Dos Equis Pavilion
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The Dos Equis Pavilion (originally Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre) is an outdoor
amphitheatre An amphitheatre (American English, U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meani ...
located in
Fair Park Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of Downtown Dallas, downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the building ...
,
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
.


Naming history

The venue opened as Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre on July 23, 1988, with a concert by
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
. The outdoor covered amphitheater featured 7,500 seats under a pavilion and 12,500 general admission lawn seats. After
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
's naming rights expired in 1998, the venue was known simply as Starplex Amphitheatre. In 2000, naming rights were sold to the
Smirnoff Smirnoff (; ) is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831–1898), but its modern incarnation traces back to the ...
vodka Vodka ( ; is a clear distilled beverage, distilled alcoholic beverage. Its varieties originated in Poland and Russia. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is ...
company, as a result of a corporate sponsorship agreement with
House of Blues House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers (film), The Blues Brothers''. The ...
. The center was then called Smirnoff Music Centre and The Music Centre at Fair Park (for concerts featuring underage performers). The name changed again in January 2008 to Superpages.com Center when naming rights were awarded to Superpages.com. The name has changed several times since then: to Gexa Energy Pavilion in 2011, Starplex Pavilion in 2017. and
Dos Equis DOS (, ) is a family of disk-based operating systems for IBM PC compatible computers. The DOS family primarily consists of IBM PC DOS and a rebranded version, Microsoft's MS-DOS, both of which were introduced in 1981. Later compatible systems ...
Pavilion in April 2018.


Performers

Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre opened the weekend of July 23–24, 1988 with
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
on Friday night, followed the next evening with a double bill of
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
and
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
.
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
,
Hall & Oates Daryl Hall & John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist, while John Oates primarily supplied electric guitar and ba ...
,
AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...
,
Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist prominent for his dis ...
,
Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded with Jim Messina (musician), Jim Mess ...
,
Huey Lewis Hugh Anthony Cregg III (born July 5, 1950), known professionally as Huey Lewis, is an American actor and former singer-songwriter. Lewis sang lead and played harmonica for his band, Huey Lewis and the News, until being forced into retirement due ...
,
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...
,
Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
and
Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, folk music, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock music, rock, heartland r ...
all played the Starplex just in the first month. Before the season ended in October, Starplex hosted shows from
Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music band founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The group has seen many personnel changes over the years, with Froese the only constant member until his death in January 2015. The best-known lineup of the grou ...
,
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
,
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
,
The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of Graeme Edge (drums), Denny Laine (guitar/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (multi-instrumentalist/vocals) and Clint W ...
,
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
,
Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...
, and
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer * Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp ** Santana 20 ** Santan ...
. The fall Starplex concert schedule coincided with the
State Fair of Texas The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas at historic Fair Park. The fair has taken place every year since 1886 except for varying periods during World War I and World War II as well as 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ...
, also held in
Fair Park Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of Downtown Dallas, downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the building ...
each October.
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
returned on April 21, 1989 to kick off the second concert season at Starplex. The bookings at Starplex were eclectic and played heavily to classic-rock and nostalgia acts.
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the leader and frontman of the Rock music, rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s sup ...
,
Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, author, and businessman. He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapis ...
,
Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...
,
Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 30 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he had his ...
,
Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. Noted for his reverb-laden rockabilly revivalist style and wide vocal range, he is popularly known for his breakthrough hit and sig ...
,
Allman Brothers Band Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Gregg Allman Band People *Allman (surnam ...
,
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
,
Peter, Paul and Mary Peter, Paul and Mary were an American Contemporary folk music, folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival. The trio consisted of Peter Yarrow (guitar, tenor vocals), Paul Stookey (guitar, baritone vocals), ...
,
The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
,
Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George, bassist Roy Estrada (both formerly of the Mothers of Invention), keyboardist Bill Payne, and drummer Richie Hayward in ...
,
Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician who is a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, for whom he is the drummer and co-lead vocalist, as well as its sole continuous member. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles ...
,
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...
,
Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasing the album ...
, and
Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
all played Starplex that summer and fall.
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
, and
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
each returned. The promoters also experimented with jazz offerings like
Spyro Gyra Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1974. The band's music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop music. The band's name comes from ''Spirogyra'', a genus of green algae which founder Jay Beckenste ...
and
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
, and booked popular pop acts like Tiffany,
New Kids On The Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
,
Milli Vanilli Milli Vanilli ( ) was a German duo R&B music act from Munich. The act was created in 1988 by Frank Farian, founder of Boney M., and consisted of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus as the lip-syncing performers, with the two actual main studio sing ...
, and
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographe ...
.
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
opened the 1990 season at Starplex. New performers included
Tears For Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
,
Crosby, Stills, and Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk rock supergroup comprising the American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and the English-American singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by the Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young ...
,
Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...
,
Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles ...
,
The Black Crowes The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes ten studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...
,
Wilson Phillips Wilson Phillips is an American pop vocal group formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The group consists of sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phi ...
,
Richard Marx Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Marx's first number one success as a songwriter came in 1984 with " What About Me?", which was recorded by Kenny Rogers ...
,
Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...
,
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...
,
The Neville Brothers The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. History The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...
,
Heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
,
Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...
,
Bad Company Bad Company were an English rock supergroup formed in London in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke (both ex- Free), guitarist Mick Ralphs (ex- Mott the Hoople) and bassist Boz Burrell (ex-King Crimson). Kirke was the only m ...
,
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
, and
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...
.
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
brought his Sound + Vision Tour to Starplex for a special Independence Day show on July 4, 1990.
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
,
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer * Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp ** Santana 20 ** Santan ...
,
Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, author, and businessman. He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapis ...
,
The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of Graeme Edge (drums), Denny Laine (guitar/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (multi-instrumentalist/vocals) and Clint W ...
,
James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...
,
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
, and
Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist prominent for his dis ...
all returned.


