8 concerts not to miss during 2019 National Finals Rodeo

The stakes are big, the entertainment offerings bigger as the National Finals Rodeo returns to the Thomas & Mack Center Dec. 5 through 14.

With dozens of country music acts hitting Las Vegas for the event, here are 8 performances that you won’t want to miss:

Old Dominion, Dec. 4-5, The Joint at the Hard RockHotel: Fresh off winning vocal group of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April, Old Dominion return to Vegas to “Make It Sweet” once again.

Dwight Yoakam & The Bakersfield Beat, Dec. 4, 6-7, 10, 12 and 14, Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas: Buck Owens may have pioneered the Bakersfield sound, but Dwight Yoakam continues to keep the rock ’n’ roll-influenced strain of country music alive and kickin’.

Reba and Brooks & Dunn, Dec. 4, 6-8, 10-11 and 13-14, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace: With 58 (!) number one singles between them, it’s safe to say you’ll hear hits and more hits with a side of hits when Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn continue to share the stage together during NFR.

Gary Allan, Dec. 6-7, The Joint at the Hard Rock: An NFR staple for years now, Gary Allan’s rootsy repertoire is as much a part of the annual festivities as buckin’ broncos and lassoed steers.

George Strait, Dec. 6-7, T-Mobile Arena: The King of Country returns to salute his court, playing the rare non-stadium gig as part of his standing engagement here. It doesn’t get any bigger than this.

Jason Aldean, Dec. 6-8, Park Theater at Park MGM: It’ll be a highly emotional moment when Jason Aldean plays his first Las Vegas headlining shows since the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting. Like Las Vegas itself, Aldean has remained unbowed in the face of tragedy.

Shania Twain, Dec. 7, 11, 13-14 and 18, Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort: The best-selling female country artist of all time launches her latest Vegas residency, “Let’s Go!” Yes, let’s.

Ronnie Milsap, Dec. 9, The Showroom at the Golden Nugget: The forecast calls for some “Smoky Mountain Rain” when one of country music’s all-time great balladeers heads back to NFR to get a few tears in your beer.

Jamey Johnson, Dec. 13, The Showroom at the Golden Nugget: This outlaw country throwback gives vintage honky-tonk a modern spin as the spiritual heir to late greats such as Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard.

Kip Moore and Midland, Dec. 14, The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: Singer-songwriter Kip Moore teams up with 2018 new vocal group of the year ACM Award winners Midland in one of the NFR’s best musical pairings.