State Fair concerts announced

After a whole four days of reprieve, the temperatures here in the Triangle are back into the 90s. With that in mind, I'd like to take this time to think of something a little...cooler. Autumn! Changing leaves! Funnel cake...the State Fair!

This year's fair will be held Oct. 13-22 at the usual location and, as always, along with the greasy food, pig races, 4-H competitions and rides that make you want to throw up the aforementioned greasy food, there will be the series of next-to-free nightly concerts.

Here's who's playing:

Oct. 13 / Chris Tomlin (Contemporary Christian) / $5
Oct. 14 / Jo Dee Messina (Country) / $10
Oct. 15 / Blake Shelton (Country) / $10
Oct. 16 / Eric Church (Country) / $5
Oct. 17 / NC Tunes: Earl Scruggs, Mike Cross and Tift Merritt (Bluegrass, Country) / $15
Oct. 18 / Little Big Town (Country) / $5
Oct. 19 / Chris Brown and Paula DeAnda (Dance/R&B) / $15
Oct. 20 / Casting Crowns (Contemporary Christian) / $10
Oct. 21 / Chris Cagle (Country) / $10
Oct. 22 / TBA

Anyone else notice a bit of a theme? I mean, there's nothing wrong with country music. Okay, that's a lie. There's nothing wrong with some country music. I've only got one disc in my personal collection (Rachel Proctor's Where I Belong ... highly recommended), but there are some decent songwriters out there, and some great music definitely has strong country roots (Johnny Cash, anyone?).

While it's certainly not a shock, this lineup is definitely a disappointment to me. Except for the NC Tunes concert on Oct. 17, there's nothing that remotely peaks my interest here. But, who cares what I think. What about you guys? Anything worth seeing here? And is anyone else willing to bet a certain local American Idol runner-up will fill that "TBA" slot on the last night?