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Grand Prairie music venue partners up with national concert promoter

AEG Presents will run Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie through at least 2033.

Photo courtesy of Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie

The rock won't stop at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie following a renewed partnership between the city of Grand Prairie and major promoter AEG Presents.

According to a release, the city came to terms on an extension of its partnership with AEG through 2033.

AEG Presents, which operates across five continents and has such events as the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to its credit, has operated the venue since its opening in 2002.

The 6,350-capacity theatre has gone by a number of names in the past 23 years, including NextStage Performance Theater, Nokia Theatre, Verizon Theatre, and, simply, The Theatre at Grand Prairie. It was renamed Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie in 2021.

Over the years the venue has hosted a wide variety of singers, bands, comedians, and other acts, including Bad Bunny, BTS, Dolly Parton, Eagles, Coldplay, Kacey Musgraves, The Killers, Tyler, the Creator, and Steve Martin.

The renewed partnership will include a commitment toward investments in venue upgrades, such as acoustics, customer amenities, and technology.

"We’re excited to keep working with AEG Presents and continue bringing top-tier entertainment to Grand Prairie," said Mayor Ron Jensen in a statement. “This ongoing commitment will bring more jobs to our community, attract even more visitors, and further solidify our city as a top destination for culture, arts, and live music in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex."

Upcoming big events at the theatre include The Temptations & Four Tops, Dancing with the Stars Live, Taylor Tomlinson, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and more.

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RIP Joe

Texas country music singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer, and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

According to a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife Sharon, and daughter Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings."

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

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