This Year's State Fair Lineup Includes CeeLo Green, Lil John and Bowling For Soup

Another edition of the Texas State Fair is slowly creeping up on us, and if you're the kind of person who fears it because you can't resist the alluring urge of the decadent fair food, we've got an alternative.

If you're walking in an easterly direction down the Fairway and the scent of some deep-fried, beer-battered, cheese-covered something or other assaults your nostrils, stop immediately. Then pull out your compass (yes, your phone has one) and turn your entire body 180 degrees and start walking in the opposite direction until you hit Lone Star Boulevard. Then turn to the north and walk straight ahead until you see the giant Chevrolet Main Stage. The same goes for any stage at the fair.

The chances are good that a singer or band will be playing something amazing and you'll be so enthralled by the performance that you'll forget your unholy urges to eat something that will eventually kill you.
The State Fair of Texas' lineup for concerts on the main stage, between the Go Texas Pavilion and the Centennial Building, has scored some pretty impressive names this year that you can attend simply by purchasing a ticket to the fair. Here are some of the more notable names we found on the official listing.

Grammy-winning singer, rapper and The Voice judge CeeLo Green will perform on Saturday. Sept. 30, and even though the fair is usually a family event, we're kind of hoping he does a certain song with a certain four-letter word.

Two of the other big names scheduled to take the main stage at the fair include the rapper Lil Jon, who performs on Saturday, Oct. 7, and the deep-fried Southern rock group 38 Special, scheduled to perform on Sunday, Oct. 8. Both of these are expected to draw a crowd so don't bring any food or beverage that you're definitely gonna spill if you wanna get close to the stage.

You can't have a fair in Texas without country music. Lonestar will kick off the fair concert series on Friday, Sept. 29. The Nashville country quartet features singer Drew Womack, who started his music career in the late 1980s in Waco with Sons of the Desert. The Houston country rock duo The Powell Brothers will perform on Thursday, Oct. 12. Country singers Dallas Burrow and Jake Worthington will perform back-to-back shows on Thursday, Oct. 19. Former Houndmouth alt-country singer Katie Toupin will perform two shows on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Former 1100 Springs frontman Matt Hillyer performs on Friday, Oct. 6, a must-see performance for the week. Hillyer's latest solo album, Glorietta, published by State Fair Records, takes the singer's sounds in some bold new directions with tracks like the jazzy "Diablo Motel" and more pop protest rock sounds like "Ordinary Man."
Some other notable names from the Dallas music scene scheduled to play at the fair include rock group The 40 Acre Mule, with three shows on the main stage on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The Yuengling Flight Stage will present performances by local jazz favorite Shelley Carrol on Sunday, Sept. 30, the always entertaining Brave Combo on Thursday, Oct. 5, and the Denton psychedelic rock outfit Pearl Earl on Friday, Oct. 6.

Then there are the outliers on the concert schedule who are harder to pigeonhole. This category starts on Friday, Oct. 6, with a cover group called Hairball, who seem to have a "throw it all up in the air and make everything stick" kind of attitude when it comes to stage presence, attire and song selection. The band's website describes it as "a two-plus hour, mind-blowing and dropdead accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world" including names like KISS, Queen and Journey. We're intrigued.

The very next day (and hear us out) will feature a live performance by the rock mariachi group OutLaw Mariachi. It may sound like someone created a group with one of those random internet generators, but this is a must-see show. The Los Angeles group performs traditional mariachi covers of rock staples like Pink Floyd and the Beastie Boys, but the dedication and seriousness they bring to the sound makes you forget that they're covers. It's like the ultimate party rock show if the band took their practice time very seriously.  Here are all the concerts at this year's State Fair of Texas:

Friday, Sept. 29

Lonestar
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Angel White
1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

John Pedigo & Chad Stockslager
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Max Stalling
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Deep Fried Comedy
8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Saturday, Sept. 30

Tomea
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Shelley Carrol
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

CeeLo Green
4 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Chrisette Michele
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Sunday, Oct.  1

Mariachi Rosas Divinas
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Ceci Ceci
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

La Zenda Nortena
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Cory Cross and the Burden
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

John Pedigo
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The UNT Four O'Clock Lab Band
5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Tuesday, Oct. 3

Club Wood
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Igimèjí
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Bowling for Soup
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Linny Nance & Network
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Davey
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

South Texas Homies
5:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Thursday, Oct. 5

DJ Mark Ridlen
1 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Charming Gardeners
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Brave Combo
3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Sabor Puro
5:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Clayton Mullet
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Friday, Oct. 6

Pearl Earl
1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Katrina Cain
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Matt Hillyer
5:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Courtney Patton
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Deep Fried Comedy
8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Hairball
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Saturday, Oct. 7

Spinster Records
9:45 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

DJ Mark Ridlen
9:45 a.m. and 1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Squeezebox Bandits Duo
6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The Clinton Years
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Lil Jon
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Sunday, Oct. 8

State Fair Records All-Star Band
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Ken Ebo Quintet
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Experience Selena
4 and 6 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

38 Special
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage
La Bell
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

John Pedigo
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The Little Mermen
3 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Matt Koziol
5:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Corina Grove
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Lorena Leigh
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Katie Toupin
5:45 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Wednesday, Oct. 11

Matt Tedder
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Armond Vance
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

OutLaw Mariachi
5:45 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Thursday, Oct. 12

The Rosemont Kings
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

La Bell
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The Powell Brothers
5:45 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Friday, Oct. 13

John Pedigo's Magic Pilsner
1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Garrett Owen
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The O's
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Deep Fried Comedy
8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

X Ambassadors
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Saturday, Oct. 14

Torrez Music Group Day
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Vanita Leo
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Rathmore
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Craig Morgan
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Sunday, Oct. 15

El Combo Oscuro
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Ken Ebo Quintet
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Braxton Keith
2 and 4 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

J.R. Carroll
6 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Shane Smith & The Saints
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Monday, Oct. 16

State Fair Records Day
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

John Pedigo
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Sazerac Jazz Band
4, 5:45 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Holly Beth
4 and 5:45 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Penny & Dime
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Graycie York
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Wednesday, Oct. 18

Jade Nickol
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Wesley Geiger
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The 40 Acre Mule
4, 5:45 and 8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Thursday, Oct. 19

Baba Yaga Orkestar
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Min
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Dallas Burrow
4 and 5:45 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Jake Worthington
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Friday, Oct. 20

Ginny Mac
1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Keegan McInroe
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Forever Motown
5:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Rosie Flores
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Deep Fried Comedy
8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

The War & Treaty
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Saturday, Oct. 21

Isaac Hoskins
1, 3 and 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Dave Washburn Quartet
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Charlotte Sands
2 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
4 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Jesse Daniel
7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

We The Kings
8:30 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage

Sunday, Oct. 22

Unfaded Brass Band
1, 3, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Bud Light Stage

Saborcito Puro
2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.
Yuengling Flight Stage

Yahritza Y Su Esencia
3 p.m.
Chevrolet Main Stage