Coca-Cola Starplex in the 1990s

In the 1990s, the offerings at Starplex gradually reflected the changing landscape of music being played on the radio. The focus began to shift away from classic-rock and nostalgia acts like
Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...
who played there in 1991, to more alternative rock popularized by 94.5 The Edge in the Dallas market. Alternative artists like Peter Murphy, The Church,
Throwing Muses Throwing Muses are an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, United States, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects. The group was original ...
, New Order, The Replacements,
The Cult The Cult are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band had performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury ...
, Shelleyan Orphan,
The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
,
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is an American alternative rock jam band that originated in Dallas, Texas, in the mid-1980s. The band is widely known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album ''Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars''. Their music ...
,
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...
,
Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed with the line-up of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher (musician), Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists ...
,
The B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...
,
Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...
,
Alice In Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
,
The The are an English rock band from London, formed in 1979 by singer-songwriter Matt Johnson, the only constant member, and often the sole member. achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the UK, with 15 chart singles, seven reaching ...
,
Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 198 ...
,
Blind Melon Blind Melon is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of guitarists Rogers Stevens and Christopher Thorn, drummer Glen Graham, vocalist Travis Warren and bassist Nathan Towne. They are best known ...
,
10,000 Maniacs 10,000 Maniacs are an American alternative rock band founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four albums that c ...
,
Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by H ...
,
Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...
,
Meat Puppets Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood (guitar/vocals), his brother Cris Kirkwood (bass guitar/vocals), and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The Kirkwood brothe ...
,
The Jayhawks The Jayhawks are an American alternative country and country rock band that emerged from the Twin Cities music scene in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalists/guitarists/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson, their country rock sound was influentia ...
,
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...
,
Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film * ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film *'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...
,
The Cranberries The Cranberries were an Irish rock music, rock band formed in Limerick in 1989. The band was composed of lead singer and guitarist Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan (Noel's brother), and drummer Fergal Lawler. O'Riord ...
,
Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
,
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...
,
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
,
Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duet (music), duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in Primary school, elementary school and began performing together as Secondary school, hig ...
,
Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson is an alternative rock/rap-rock group formed in 1991. The band's name is a reference to former American basketball player Lucious Jackson. The original band consisted of Jill Cunniff (lead vocals, bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals, ...
,
Los Lobos Los Lobos (, Spanish for "the Wolves") is a Mexican American rock group, rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional ...
,
Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...
,
The Afghan Whigs The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and John ...
, all played Starplex. Many popular radio acts of the day headlined Starplex in the 1990s including
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
,
Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin (born February 26, 1953), known professionally as Michael Bolton, is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton performed in the hard rock and heavy metal music genres from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, both on his early solo a ...
,
Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...
,
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
,
Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American country singer and actor. Active since 1980, he has recorded 14 albums and released 25 singles to dat ...
,
Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...
,
Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...
, Hootie & the Blowfish,
Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, she became a cultural phenomenon during the mid 199 ...
,
Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known as DMB) is an American rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band's lineup consists of Dave Matthews (lead vocals, guitar), Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (lead guitar), R ...
,
Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, drummer Jon Fishman, and keyboardist Page McConnell, all of whom perform vocals, with Anastasio being the ...
,
The Wallflowers The Wallflowers are an American rock music, rock solo project of American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jakob Dylan. The Wallflowers were originally a roots rock band formed in Los Angeles by Dylan and guitarist Tobi Miller. It ha ...
,
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Mel B ("Scary Spice"), Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"), and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). They have sold over 10 ...
,
Better Than Ezra Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and signed with Round Hill Music. The band formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and consists of Kevin Griffin (vocals and guitar), Tom Drummond (bas ...
, and
Garbage Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...
.


