The Newest Addition to The Great New York State Fair Concert Line-Up will Excite Fans of 2000’s Pop Music

Don’t let the newest concert announcement from the Great New York State Fair “go over your head,” because you just might “lose the arguments in a cable car” —or, to be more aptly lyrically punny, on the Skyliner Ride. The Fray will return to the Great New York State Fair for the first time since 2009 this summer and play Chevy Court at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 1.

The Fray formed in 2002 when high school friends Isaac Slade (lead vocalist and pianist) and Joe King (vocals, guitar) ran into one another in a Denver guitar shop. After adding Ben Wysocki (drums) and Dave Welsh (lead guitar), the band landed on a name by asking people to write down ideas on pieces of paper. The winning suggestion, The Fray, was selected randomly.

The band as we know them today burst onto the pop music scene in the mid-2000s with hits including “How to Save a Life,” You Found Me,” and of course, “Over My Head (Cable Car).” Following a successful second album in 2009, the band earned a spot on Billboards’ Artists of the Decade list.

“We hope that fans of Pop, Soft Rock, and Alternative music are going to be happy with news that The Fray is coming back to The Fair,” said Sean Hennessey, Interim Fair Director. “When they were here in 2009, they played at the Grandstand, and this upcoming concert presents an opportunity to hear their repertoire of hits for free! When we think back to some of the biggest songs of the first two decades of the 2000s, it’s hard not to start humming along to at least one of their songs.”

As is the case with all entertainment included in the Chevrolet Music Series, The Fray’s performance at The Fair is free with Fair admission. All acts announced thus far are provided below, and schedules are continuously updated at pages dedicated to Chevy Court and Suburban Park on the Fair’s website.

The Chevrolet Music Series features 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. performances at Chevy Court, and daily 8:00 p.m. concerts at Suburban Park. Most days, there will be a 2:00 p.m. concert at Suburban Park too.

Chevy Court Stage:

Suburban Park Stage:

The Great New York State Fair begins Wednesday, August 23 and continues through Labor Day, Monday, September 4. Admission is $6 for adults and free for those 65 years and older, and 12 years and younger.

Founded in 1841, the Great New York State Fair showcases the best of New York agriculture, provides top-quality entertainment, and is a key piece of the state’s CNY Rising strategy of growing the Central New York economy through tourism. It is the oldest fair in the United States and is consistently recognized as being among the top five state fairs in the nation.

The New York State Fairgrounds is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. Audiences are encouraged to learn more about the Great New York State Fair online, browse photos on Flickr, and follow the fun on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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