with BMG in 2019 and dropped their seventh full-length, Lil Yachty. In addition to features from Rolling Stone and Billboard, NPR claimed, “The Newport Beach natives returned to their signature uplifting and airy rock sound.” It only set the stage for more touring and music. No matter how much everything changes, we’ve got Sugar Ray forever.
The September 5th Friday night show is free with your paid fair admission and will offer several viewing options. The bleachers in the back, rented lawn chairs in the middle, and standing room in front of the stage. Be there early for your best advantage. Big Valley News and Radio will also be giving away a pair of VIP tickets to the show. Read and listen for more information at www.BVNRadio.com.
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Concert Lineup:
- Thursday, September 4: Blue Öyster Cult – Rock out to iconic hits like "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and "Burnin' for You."
- Friday, September 5: Sugar Ray – Feel the '90s nostalgia with summertime anthems like "Fly" and "Every Morning."
- Saturday, September 6: Joe Nichols – Enjoy award-winning country favorites like "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "Sunny and 75."
- Sunday, September 7: Casimiro Zamudio y Banda El Mexicano – Close out the Fair with the sounds of one of banda music's most celebrated groups.