Alternative music festivals


Lollapalooza

Starplex was the site of the
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
festival tour cofounded by
Perry Farrell Perry Farrell (born Peretz Bernstein; March 29, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician referred to as the " Godfather of Alternative Music". Farrell began his career with Psi Com in the early 1980s, before becoming the frontman ...
from 1991 to 1995. The alternative music juggernaut would return each year to Starplex until 1997, when sales declined and the festival's tastemaking cache had faded. The various lineups included: * August 22–23, 1991:
Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...
,
Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1985. The band's best known line-up consisted of lead vocalist Perry Farrell, bassist Eric Avery, drummer Stephen Perkins and guitarist Dave Navarro. Jane's Addicti ...
,
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza ( ...
,
Rollins Band Rollins Band was an American rock band formed in Van Nuys, California. The band was active from 1987 to 2006 and was led by former Black Flag (band), Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and "L ...
,
Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock music, rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992. T ...
,
Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
,
Body Count A body count is the total number of people killed in a particular event. In combat, a body count is often based on the number of confirmed kills, but occasionally only an estimate. Often used in reference to military combat, the term can also r ...
, and
Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has ...
. The shows were notorious not only for record attendance for bands that were playing small clubs just a few months before, but also for the inclusion of
gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of rap music that conveys the culture, values, and experiences of urban gangs and street hustlers, frequently discussing unpleasant realities of the world in general th ...
pioneer Ice-T and his Rap metal, rap-metal outfit Body Count. Ticket sales were boosted both by the immense popularity of the headliners and by controversy surrounding
Body Count A body count is the total number of people killed in a particular event. In combat, a body count is often based on the number of confirmed kills, but occasionally only an estimate. Often used in reference to military combat, the term can also r ...
's "Cop Killer (song), Cop Killer," which was eventually removed from the group's debut album. * September 6, 1992: Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Ministry (band), Ministry, Lush (band), Lush, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Jesus & Mary Chain, and Ice Cube. * August 1, 1993: Sebadoh, Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against The Machine, Primus (band), Primus, Tool (band), Tool, Dinosaur Jr.,
Alice In Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
, and Arrested Development (group), Arrested Development. The following weekend, the knockoff MTV Alternative Nation tour followed with a lineup including Spin Doctors, Soul Asylum, and Screaming Trees. * August 20–21, 1994: The Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, L7 (band), L7, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Stereolab, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Breeders, George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, and The Flaming Lips. Ticket sales were strong for the 1994 festival despite the April death of Kurt Cobain, whose band Nirvana (band), Nirvana was originally set to headline the festival. * August 10, 1995: Mike Watt, Versus (band), Versus, Sonic Youth, Pavement (band), Pavement, Hole (band), Hole, Elastica, The Roots, Cypress Hill, Blonde Redhead and Beck. In 1996 Lollapalooza was not presented at Starplex. On the date of the festival (July 25, 1996)
Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...
had booked Starplex as part of a two-night engagement. The event was held at Old Fort Dallas in Ferris, TX with a lineup that included Metallica, Soundgarden, Ramones, Rancid (band), Rancid, Screaming Trees, Cheap Trick, Steve Earle, Soul Coughing, Sponge (band), Sponge, Melvins, and Jonny Polonsky. * August 2, 1997: Devo, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Tool (band), Tool, James (band), James, Tricky (musician), Tricky and Snoop Dogg. * August 8, 2003: Thirty Seconds To Mars, Incubus, Audioslave, The Donnas, Queens of the Stone Age and Jane's Addiction


