Lil’ Kim, Yung Gravy, Billy Currington to perform at Deschutes County Fair

Published 12:00 pm Thursday, July 11, 2024

A whiff of elephant ears tingle your nose, sun beats down on your back, making you feel a bit better about your churning stomach from the last ride you went on.

But suddenly, the speakers make the ground dance beneath your feet. Beats and rhythms make the dizziness you once felt fade away.

It’s concert time.

This year, the Deschutes County Fair will feature a number of popular artists with a variety of genres; Yung Gravy, Billy Currington, The Fray, Lil’ Kim, Bow Wow and Banda Los Recoditos.

A pair of retro rappers will perform on the penultimate Saturday night of the 104th annual fair — Grammy award winner Lil’ Kim and Bow Wow.

Lil’ Kim rose to fame in the 1990s hip-hop scene and has authored three platinum albums. Bow Wow, previously known as Lil’ Bow Wow, was discovered by Snoop Dogg at age 5 and has been involved in the film, television and music industry for nearly 25 years. He is the youngest solo rapper to hit No. 1, has sold more than 10 million albums and appeared in films “Like Mike,” “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and “Madea’s Big Happy Family.”

The duo will join previously announced acts The Fray, who will perform on the opening Wednesday night of the fair on July 31, Billy Currington on Thursday, Yung Gravy on Friday and Banda Los Recoditos will close out the fair with a Sunday performance.

The Fray hail from Denver, Colo., and achieved national success with their self-titled debut album in 2005. That album featured double-platinum hit singles “Over My Head (Cable Car)” and “How to Save a Life.”

Thursday night’s show will get a little more country. Since his self-titled debut album in 2003, Billy Currington has established himself as one of the genre’s most celebrated artists. He has 11 career No. 1 singles, including “Good Directions,” “People Are Crazy,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” and his most recent hit, “Don’t Hurt Like It Used To.”

Friday night’s show features rapper Yung Gravy and Sunday will feature the Mexican group Banda Los Recoditos. 

Yung Gravy is described by the fair’s website as a blend of vintage soul and modern rap. Some of his hits include “Betty (Get Money)” and “Welcome to Chilis.” 

Banda Los Recoditos is a regional Mexican band frim Sinaloa. Some of their popular songs include “Mi Último Deseo” and “Me Sobrabas Tú.” They’re defined as having a traditional sound of rich harmonized vocals, high-registered horns and tuba. 

All concerts are free with paid admission. A limited number of VIP tickets, starting at $10, provide access to a viewing section near the stage, a VIP-only bar, and other benefits. Due to high demand, fairgoers are encouraged to secure VIP tickets early.

Tabitha Giles, a Bend resident, purchased VIP tickets to attend Lil’ Kim’s performance. This is her first time attending the fair and is “mostly going because of Lil’ Kim being there.”

“I listened to her at a young age and learned a dirty song and thought it was cool,” Giles said. “It’s really nostalgic for me. I was raised in upstate New York and she was an East Coast rapper so I just knew of her. For me it’s silly to go (to the fair) but also it’ll be great to relieve my youth and listen to her sing.”

Giles said the dirty song was the 2000 beat: “How Many Licks?” and hopes Lil’ Kim will perform it that Saturday night.

Exhibit buildings will be open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Animal barns will be accessible Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m to 10:30 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, visit www.deschutesfair.com.