Country 99 is thrilled to welcome Country Thunder featuring Jason Aldean, Tyler Hubbard, Nate Smith and Madeline Merlo to Princess Auto Stadium on July 10th, 2025 as part of the Thunder Stadium Concert Series!
The Winnipeg Football Club (WFC) and True North Sports + Entertainment are teaming up to bring a new annual summer music festival to Winnipeg. The Thunder Stadium Concert Series presented by Trans Canada Brewing Company (TCB) brings two days of incredible live music and unforgettable experiences to Princess Auto Stadium this July with headliners Def Leppard – July 9 – and Jason Aldean – July 10 – who both sold out Canada Life Centre upon their last visits to Winnipeg.
“Our vision is to make the Thunder Stadium Concert Series an annual Winnipeg musical summer tradition and a destination that brings in fans from out of market,” said Wade Miller, Winnipeg Football Club President and CEO. “It’s been almost eight years since Winnipeggers have been treated to a stadium show, and we are excited to host this new festival at Princess Auto Stadium.”
In collaboration with Saskatchewan festival Craven Country Thunder, True North and the WFC have curated a new Canadian stadium circuit to bring top talent to the prairies and western Canada following an extended absence of large-scale outdoor shows in the region.
“Led by mega act Def Leppard and Jason Aldean, who’s had more Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart than any other artist since 2005, these star-studded rock and country lineups will mark an explosive and long-overdue musical return to Princess Auto Stadium,” said Kevin Donnelly, True North’s Sr. Vice President of Venues + Entertainment. “Stadium shows and festivals are quickly becoming summer’s hottest entertainment ticket across North America, and we are excited to create the blueprint to bring a unique festival experience to Manitoba’s backyard.”
Heralded as the world’s greatest live rock band, Def Leppard will bring an arsenal of hits to a spectacular stage show, joined by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the multi-platinum Foreigner, responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems, including the worldwide No. 1 hit I Want To Know What Love Is. Canadian super group Toque will set the tone as the opening act and includes local ties with Winnipeg native Brent Fitz, formerly of Slash, on bass and keyboards.
Fresh off his sold-out U.S. Highway Desperado tour, ACM Artist of the Decade and three-time ACM Artist of the Year Jason Aldean will be joined by Tyler Hubbard, formerly half of acclaimed duo Florida Georgia Line, who followed his first solo single 5 foot 9 – the first-ever country song to receive the Diamond certification – with his self-titled debut album in 2023. Up-and-comers Nate Smith, Billboard’s Rookie of the Year and Amazon’s Breakthrough Artist for 2024, and Platinum-certified No. 1 songwriter poised for breakout, Canadian Madeline Merlo will warm up the crowd.
Single event tickets or “Thunder Passes” for both shows are available, including two VIP options, standing and seated, which provide exclusive front-of-stage viewing and private hospitality services, along with upgraded amenities and access including early entry, express service at merchandise kiosks and private, elevated restroom amenities.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Valour FC, Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose season ticket members will have access to an exclusive pre-sale beginning Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Wednesday, Feb. 5 will mark the artists’ pre-sale with access also provided to WFC, Valour and True North (Jets, Moose, All Access) email subscribers beginning at 10 a.m. All pre-sales end at 9:59 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7 with the general on-sale starting Friday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m.
About Jason Aldean
Three-time ACM Entertainer of the Year and ACM Artist of the Decade Jason Aldean has bolstered 28 No. 1 hits, over 18 billion streams, and more than 20 million albums sold with “his own recipe…one that has vaulted him to the pinnacle of Country music success” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). He has earned the most Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – more than any other artist – since his debut in 2005, with “songs of small-town living, love and loss that have resonated with a loyal fanbase” (Billboard). Currently on his sold-out Highway Desperado tour across the U.S., the Georgia native continues his “country superstar status” (Variety). As a follow-up to MACON, GEORGIA, for which Aldean earned Billboard and Grammy nominations, his 11th studio album, Highway Desperado, released this past November, features Tough Crowd, his career first Hot 100 chart-topping hit, Try That In A Small Town, and fan-favourite tracks Let Your Boys Be Country and Whiskey Drink. jasonaldean.com
About Tyler Hubbard
With 22 No.1 singles on country radio, countless awards, and sold-out tours, Tyler Hubbard has already had a remarkable career as a songwriter and as one half of multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line. Released in January 2023, Hubbard’s self-titled debut solo album has amassed more than 1.5 billion streams to date. It features Hubbard’s hit debut solo single 5 Foot 9, which hit #1 at Country Radio, was certified two-time Platinum by the RIAA and has 569 million global streams. It also features Hubbard’s second No. 1 single, Dancin’ In The Country, which has been certified Double Platinum by the RIAA. Hubbard has made several television appearances as a solo artist, most recently at Good Morning America, Fox & Friends and The Kelly Clarkson Show, and also on the CMT Music Awards, ACM Honors, NBC’s TODAY Show and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Back Then Right Now, the first radio single of his new album STRONG (April 12 via EMI Nashville), reached the top spot at country radio, making Hubbard the only artist to start two separate careers with at least three consecutive No. 1 songs. The Georgia native is currently headlining his STRONG World Tour. tylerhubbardofficial.com
About Nate Smith
Since bursting onto the scene a few short years ago with his mix of gritty backwoods soul, rock ‘n’ roll swagger and velvet-thunder vocals, Nate Smith has accumulated over 1.6 billion career streams, scored two No. 1 records (Whiskey on You and World on Fire), three Top 5, garnered multiple gold and platinum records, sold-out shows across the U.S. and received numerous nominations for best new artist from the ACM Awards, CMT Awards, iHeart Radio Awards and so many more. Most recently, Smith received the award for ACM New Male Artist of the Year, Billboard’s Rookie of the Year and Amazon’s Breakthrough Artist for 2024 and joined Morgan Wallen on his One Night At A Time 2024 Tour. natesmithofficial.com
About Madeline Merlo
Hailing from British Columbia, BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville artist Madeline Merlo is a rising star with an old soul and a new school style. Already a Platinum-certified No. 1 songwriter poised to be a breakout artist, Merlo’s new project ONE HOUSE DOWN (from the girl next door), including a collaboration with Keith Urban on the title track, finds a lifelong striver embracing her own imperfect perfection, and hopefully spreading the word. Signing a record deal at the tender age of 18, she found fast success on Canadian country radio and earned the CCMA Rising Star award in 2015. In 2020, she competed on Season 2 of NBC songwriting reality series Songland – emerging a winner. Her dressed-down anthem of easy confidence Champagne Night became a Platinum-certified three-week No. 1 for Lady A and was quickly followed by the sassy country/funk and soul single It Didn’t, racking up more than 10 million Spotify streams to date, and the gravel-road pop of her Slide EP in 2022. Merlo was named to CMT’s Next Women of Country class of 2024. madelinemerlo.com
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