MusicFest lineup put spotlight on El Dorado

News-Times
News-Times

The lineup for the 31st Annual MusicFest has been receiving attention from publications across the nation, said Bob Tarren, chief marketing officer at MAD.

“We’ve gotten pieces in Rollingstone.com, People.com, Arkansas Times, Grammys.com, a hip hop site, and it’s just begun,” Tarren said.

Tarren said the only publication they were talking to was Rolling Stone, and the others picked it up from them.

He said the headliners have caught everyone’s attention, pointing specifically to Cardi B.

“Most of the (publications) feature Cardi B, but in the copy, it’s about the whole lineup,” he added.

Rolling Stone’s website said, “Fans of hair metal and Hot 100 rap are in for a strange treat this October when Lita Ford, Bret Michaels and Sammy Hagar open for ‘Bodak Yellow’ rapper and current Rolling Stone cover star Cardi B. They just have to figure out how to get to El Dorado, Arkansas first.”

People.com pointed out that Cardi B is a new mother to daughter Kulture. Referring to MusicFest, the magazine said, “Baby Kulture’s first concert?”

The website also noted that Cardi B’s husband, Offset of Migos, was one of last year’s headliners at the grand opening of MAD at MusicFest XXX.

Grammy.com said the MAD MusicFest promises to put El Dorado “more noticeably on the map.”

“In a town with a long tradition of performing arts, Cardi B will be holding down El Dorado’s 2,500-seat capacity Griffin Music Hall for a late-night show on Friday night, Oct. 19, followed by Gucci Mane on Saturday, Oct. 20,” Grammy.com said.

As far as ticket sales go, Tarren said MAD has sold a lot of tickets to the band’s fan clubs and their own members.

The announcement of the lineup was Tuesday, with MAD officials naming the headliners that will be performing during the Oct. 18-20 event. The lineup includes performances by rappers Cardi B and Gucci Mane, country star Toby Keith and famed rocker Sammy Hagar, among many others.

Tickets went on sale for early purchase yesterday and MAD tweeted later that “Cardi B pit tickets sold out within five minutes of going on sale (Friday) morning.”

The tweet said there are still general admission tickets left, but noted “these are going FAST.”

Tarren said the reaction of the lineup in El Dorado has been positive. He said although not a lot of the older people know who Gucci Mane or Cardi B is, “they know there is something big going on.”

“I think, overall, the reaction is great,” he said. “It’s going to be another big one.”

Kaitlyn Rigdon can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].

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