Lit at the Mississippi Valley Fair -- August 2.
Saturday, August 2 8 p.m.
Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 West Locust Street, Davenport IA
On August 2, this year's Mississippi Valley Fair will offer a two-fer of alternative rock and post-grunge with its fifth grandstand concert of the summer: a co-headlining event featuring Lit, whose top-10 Billboard hits include "Miserable," "Lipstick & Bruises," and the chart-topping "My Own Worst Enemy," and Pop Evil, their own Billboard smashes including the number-one singles "Trenches," "Torn to Pieces," and "Deal with the Devil."
As stated at AllMusic.com, Lit was "a major player throughout the post-grunge boom" that "featured the combined talents of frontman A. Jay Popoff, his guitar-playing brother Jeremy, bassist Kevin Baldes, and drummer Allen Shellenberger. The group formed in 1990 in Orange County, California, where it initially performed metal-influenced music under the name Razzle. After changing their name, Lit began embracing a spunky brand of punk-pop that helped attract a local following in California. The group sold out local venues (including Club 369 in Fullerton) and issued two recordings: an EP, Five Smokin' Tracks from Lit; and the full-length Tripping the Light Fantastic, which arrived during the spring of 1997 and became a college radio hit.
"Lit then landed a contract with RCA Records, which released the follow-up effort A Place in the Sun two years later. This proved to be Lit's breakthrough record, as the catchy rock riffs of 'My Own Worst Enemy,' 'Zip-Lock,' and 'Miserable' all paved the way for platinum sales. With 'My Own Worst Enemy' topping the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart, Lit toured the country alongside groups like the Offspring, No Doubt, and Garbage. Furthermore, they performed a set at Woodstock 1999 and earned a spot on the 2000 Vans Warped Tour.
"A third album, Atomic, was released in fall 2001, spawning several singles including 'Lipstick & Bruises.' A self-titled album arrived in 2004, marking Lit's fourth full-length effort (as well as their first release on the Nitrus label). In 2008, drummer Shellenberger was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He died on August 13, 2009 at the age of 39. Nathan Walker was added as the band's drummer and Lit began work on new material. In 2012, Lit released their fifth studio album, the Butch Walker-produced The View from the Bottom. They dedicated the album to Shellenberger. The band's sixth album, These Are the Days, appeared at the end of 2017, showcasing a rootsier, countrified sound."
Pop Evil, as stated at AllMusic.com, "was formed in 2001 in the Western Michigan town of North Muskegon (not far from Grand Rapids) by vocalist Leigh Kakaty. Kakaty had previously worked in a local band called TenFive, and after they broke up, he recruited their former drummer Dylan Allison to join him in his new project. The first lineup also included guitarist Dave Grahs and bassist Jamie Nummer, and for their first few years they balanced gigs where they played their original material with jobs as a cover band to keep themselves together and raise money for studio time. Pop Evil put out an independent album, War of the Roses, in 2004, followed by an EP, Ready or Not, in 2006. In 2007, the group landed a management deal, and their second album, Lipstick on the Mirror, appeared in 2008. By this time, Matt DiRito took over on bass from Jamie Nummer, and they became a quintet with the addition of Tony Greve on lead guitar. Pop Evil landed a deal with the Universal/Republic imprint Pazzo Music who reissued Lipstick on the Mirror in 2009 with two hidden bonus tracks. The band's relationship with Pazzo Music soured while they were recording their third album, and they severed ties with the label, with eOne Entertainment taking on the group and releasing War of Angels in 2011. Around the time of the album's debut, drummer Dylan Allison suffered a neck injury, and Brian Kuhn took over behind the kit. Within a year, Kuhn was out and Joshua Marunde (who sometimes billed himself as Chachi Riot) became their latest drummer. This period also saw Tony Greve drop out of the band, and Jay Taylor briefly took over as lead guitarist, before Nick Fuelling filled the position in 2012.
"The band toured extensively after the release of War of Angels, sharing bills with Puddle of Mudd, Papa Roach, 3 Doors Down, and Drowning Pool among many others, as well as headlining shows of their own. In May 2013, Pop Evil issued their fourth LP, Onyx, through eOne, and the track 'Trenches' rose to the top of the Rock Radio charts. They also signed a deal with Eleven Seven Music for European release of their music. In 2015, Joshua Marunde left the group, and drummer Hayley Cramer came on board in time to tour with Pop Evil in support of the album Up, released that year. The leadoff track, 'Footsteps,' became a major hit on streaming services, and the band kept up their usual busy touring schedule. February 2018 brought the long-player Pop Evil, which spawned another streaming hit, 'Waking Lions.' They hit the road with Disturbed, This Moment, Memphis May Fire, and Messer, and also toured Australia for the first time. After offering several fresh tracks in 2020, including the mainstream rock chart-topping 'Breathe Again' and 'Survivor,' they delivered their sixth studio album, Versatile, in May 2021. Two years later, they returned with Skeletons, which included the hit single 'Eye of the Storm,' and featured guest spots from Ryan Kirby (Fit for a King) and Blake Allison (Devour the Day). In December 2023, Hayley Cramer revealed on social media that she had left Pop Evil, saying 'I want to branch out and find new paths and adventures.' Blake Allison, formerly of Egypt Central and Devour the Day, became Pop Evil's new drummer, and made his recording debut with the band on 2025's What Remains."
Lit and Pop Evil play their 2025 Mississippi Valley Fair grandstand concert on August 2, admission to the 8 p.m. event is included with the purchase of an MVP Fun Card, and more information is available by calling (563)326-5338 and visiting MVFair.com.
