When it comes to the Houston Rodeo, country may pay the bills — but rock stars have burned the paint off the rafters. Inside NRG Stadium (and the old Astrodome before it), these seven shows didn’t just play. They detonated.
Elvis Presley – 1970 The King in a rhinestone jumpsuit at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo? Game over. When Elvis hit the Dome, grown men stood on chairs and screamed like teenagers. It proved the Rodeo could land global royalty — not just country crooners.
KISS – 2004 Fire. Blood. Face paint. Gene Simmons breathing flames in the middle of a rodeo crowd? That’s not a concert — that’s controlled chaos. KISS turned calf-roping country into Detroit Rock City for one unforgettable night.
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Bon Jovi – 2010 When Jon strutted onto that star stage, it was wall-to-wall fists in the air. “Livin’ on a Prayer” echoing across 70,000 Texans hits different. This wasn’t nostalgia — this was arena dominance.
Journey – 2022 Yes, with Arnel Pineda at the mic. And yes, the place still erupted when “Don’t Stop Believin’” kicked in. Proof that big hooks and bigger choruses never die in Houston. Sadly, the concert was cut short because of equipment issues.
Aerosmith – 2017 Steven Tyler owned that rotating stage like it was 1977. Scarves flying, hips shaking, Joe Perry ripping solos — it felt more Madison Square Garden than mutton bustin’.
Prince – 2004 Purple rain in a sea of cowboy hats. Prince shredded, strutted, and turned a livestock crowd into a funk congregation. You didn’t expect that much cool at a rodeo — and that’s exactly why it ruled.
Country may headline most nights. But when rock royalty rides into Houston, it’s loud, larger-than-life, and unforgettable. These weren’t just concerts.
