7 Things to Know About Tonight's Randy Rogers Band Concert in San Angelo

Enjoying big concerts at the River Stage in San Angelo should become a regular occurrence.  The setting is perfect for an evening of entertainment and it doesn’t cost a fortune like it would in the large cities.

Tonight, as part of the annual Stripes RiverFest 2016, The Randy Rogers Band headlines two other acts. Opening for Rogers are Parker McCollum and Kyle Park.

If you’ve never heard of any of these performers, have no fear. I am here to help you fully appreciate tonight’s entertainment. Here are the things to watch for.

1. Weather. The national radar is looking mostly clear, as the big storm front passed through last night just after 8 p.m.  The National Weather Service reports a 20 percent chance of rain. Temperatures will be falling into the 70s. “A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph” is the official word for tonight.

2. Who the hell is Parker McCollum and why should I care? He’s just 22 or 23 and only has one record released. However, that record, titled The Limestone Kid has turned some heads who noticed. His PR lady likes to say he’s being compared to Ryan Bingham and John Mayer. Should you believe the hype? No. But get to the show early and evaluate the young artist for yourself. His latest song to track on the Texas music charts was “All Day.”  But “Meet You in the Middle” has the most plays of all his songs on Spotify. Lloyd Maines, the father of Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines, plays steel guitar on one track of his first record.

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There are even fan tutorials on how to play it.

Since McCollum is the opening act, your job is to evaluate this young and rising music act.

3. Kyle Park has been around the Texas Country Music scene for over 10 years and he has a solid repertoire of songs, some of them you may have heard. Likely his most popular is “Leavin’ Stephenville” that has nearly 1 million spins on Spotify. Other hits to listen for are “Long Distance Relationship” and “Somebody’s Trying to Steal My Heart.”  Park’s style is a mix between traditional country with pop. His music will make you smile, like his latest single to chart, “Rednecks and Paychecks.”

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4. What made Randy Rogers Famous? West Texas crooner Radney Foster, who grew up in Del Rio, discovered Rogers in New Braunfels a little over a decade ago. For those unfamiliar with Foster, read my story here. So, Rogers has a helping of West Texas in him.

On Rogers' second record titled Rollercoaster (2004), Foster co-wrote three songs with Rogers, including “Tonight’s Not the Night (For Goodbye)” that was one of Rogers’ first big hits. It charted on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs at #43. Rogers co-wrote or recorded songs of other little known Texas country stars at that time, including Cody Canada (“This Time Around”) and Wade Bowen (“Lay it All on You”).

Here is “Tonight’s Not the Night.”

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5. Rogers didn’t stop after 2004, he got better. Probably the best-known song performed by Rogers is “Kiss Me in the Dark,” also written by Foster and co-written with George Ducas. “Kiss me in the Dark” charted at #45 on Billboard, but the record, Just a Matter of Time (2006) rose to #8 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums. Expect “Kiss Me in the Dark” to be an encore, because that’s the song everyone associates with Rogers.

Here’s a video where The Randy Rogers Band performs “Kiss Me in the Dark.”

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6. Rogers latest record, Nothing Shines Like Neon, sold 11,500 copies the first week it was published. It has an all-star cast, too. Including duet with Jamey Johnson (“Acting Crazy”) and Allison Kraus sings backup vocals on “Look Out Yonder.” Even Jerry Jeff Walker of Redneck Mother fame sings a duet with Rogers in “Takin’ it as it Comes.” Notable for around these parts is Rogers’ collaboration with favorite Texas musician Sean McConnell in “Rain on the Radio.”

San Antone is Rogers’ latest single and it currently sits at #4 on the Texas Regional Radio Chart.

Here is San Antone:

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7. Get VIP tickets if you can afford them and if there are any left. The VIP area has its own bar and restrooms and is situated closer to the stage. The Blaine’s Pub cooking team will also be in full operation over there, so food is an option.

Otherwise, there are really no bad seats in the River Stage. The place was perfectly designed for large concerts like tonight’s. General admission tickets are $25 (purchase online), VIP $60 (get them at Blaine's Pub).

• What: Randy Rogers Band with Parker McCollum and Kyle Park
• Where: Bill Aylor Memorial RiverStage in San Angelo, TX
• When: Gates open at 7 p.m. Expect the show to last until midnight.

The show will be played LIVE on YouTube.com. Click here for the LIVE! Stream. 

Stop by Fuentes Cafe Downtown, 101 S. Chadbourne St. for an early dinner or Margarita before the show. Ask your server for tickets. We dropped off a pair of comp tickets there at 3:30 p.m. today.