Edgefest

On April 19, 1992 94.5 The Edge hosted their own alternative music festival with Edgefest 1992, a one-day festival which brought together The Charlatans (English band), The Charlatans, The Sugarcubes, Pearl Jam, and Dramarama. To ensure maximum attendance, general admission tickets to the festival were only $9.45. On July 27, 1992 KDGE, The Edge presented the Edge Birthday Bash with a one-day lineup including Peter Murphy, Material Issue,
Rollins Band Rollins Band was an American rock band formed in Van Nuys, California. The band was active from 1987 to 2006 and was led by former Black Flag (band), Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and "L ...
, The Soup Dragons and Cracker (band), Cracker. In subsequent years Starplex would often open each season with an Edgefest event instead of seeking a major name headliner. In 1993 The Edge temporarily dropped the Edgefest moniker and put together the Edge Earth Day Concert on April 18, 1993, featuring The Tragically Hip, Dinosaur Jr., Jellyfish (band), Jellyfish, Belly (band), Belly, 808 State and others. In subsequent years Edgefest continued with these lineups: * April 17, 1994:
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza ( ...
, The Charlatans (English band), The Charlatans, Tripping Daisy, Possum Dixon, Crash Test Dummies, and Crowded House. Crash Test Dummies also opened for Elvis Costello and the Attractions the following weekend at Starplex. * April 22, 1995: Veruca Salt, Sponge (band), Sponge, Letters to Cleo, Letters To Cleo, Blues Traveler, and Adam Ant * April 21, 1996: Modern English (band), Modern English, Lush (band), Lush, Poe (singer), Poe, The Verve Pipe, and The Refreshments (U.S. band), The Refreshments. On June 2, 1996, The Edge presented another Edge Birthday Bash with Jewel (singer), Jewel, Cowboy Junkies, Jars of Clay, Jars Of Clay and Deep Blue Something. * April 20, 1997: Beck, Moby, Matchbox Twenty, INXS, Ben Folds Five, Cake (band), Cake, and Cowboy Mouth In 1998 Edgefest was not presented at Starplex. On the date of the festival (May 17, 1998) Starplex was not booked for any event. The event was held at Globe Life Park in Arlington, The Ballpark In Arlington with a lineup including Creed (band), Creed, Fuel (band), Fuel, The Crystal Method, Everclear (band), Everclear, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and God Lives Underwater. * April 24, 1999: Third Eye Blind, Blink-182, Toadies, Local H, Collective Soul, and Goo Goo Dolls * April 29, 2000: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Everclear (band), Everclear, Bowling for Soup, Bowling For Soup, and 311 (band), 311 * May 12, 2001 (after venue was renamed Smirnoff Music Centre): Weezer, Fuel (band), Fuel, Lifehouse (band), Lifehouse, The Polyphonic Spree, and
The Cult The Cult are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band had performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury ...
* June 1, 2002: Nickelback, Papa Roach, Lit (band), Lit, Unwritten Law, Goldfinger (band), Goldfinger and Chomsky (band), Chomsky (a smaller bill featuring Flickerstick and Bowling for Soup, Bowling For Soup played an Edgefest "Pre-Party" show on May 31) * May 17, 2003: Evanescence, Good Charlotte, MxPx, The All-American Rejects, New Found Glory and Maroon 5 (a smaller bill featuring Blue October and Socialburn played an Edgefest "Pre-Party" show on May 16) * August 7, 2004: Evanescence, Three Days Grace, Seether, Breaking Benjamin and Lit (band), Lit. This was the first Edgefest presented in late summer, and followed Ozzfest 2004 by just two days. * April 24, 2005: Sum 41, Papa Roach, Jimmy Eat World, and
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...
. The Edge also presented a Fall Homecoming event on October 23, 2005, with Thirty Seconds to Mars, Seether, Panic! at the Disco, Panic! At The Disco, Audioslave, and The All-American Rejects.


H.O.R.D.E. Tour

In 1995 the jam band-inspired H.O.R.D.E. (Horizons Of Rock Developing Everywhere) tour visited Texas for the first time at Starplex. August 30, 1995: Wilco, Morphine (band), Morphine, Blues Traveler,
Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...
, and
The Black Crowes The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes ten studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...
In 1996 the H.O.R.D.E. festival did not visit Starplex. On the date of the festival (July 19, 1996) Starplex was not booked for any event. The event was held at Texas Motorplex with a lineup that included Rusted Root, Lenny Kravitz, Leftover Salmon, Medeski Martin & Wood, Medeski, Martin & Wood,
Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known as DMB) is an American rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band's lineup consists of Dave Matthews (lead vocals, guitar), Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (lead guitar), R ...
and Blues Traveler. In 1997 headliners Widespread Panic dropped out of the H.O.R.D.E. tour at the last minute and a planned Texas stop was cancelled. Two of the planned headliners (Beck and Ben Folds Five) had played Starplex at Edgefest already in May. August 23, 1998: Cowboy Mouth, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Barenaked Ladies, Fastball (band), Fastball, Ben Harper and Blues Traveler


