Today, Wisconsin State Fair officials announced the first two of its 11 headlining shows slated for the 2017 festival – which runs Thursday, Aug. 3-Sunday, Aug. 13 at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.
On Monday, Aug. 7, the Main Stage – presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino – hosts Christian-pop brothers duo for KING & COUNTRY. The Grammy-winning band is fronted by brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, and has scored hits with songs like like "Busted Heart (Hold On To Me)" and "The Proof of Your Love."
Several television shows and films featured the duo's music, including "The Vampire Diaries," "Drop Dead Diva" and the recent indie film "Priceless," in which Joel Smallbone starred.
Opening the 7:30 p.m. show is Grammy-nominated Christian-popster Britt Nicole, who is best known for her songs "Gold" and "Ready or Not."
All seating for this show is reserved; no general admission.
Because festival-goers loved the '90s so much at 2016's fair, the I Love the 90s Tour will return this year with a new lineup.
Taking the stage on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. for this year's edition are rappers Vanilla Ice, Kid 'n Play, Tone Loc and Young MC, and R&B group All-4-One. Hopefully, Loc will be feelin' fresh after his on-stage collapse late last year.
Track level seating for this one are general admission, while grandstand seats are reserved.
Tickets are $29 and $39 for each of the two shows and go on sale Friday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. at the State Fair ticket office, 7722 W. Greenfield Ave., as well as online at WiStateFair.com, in both print-at-home and mail order options.
All main stage concert tickets include State Fair admission if you purchase them before entering the Wisconsin State Fair Park.
For the latest info on the State Fair, visit WiStateFair.com.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
