Ruth BSeven popular new touring bands including Ruth B, Before You Exit, We the Kings and Emblem 3, will join more than 120 tiny canine athletes on Saturday, May 7, at First Tennessee Pavilion.
The Running of the Chihuahuas 9 is being held in celebration of Cinco de Mayo and is presented by WDOD-FM/Hits 96. The event features the canine races, which will start at 5 p.m., but also food and beverages and live music. The day begins at 2 p.m.
Also set to perform will be Germany's AudioDamn!, That Poppy and Tryon.
Hits 96 Assistant Program Director and Events Coordinator Brad Steiner says the series has become an event to introduce young, up-and-coming acts to Chattanooga.
"We have been incredibly lucky to break so many artists on the Running of the Chihuahuas stage," he says. "From Rachel Platten, who went on to have a certified-gold selling album ["Wildfire"], to Hot Chelle Rae, who played Riverbend's Coke Stage just a few years after ROTC.
"This year's lineup has enormous potential and we couldn't be more grateful that they have decided to play exclusively for our event and our Running of the Chihuahuas family."
The Lineup
* Ruth B is a Canadian singer-songwriter making her Chattanooga debut. She started by singing songs on Vine, the online entertainment network, in early 2013. In January 2015, she released her debut single, "Lost Boy," which has been the top song on the music-search website Shazam in Chattanooga the last 2 1/2 weeks.
* Before You Exit returns to Chattanooga after opening for Cody Simpson at Hits 96's End of Summer Bash at Hamilton Place a couple of years ago.
* We The Kings were one of the Warped Tour's headliners this summer and played the very first Running of the Chihuahuas nine years ago.
* Emblem 3 are brothers Wesley and Keaton Stromberg along with Drew Chadwick. The trio finished fourth on the first season of "X-Factor."
* AudioDamn! is a Germany-based, Austrian-bred, three-piece featuring frontman Oliver "Oli" Wimmer on guitar and vocals, Ali Grumeth on guitar, bass and backing vocals, and anchored by drummer Daniel 'Mudi' Mudrack.
* That Poppy is a Nashville-born singer/songwriter who emerged on YouTube in 2014 with a video of her eating cotton candy in silence. She has a calculated, wholesome persona, budding style-icon status and tongue-in-cheek video.
* Tryon is brothers Stephen and Justin Kirk, who grew up in Charlotte, N.C., where both immersed themselves in a variety of musical styles they found performing in gospel choirs, school bands and at backyard parties and music clubs.