Lilith Fair

From 1997 to 1999
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...
brought Lilith Fair, her all-female alternative rock, folk and country festival to Starplex. * August 4, 1997: Suzanne Vega, Joan Osborne, Natalie Merchant,
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...
, Lisa Loeb, Jewel (singer), Jewel,
Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duet (music), duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in Primary school, elementary school and began performing together as Secondary school, hig ...
, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow,
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...
, Paula Cole, Fiona Apple, The Cardigans, and Mary Chapin Carpenter * August 1, 1998: Liz Phair, Lucinda Williams, Natalie Merchant,
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...
,
Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...
and Erykah Badu * July 21, 1999:
Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...
, Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, Dido, and
Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson is an alternative rock/rap-rock group formed in 1991. The band's name is a reference to former American basketball player Lucious Jackson. The original band consisted of Jill Cunniff (lead vocals, bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals, ...


Hard rock and classic rock artists

Throughout the 1990s hard rock and heavy metal music, heavy metal artists continued to remain popular with
AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...
, Judas Priest, Cinderella (band), Cinderella, Poison (American band), Poison, Lita Ford, Scorpions (band), Scorpions, Tesla (band), Tesla, Kix (band), Kix, Great White, Metallica, White Lion, Warrant (American band), Warrant, Kiss (band), KISS,
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax (American band), Anthrax, Slaughter (band), Slaughter, L.A. Guns, Skid Row (American band), Skid Row,
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
, Motörhead, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Extreme (band), Extreme, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Pantera, Queensrÿche, Dokken, Danzig (band), Danzig, Monster Magnet, and Dio (band), Dio all playing Starplex. Classic rock acts including
Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...
, Joe Walsh, The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Mellencamp, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Dr. John, Glenn Frey, Sting (musician), Sting, Leon Russell, Barry Manilow, Lenny Kravitz, Duran Duran,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
, Procol Harum, Jethro Tull (band), Jethro Tull, Neil Young, Traffic (band), Traffic, Foreigner (band), Foreigner, America (band), America, Cheap Trick, Meat Loaf, Steely Dan, REO Speedwagon, Jeff Beck,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
, Cyndi Lauper, Rush (band), Rush, Blondie (band), Blondie, Sammy Hagar, Fleetwood Mac, Boz Scaggs, The Alan Parsons Project, Alan Parsons Live Project, John Fogerty, Journey (band), Journey, Paul Simon, Eddie Money, Peter Frampton and Roger Waters made appearances at Starplex in the 1990s. Several prominent rock bands celebrated Independence Day (United States), Independence Day at Starplex in the 1990s including Boston (band), Boston (July 4, 1995), a triple-bill of Blue Öyster Cult, Kansas (band), Kansas, and Styx (band), Styx (July 4, 1996),
Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles ...
(July 4, 1997) and a triple-bill of L.A. Guns, Warrant (American band), Warrant, and Slaughter (band), Slaughter (July 4, 1998).


