The music scene of the final weekend of Calgary Stampede was a little more geared towards headliners at the Saddledome with some big acts; The Judds, James Taylor, Sugarland and Kid Rock concerts at the venue.

By: Amanda Waschuk (Calgary Correspondent - Canada)

July 2008 

The music scene of the final weekend of Stampede was a little more geared towards headliners at the Saddledome with some big acts; The Judds, James Taylor, and I had the pleasure to attend Sugarland and Kid Rock concerts at the venue. 

Opening for Sugarland was the beautiful Miranda Lambert known for "Kerosene" and her new single "Gunpowder and Lead".  Livin' it up on stage, Miranda meshed well with her band and represented the typical Texas girl (where she's from).  She was passionate about her music, lyrics appearing to stem from real-life scenarios, and played to an enthusiastic crowd.  But once Sugarland came on onstage, that's when the roof was raised.  Only two of the original members still together, lead vocalist Jennifer Nettles and guitarist Kristian Bush worked off each other's energy and took a daring adventure walking on the crowd in giant plastic balls.  This country duo was definitely a Stampede highlight with upbeat songs fitting the genre of the Stampede.

Kid Rock was quite the surprise hit!  With a background of rock and a new album full of country, he accommodated every type of fan imaginable.  The crowd was a mix of cowboys straight from the Stampede grounds, to the rockers who were loyal fans of Kid Rock's previous hits.  The best part of the evening was the shock appearance of legendary rapper Run DMC.  His hits included break-dance friendly "It's Like That (and That's the Way It Is)" and Aerosmith revival "Walk This Way" both of which were played that evening.  The song most were there to see was Kid Rock's latest hit, country song "All Summer Long" and was received by hungry ears.  There was a good mix of country and rock and I salute Kid Rock for his ability to merge these two genres into one show.  Including Kid Rock and Run DMC the musicians onstage totaled 12, which adds up to an intricate and intense sound. Don't be deceived by the white trash persona, especially prevalent during Kid's show, this man has talent.

Finishing off the Stampede on the Coca Cola stage was Alberta-grown talent Social Code and American sensation Plain White T's.  Only playing for half an hour, punk-rock band Social Code was enjoyable but too short, as the audience wanted more of what they loved.  While the Plain White T's have two great hits "Hey There Delilah" and "Our Time Now", the rest of their songs were like a broken record on repeat as they all sounded too similar and became repetitive. 

All in all, a great 10 days in concerts showcasing some great talent ranging from rock to punk to country.  Look forward to Calgary Stampede 2009 where Country Music Hall of Fame Legend George Strait is already set to perform on Saturday, July 11.

Read about the first half of the 2008 Calgary Stampede