Shinedown
Nebraska State Fair
Grand Island, Nebraska
September 5th 2026
SHINEDOWN
★
SHINEDOWN ★
Shinedown Brings the Heat to the Nebraska State Fair
The sweet smell of funnel cake filled the air. Joyful screams echoed from the nearby carnival rides. Fans stood in lines a mile long at the merchandise tent for the band that everyone had been waiting all day for. Anticipation built as Shinedown prepared to take the stage at the Nebraska State Fair.
Making a stop on their Dance, Kid, Dance Act II tour at TD Landing in Grand Island, NE on September 5, 2026; Dexter & the Moonrocks kicked off the show with a set that got the crowd amped.
Fans donned their blackest clothing, sporting their Shinedown T-shirts from tours of years past, all gathered at the state fair for this one reason.
The openers did exactly what they were supposed to: get the crowd moving. Dexter & the Moonrocks frontman, James Tuffs, encouraged the crowd to get into it and up the energy by opening up that pit to a cover of Freaks by Surf Curse. They squeezed a little bit of everything into their opening set, ranging from older fan-favorite hits like She Likes Girls to closing the set with their TikTok viral hit, Freakin’ Out.
People of all ages filled the crowd. Families brought lawn chairs and blankets to gather in the general admission section. Kids sat on their father’s shoulders so they could see across the outdoor venue. Couples held hands as they navigated through the crowd to find the perfect spot to dance the night away to their favorite songs.
For some, it was their first time at a rock show.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Shinedown, and this state fair concert was the perfect opportunity for my first-ever rock concert,” said Madison Mast, a fan from Cozad, Nebraska, attending the fair and concert with her friends. “I can’t wait to hear them sing a symptom of being human.”
Shinedown didn’t let her down as they took to the stage with a bang. Pyrotechnics and fireworks lit up TD Landing under the star-filled Nebraska sky. Song after song, the crowd rocked along to all of the hits.
Lead singer Brent Smith connected with the crowd while they set up to lead into Three Six Five.
“I want you all to look to your left, and then look to your right,” said Smith. “I want to see everyone shaking hands; tell them how nice it is to see everybody tonight.”
This diverse crowd was united for the night by their shared interest in Shinedown and love of live music.
Just as the band was starting to play Bully, Eric Bass experienced some technical difficulties with his bass guitar. Following some playful ribbing from his bandmates, Bass rocked through the rest of their set with no issues. This was Bass’ second night on stage after a short hiatus from touring due to a mental health emergency. Fans were thankful to see Bass back with the rest of the guys in Shinedown.
As the night came to a close and all you could hear was Smith's vocals echoing through the prairie lands, fans screamed along to the song they’d all been waiting for, Second Chance; Bringing together the Nebraska State Fair patrons for a night of dancing, singing, and quality time spent with others, creating memories they’ll never forget.