Metal, hardcore, and thrash music festivals


Ozzfest

The enduring popularity of hard rock, heavy metal and industrial metal was not lost on the promoters behind Ozzfest, the annual festival created as a harder-edged alternative to
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
and which featured Ozzy Osbourne and/or Black Sabbath as headliners. * June 1, 1997: Pantera, Powerman 5000, Type O Negative, Fear Factory, Ozzy Osbourne, and Black Sabbath. Just 10 days later, the competing R.O.A.R. (Revelation of Alternative Rhythms) tour also played Starplex with a lineup that included Sponge (band), Sponge, Sevendust, Bloodhound Gang, and The Reverend Horton Heat on June 11. * July 13, 1999: Rob Zombie, Slayer, System of a Down, System Of A Down, Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Primus (band), Primus, Godsmack, Fear Factory, Deftones, and Black Sabbath * August 18, 2000 (after venue was renamed Smirnoff Music Centre): Pitchshifter, Pantera, Incubus (band), Incubus, Godsmack, Disturbed (band), Disturbed and Ozzy Osbourne. Two weeks prior, the Tattoo The Earth festival had presented Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Sevendust, Slayer, Sepultura and Mudvayne on August 6. * July 5, 2001: Taproot (band), Taproot, Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Papa Roach, Mudvayne, Hatebreed, Disturbed (band), Disturbed, Marilyn Manson and Black Sabbath. Just a few days earlier the Big Freakin' Deal festival was presented on June 30 with a lineup of Puddle of Mudd, Puddle Of Mudd, Rammstein, Tesla (band), Tesla, Staind, Toadies and others. * September 8, 2002: Rob Zombie, System of a Down, System Of A Down, Andrew W.K., Andrew W.K., P.O.D., Neurotica (band), Neurotica, Hatebreed, Tommy Lee and Ozzy Osbourne * June 29, 2003: Voivod (band), Voivod, Nothingface (band), Nothingface, Korn, Disturbed (band), Disturbed, Marilyn Manson and Ozzy Osbourne * August 5, 2004: Slayer, Throwdown (band), Throwdown, Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Hatebreed, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath * August 25, 2005: Mastodon (band), Mastodon, Rob Zombie, Velvet Revolver, Drowning Pool and Black Sabbath In 2006 Ozzfest was not presented in Dallas. On July 11, 2006, Ozzfest played Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (Selma, Texas), Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Selma, Texas, Selma, TX with a lineup including System of a Down, System Of A Down, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed (band), Disturbed and Ozzy Osbourne. * August 2, 2007: Lamb of God (band), Lamb Of God, Static-X, Lordi, 3 Inches of Blood and Ozzy Osbourne


KEGL Freaker's Ball

* October 13, 1996: Ozzy Osbourne, Danzig (band), Danzig, Sepultura, and Biohazard * October 30, 1999: Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Coal Chamber, Sevendust, Machine Head (band), Machine Head, and Megadeth * October 31, 2002: Korn, Disturbed (band), Disturbed, Blindside (band), Blindside and Trustcompany, TRUSTCompany * October 31, 2003: Sevendust, Staind, Jibe (band), Jibe and Marilyn Manson (band), Marilyn Manson * October 24, 2004: Velvet Revolver, Switchfoot, Breaking Benjamin, The Donnas and The Used


Country artists

Country music superstars were a regular feature at Starplex, with several artists booking return engagements throughout the 1990s.
Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Steve Earle, Hank Williams Jr., Clint Black, Alabama (American band), Alabama, Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn and Dwight Yoakam were among the many country acts to regularly appear at Starplex in the 1990s. More recently, the Pavilion has welcomed acts like Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Chris Young.


Soul, R&B, hip-hop and rap

Starplex hosted a number of R&B and soul superstars in the 1980s and 1990s including Earth, Wind & Fire, Sade (singer), Sade, B.B. King, The Temptations, Al Jarreau, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Whitney Houston, Buddy Guy, Janet Jackson, Anita Baker, Rick James, and Boyz II Men. The venue was slow to embrace hip-hop and rap acts except as part of festival bills: Tone Loc played Starplex on August 3, 1989, as part of the Club MTV package tour that also included
Milli Vanilli Milli Vanilli ( ) was a German duo R&B music act from Munich. The act was created in 1988 by Frank Farian, founder of Boney M., and consisted of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus as the lip-syncing performers, with the two actual main studio sing ...
, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, and
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographe ...
. Gangsta rap, Rap rock, rap-rock and Rap metal, rap-metal acts including Ice-T, Ice Cube,
Body Count A body count is the total number of people killed in a particular event. In combat, a body count is often based on the number of confirmed kills, but occasionally only an estimate. Often used in reference to military combat, the term can also r ...
, Cypress Hill, and Snoop Dogg were booked at Starplex as part of the annual Lollapalooza tour which also featured alternative rock bands. Gradually hip-hop and rap acts began to get booked as headliners beginning with the groundbreaking Fugees show on July 26, 1996. The next summer, on July 19, 1997, the House of Blues Smokin' Groovies tour brought together The Roots, Outkast, Cypress Hill, George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, and Erykah Badu on a single bill. Prince (musician), Prince brought his Jam of the Year Tour, Jam Of The Year tour to Starplex on August 9, 1997. The singer, backed by an all-new The New Power Generation, New Power Generation band, played a fast and loose set that included James Brown, Madhouse (band), Madhouse and Joan Osborne covers amid hits like "Little Red Corvette" and deep cuts like "The Cross" and "Strange Relationship."


