KLAQ has confirmed the headliners for this year's Downtown Street Fest.
Saliva, Filter and Theory of a Deadman will perform June 29, with Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult and possibly one other act on June 30.
It also will showcase local bands on four other stages.
Fireworks will be featured each night.
It's a July 4th festival, of course, but Independence Day falls on a Wednesday this year, thus the early start.
Meanwhile, tickets are on sale for the Q's annual Balloonfest, which features concerts at Wet-N-Wild Waterworld and a balloon launch from the Santa Teresa Country Club.
The main stage will feature Buckcherry and Dead Sara (who opened for Chevelle Monday at Tricky Falls) on May 26, P.O.D. on May 27 and Hellyeah on May 28.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $30 at the gate or $39.99 for the weekend (including water rides), on sale at 7-11/Fina stores in metro El Paso and Pic Quik stores in Cruces.
Go to klaq.com for more info.
In other festive news:
• Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo, the No. 1 Spanish-language morning show host in the country, will be in town for the Que Buena 97.5 Cinco de Mayo bash from 2-9 p.m. May 5 at Cohen Stadium.
The Piolin Soccer Match Fiesta will include a soccer game pitting the DJs team against a group from the station at 3 p.m. It will be followed by a concert headlined by K-paz de la Sierra and Alex Villareal el Borrego.
It's free, but you've got to get tickets from the station to get in.
His nationally syndicated "Piolin por la Manana" show airs from 6-11 a.m. weekdays on the EP station.
Go to kbna975.com for more info.
• The first Neon Desert Music Festival Battle of the Bands ought to be called the Battle of the Bands and DJs.
Of the 13 acts who'll compete for opening slots on this year's festival, about a fourth of them are turntable specialists.
The free show is at 6 p.m. April 28 at Tricky Falls. Audience members will do the voting, with one act emerging as the winner.
Competing are: DJ Ace, Arom, Avindale, the Joe Barron Band, Emily Davis and the Altar Boys, the Dirty Funk, Sheer Khan and the Space Case, Ligre, Low Luster League, Lunatic, Stereothieves and DJ Angel Valentin and Villain's Kiss.
• Country singer and former "American Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler headlines the Inn of the Mountain Gods at 8 p.m. June 4.
She's touring new album "100 Proof." Pickler's "Tough" is up for female video of the year in the fan-voted CMT Music Awards, which will be announced June 6.
Tickets are $25, $40, $50, $60 and $75, plus service charges, on sale at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
• This year's Sun City Pride Festival, which will be June 6-10, has lined up four national acts for its June 9 Streetfest in Cleveland Square park near the history museum.
Singer Chris Willis will headline the show. He's sung for David Guetta and scored No. 1 dance hits with "Gettin' Over You" and "Love is Gone."
Also performing will be female impersonator Derrick Berry, who plays Britney Spears in Frank Marinos Divas Show in Las Vegas and competed on "America's Got Talent," No Doubt tribute band No Duh and Cher impersonator Chad Michaels, who has appeared on "RuPaul's Drag Race."
The festival opens with a sponsor party on June 6 and closes with a pool party at Wet-N-Wild Waterworld on June 10.
Tickets are $40 for all five days or $100 for a VIP pass, which includes free parking, a festival t-shirt, drink tickets and more.
Tickets go on sale May 1 at the Tool Box, 506 N. Stanton, and epscp.org.
• Kiko Rodriguez of Frontera Bugalu will headline the next La Parada party May 4 at the San Carlos Building, 501 Texas.
Birth DFX, Rob Bass and System A and JayTee also will perform.
It starts at 9 p.m. Admission is 18 and older. Cover is $5.
Great post, I especially found it useful in my line of work being music, sales and concerts.
Posted by: Bob Lawson | April 26, 2012 at 02:03 PM
Help me to contain myself. Saliva at Balloonfest one year, next year Downtown, next year BBQ. BOC...lather, rinse repeat. Filter/Drowning Pool same as it ever was...Once upon a time the Balloonfest had SRV, Cheap Trick, Loverboy...still lower level bands but not the same stuff as in recent years. I want the KLAQ promoters job.
Posted by: oh please | April 26, 2012 at 02:05 PM