While we’re thinking midwest Fossil Rock, don’t forget REO Speedwagon. Illinois band that is still touring.

But not at the expense of trying to re-book The Mummies!!!!!

But if I had my druthers, it would be ZZ Top uber alles on the Fossil Rock genre.

The one time I was able to see Cheap Trick was on RAGBRAI in 2015 or 2016. Maybe my expectations were too high but I was disappointed with their performance.

Bring back Dennis DeYoung (Hiawatha 2015) of Styx. One of the best concerts ever.

Can’t get the real Pink Floyd but Britt Floyd would be great!

Junior Brown.

Where was Maddie Poppe?

Maddie Poppe was in Pork Belly.

Cheap Trick was in 2015 in Coralville. I left before the show was over. Not impressed at all.

That year Dennis DeYoung played as mentioned earlier and he was excellent.

Would love to see Greta Van Fleet. They cross over many generations.

Cheap Trick sucked in 2015. It seemed they could not have cared less and just wanted to go their separate ways and get out of there.

Only if they replace Hairball. They can’t be any worse.

I remember when RAGBRAI used to be a bicycle ride first and foremost, and everything else was just lagniappe.

[quote quote=1310684]I remember when RAGBRAI used to be a bicycle ride first and foremost, and everything else was just lagniappe.[/quote]

You mean when the pass through and overnight towns showcased local talent? Slowly the same djs started being there every day. And the overnight entertainment escalation started.

Yes, it was local talent, like the high school glee clubs, the community band , the Porkopolis County Washboard and Kazoo Orchestra and Marching Society, or some local garage band playing covers.  Sure it was more like Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour, but I didn’t think all that many people minded.  The point is it didn’t start out where every overnight town fell into an arms-race sort of mindset as to “who can we get to outdo last night’s town?”

I blame a large part of that to the way the Register allowed the ride to grow into what it is today.  My first RAGBRAI (RAGBRAI VI in 1978) had, according to most all reports, maybe five thousand people making the trek across Iowa.  Within ten years that number had tripled, and while I haven’t ridden in almost twenty years I dare the number of riders and non-riders combined coming into an overnight town nowadays is on the far side of 25K people.  It costs money to provide for that kind of a crowd — I’d hate to see just what the KYBO bill alone runs!  So host town expenses rose, and in order to recoup some of that money host committees were forced to become more like concert promoters and bring in something that would get people into the entertainment tents — and more important, get them to stay there for a while — drinking those overpriced cans of suds.

Rick Springfield played Ottumwa the last southern swing…would have loved to have seen that show. The Spazmatics can play somewhere every year as far as I’m concerned!

Bicycle Bill,

I have to say RAGBRAI is still a bicycle event first and foremost but it has just evolved. My first was in 1999 at age 41 and while there have been changes to me it is still an athletic event that has a ton of fun wrapped around it. I personally would have no interest in going out at night to see a local Glee Club perform. I feel that is better served in the pass-through towns along the way. Every year it is different for me on how many nights I go to see the entertainment but I never miss the Pork Tornadoes. While I do not know many of the artists of the music they play I do recognize the songs and they get the crowd rocking. Most local talent would not accomplish that.

In addition for this ride to survive change has been needed over time. Younger people need to participate so that the ride can continue. Our team has many in their 60’s and has befriended a team of 28-30 year olds that camp with us. They have fun during the day and at night and still ride every mile. It is all about having fun and what is fun to some is not to others but that doesn’t mean it is better or worse, just different. I feel that if the ride stayed like it was without changing due to the needs and wants of the paying population the ride would have died. Pork Belly Adventures is a prime example of that. BTW I do not use them and probably never will but I do appreciate what they do for those that do. There are many other rides in the country that are more like what RAGBRAI used to be, fewer people, fewer amenities, more of just riding your bike for miles with not as many people around. For those that want that there are many choices. Many of those promoters would love to have more join their rides, not many turn people away.

Back in 1999 I saw much more drunkenness during all hours of the day than I see today. Yes, there are many that still party hard along the way but I honestly feel as a whole people are more responsible today. That is a huge positive IMO. T

The world has evolved and RAGBRAI has evolved along with that. Nothing in life is perfect but for me, the last week in July riding with 30,000 of my friends is about as close as you can get.