Smirnoff Music Centre 2000–2008

After the naming rights to Starplex were sold to Smirnoff vodka in mid-2000, the venue dropped the Starplex moniker and was renamed Smirnoff Music Centre. The venue was sometimes billed as The Music Centre at Fair Park for all-ages shows which could not, for legal reasons, be sponsored by a producer or distributor of alcoholic beverages. Many of the biggest music acts of the 2000s played Smirnoff Music Centre in the 2000s including Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige, Aaron Carter, Dashboard Confessional, Pink (singer), Pink, No Doubt, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Counting Crows, 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, Norah Jones, Oasis (band), Oasis, Coldplay, Wu-Tang Clan and Colbie Caillat; indie heroes Queens of the Stone Age, Queens Of The Stone Age, Bettie Serveert, The Smithereens, Weezer, Rilo Kiley and TV on the Radio; and country legends Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Shooter Jennings, Drive-By Truckers, Old 97's, and Blake Shelton. Brian Wilson, Deep Purple, Joe Satriani, David Lee Roth, ZZ Top, J. J. Cale, J.J. Cale, Night Ranger, Peter Gabriel, Quiet Riot, Annie Lennox, Michael McDonald (musician), Michael McDonald, Loverboy and Rick Springfield were among the classic-rock superstars making their debut at the venue in the 2000s. Package tours remained popular with the Power To The People tour bringing a quadruple bill of Poison (American band), Poison, Slaughter (band), Slaughter, Dokken and Cinderella (band), Cinderella. The Up In Smoke tour brought rappers Warren G, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eminem together on August 7, 2000. On June 16, 2001, the Summer Jam festival was held featuring rap stars Ludacris, Lil' Mo, Ja Rule, Bow Wow (rapper), Bow Wow and Ginuwine. The Extreme Steel event on July 14, 2001, combined Slayer, Pantera, Static-X and other metal acts. The Back To School tour brought together Puddle of Mudd, Puddle Of Mudd, Godsmack, and Deftones a week later. The Volunteers For America tour on October 20, 2001, featured a star-crusted lineup of Styx (band), Styx, Survivor (band), Survivor, REO Speedwagon, Journey (band), Journey, Kansas (band), Kansas and Eddie Money joining forces to raise funds for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks just one month later. On July 18, 2002, the Jeep World Outside festival brought Tonic (band), Tonic, Train (band), Train, O.A.R.,
Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...
and Sheryl Crow on July 18, 2002. The Sprite Liquid Mix tour included an eclectic bill of Hoobastank, N*E*R*D, 311 (band), 311 and Jay-Z. A double bill of Incubus (band), Incubus and Phantom Planet played an Independence Day (United States), Independence Day show on July 4, 2002. Big Freakin' Deal returned May 8, 2003 with Systematic (band), Systematic, Powerman 5000 and Godsmack. On August 14, 2004, the Curiousa Festival brought Interpol (band), Interpol, Mogwai, The Rapture (band), The Rapture and
The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
together on a single ticket. On July 15, 2005, the Sounds of the Underground festival assembled Lamb of God (band), Lamb Of God, Throwdown (band), Throwdown, Clutch (band), Clutch, High on Fire, High On Fire and Gwar. The Family Values tour brought Korn, Deftones, Flyleaf (band), Flyleaf and Stone Sour together on August 5, 2006. On June 19, 2007, the Honda Civic Tour was presented with Fall Out Boy, Paul Wall, Cobra Starship and others. On August 2, 2007, the Projekt Revolution tour came to Smirnoff with Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, HIM_(Finnish_band), HIM, and Placebo (band), Placebo. Family Values returned August 17, 2007 with Korn, Evanescence, Flyleaf and Neurosonic.


