Memorial Stadium, affectionately known as “Death Valley,” is set to echo with more than just the sounds of football in 2026. For the first time in nearly three decades, the stadium will once again welcome a major concert event — kicking off a new era of live music in the historic venue.
Country music legend George Strait will headline the first-ever Death Valley Nights concert on May 2, 2026, with Cody Johnson and Wyatt Flores also joining the lineup. The event will be held “in the round,” meaning the stage will be placed at the center of the stadium to maximize fan engagement and visibility.
According to a university news release, organizers are expecting a crowd of more than 90,000 people, a number that would rival some of the largest events ever held at the stadium.
The return of concerts to Memorial Stadium was officially announced during the Clemson Board of Trustees’ fall quarterly meetings. The initiative marks the start of a new partnership between Clemson Athletics, Clemson Athletic Ventures, and Does Entertainment, aimed at reviving the stadium’s role as a cultural hub for major events.
While primarily used for Clemson Tigers football games, Memorial Stadium was once a key stop for legendary performers. In the past, the venue hosted iconic artists including The Rolling Stones (1989), Pink Floyd, U2, The Eagles, and even Billy Joel and Elton John, who performed together in 1995 as part of their “Face to Face” tour.
George Strait’s upcoming concert holds a special historical significance. He was the last artist to perform at Memorial Stadium back in 1999, making his 2026 return a full-circle moment.
“Memorial Stadium has always been more than a football venue,” said Eric Sabin, Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for Finance and Operations. “With Death Valley Nights, we’re excited to bring that tradition full circle and create new experiences that will unite our students, alumni, and community in the same spirit of pride and passion that defines Clemson.”
Though concerts disappeared from Death Valley for over 25 years, the stadium saw a brief transformation this past April 26, when it hosted the Savannah Bananas, a traveling baseball show that drew a sellout crowd of 81,000 — the largest in Banana Ball history. The success of that event helped pave the way for future non-football programming.
Planning for Death Valley Nights has been underway for more than 18 months, according to Sabin, and reflects the university’s growing interest in utilizing the stadium for broader community engagement.
More details about the concert series will be posted to www.DeathValleyNights.com, though the website was temporarily down as of the morning of October 21.
