Wyclef Jean, Kid Rock, and Journey to Perform at RNC 2012 Kick Off in Tampa

With the Republican National Convention only three days away, Tampa, Florida, is teeming with excitement about which celebrity guests will grace the arenas and auditoriums of this year’s host city. 

The RNC kick-off event on Monday night boasts appearances by country singer Rodney Atkins, a Busch Gardens acrobatic show, an act by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders, Karla Davis from The Voice, and American Idol star Shannon Magrane. Convention attendees are enthusiastic about performances by musical artists Kid Rock, Trace Adkins, Camp Freddy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, Wyclef Jean, the Zac Brown Band, and others.

Not everyone will be lucky enough to attend these shows. Organizers have confirmed that concerts by Kid Rock, Gavin McGraw, and Trace Adkins will be strictly invite-only. Among the non-musical guests are Ann Romney and Rosario Dawson, who are expected to make public appearances.

On Tuesday, country singer Trace Adkins is expected to perform for an invite-only crowd. Kid Rock’s Wednesday performance will be a private one, but fans can still enjoy the concert from outside Liberty Plaza — as the rocker’s shows tend to be loud. 

The 1980s sensation, Journey, will wrap up the week of musical performances on Thursday alongside the Zac Brown Band. This event is for VIP guests, but people can still enjoy the atmosphere at a party zone designated for the public.

Also on the invite-only concert list is rock artist Gavin DeGraw. On Tuesday, the singer/songwriter will lead the Presidential Convention Charity Benefit, produced in association with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Recording Industry Association of America. The organization that is hosting this event, Musicians on Call, gives wounded soldiers access to live concerts in Veteran’s Affairs hospitals nationwide.

It’s unclear if Camp Freddy will perform for the public, or just for private donors on Monday. Camp Freddy is a cover band made up of Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney of Jane's Addiction, Matt Sorum of Guns N Roses, Billy Morrison of The Cult and Donovan Leitch. The band is famous for wowing their guests — so watch out for a big-name surprise guest on stage. 

Also rumored to appear are musicians Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Randolph and Night Ranger.

Convention-goers look forward to public appearances by Ann Romney and Rosario Dawson. Romney will attend a fundraiser for GOP Senate candidate Connie Mack at the Hyatt Regency Tampa on Tuesday. Actress Dawson will speak at a "Red, White y Tu" event hosted by the Hispanic Leadership Network. 

But fear not, politics and music fans. Even if you can’t make it to Tampa will full access passes, you can still follow next week’s events on PolicyMic’s upcoming liveblog of the RNC. If you happen to be at the convention, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of your favorite celebs, so don't give up hope just yet.