Vans Warped Tour

Vans Warped Tour, with an emphasis on Punk rock, punk, Pop punk, pop-punk and ska artists and Skate culture, skater culture, visited Smirnoff (and later Superpages.com Center) annually starting in 2000. * August 4, 2000: NOFX, Save Ferris, MxPx, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Mghty Mighty Bosstones, Long Beach Dub Allstars, Less Than Jake and The Ataris * July 20, 2001: Sum 41, Rancid (band), Rancid, The Vandals, Less Than Jake, Kool Keith, Good Charlotte, AFI (band), AFI and 311 (band), 311 * June 28, 2002: Reel Big Fish, No Use for a Name, No Use For A Name, Thrice, NOFX, MxPx, Lagwagon, Good Charlotte, Bad Religion and The Used * July 19, 2003: The Used, Thrice, The Suicide Machines, Andrew W.K., Rancid (band), Rancid, Plain White T's, AFI (band), AFI, Dropkick Murphys, Simple Plan and Less Than Jake * June 26, 2004: New Found Glory, My Chemical Romance, Thursday (band), Thursday, Ima Robot and Bad Religion * June 24, 2005: The Offspring, My Chemical Romance, MxPx, No Use for a Name, No Use for A Name, Dropkick Murphys, Avenged Sevenfold, and The All-American Rejects * July 1, 2006: NOFX, Paramore, Less Than Jake, Helmet (band), Helmet, I Am Ghost and Silverstein (band), Silverstein * July 14, 2007: Paramore, New Found Glory, Coheed and Cambria, All Time Low and Bad Religion * July 3, 2008 (after venue was renamed Superpages.com Center): Reel Big Fish, Relient K, Say Anything (band), Say Anything, Paramore, Against Me! and Katy Perry * July 5, 2009: Less Than Jake, Underoath, Bad Religion, and A Day to Remember, A Day To Remember * July 3, 2010: Sum 41, Suicide Silence, Pierce the Veil, Pierce The Veil, Alkaline Trio, and The All-American Rejects


Superpages.com Center 2008–2010

At the opening of the 2008 season the naming rights for Smirnoff Music Centre expired and the venue was renamed for Superpages.com, an online business directory based in Coppell, Texas. The British spelling of the word "Centre" was changed to the more common American "Center" at the same time. The Heart Of The City package tour with Mary J. Blige, The-Dream and Jay-Z was the first engagement at Superpages.com Center on April 12, 2008. The Glow In The Dark tour with Kanye West, Rihanna, N*E*R*D and Lupe Fiasco followed weeks later on May 1, 2008. The True Colors tour assembled Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett,
The B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...
and others on a single bill June 22, 2008. KEGL, 97.5 The Eagle presented a BFD festival on July 24, 2008, with Mötley Crüe, Papa Roach, Buckcherry and others. Mayhem Festival rolled into Superpages the next day with a bill including Disturbed (band), Disturbed, Slipknot (band), Slipknot, Underoath, Mastodon (band), Mastodon, Machine Head (band), Machine Head and other Ozzfest alumni. KEGL, The Eagle brought another BFD festival to Superpages August 8, 2009 with Mötley Crüe, Godsmack and Drowning Pool. Mayhem Festival also returned August 15, 2009 with Marilyn Manson, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer and others. Mayhem returned August 13, 2010 with Rob Zombie, Korn, Hatebreed, Lamb of God and others. Uproar Festival followed September 10, 2010 with Disturbed (band), Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold and others. Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, James Blunt, Brad Paisley, Chris Cornell, The Avett Brothers, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, Lil Wayne, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Sublime (band), Sublime, Jack Johnson (musician), Jack Johnson, Owl City, and Kings of Leon, Kings Of Leon all made their debuts at Superpages.com during this period. The Police and Anthrax (American band), Anthrax also played Superpages.com for the first time, though Police frontman Sting (musician), Sting had headlined both Starplex and Smirnoff Music Centre as a solo artist.


Gexa Energy Pavilion 2011 - 2016

Lana Del Rey One Direction


Starplex Pavilion 2017 - 2018


Dos Equis Pavilion 2018 - Present

On April 21, 2018, the Foo Fighters played their first show in
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
in over a decade at the Dos Equis Pavilion on their Concrete and Gold Tour. On June 2, 2023 Janet Jackson played to a sold out crowd at the venue on her Janet Jackson: Together Again, Together Again tour.


Gallery

File:Silvergun_Gexa.jpg, American rock band Ashes of Eagles, Silvergun from Dallas, Texas performing at Gexa Energy Pavilion File:Solice Uproarfest Dallas 2013.jpg, Arlington, Texas, Arlington alternative rock band Solice performing for Uproar Festival at Gexa Energy Pavilion


See also

* List of contemporary amphitheatres * List of music venues *Live Nation (events promoter), Live Nation


References


External links


Dos Equis PavilionDos Equis Pavilion Facebook Page
Fair Park Amphitheaters in Texas Music venues in Texas Music venues in Dallas Music venues completed in 1988 1988 establishments in Texas Event venues established in 1988 {{Coord, 32, 46, 31, N, 96, 45, 23, W, type:landmark_region:US-TX, display=title