Rock bands Butterfingers, Regurgitator and Faker will play at the Ekka this year as the Royal National Association works overtime to attract young urbanites to the home of all things country in Brisbane.

That was the first surprise announced at the launch of Ekka 2008 at the RNA Showgrounds in Bowen Hills today.

The second was the condition of the main arena oval, with the former dustbowl transformed with new grass over a rebuilt surface covering large underground water tanks.

Also new this year is an online ticketing system via the Ekka's official website, which will entitle the first 5000 people to a 15 per cent discount on their entry fee.

The discount means a family of four can go the Ekka for $47.60, as opposed to the usual price of $22 for adults, $16 for concession holders, $12 for children (5 to 14), while children under five remain free.

RNA chief executive Jonathan Tunney said the oval re-design came courtesy of compensation from the underground North South Bypass Tunnel (NSBT), yesterday christened "Clem 7" by developers RiverCity Motorway.

Mr Tunney said six months of redesign on the oval had given a new lease of life to the 132 year-old site, which begins its next stage of development in September 2009, when a complete overhaul of the RNA site will begin.

"We have had lots of famous football games here, lots of famous cricket games here," Mr Tunney said.

"Don Bradman in his first Test match played here, and would you believe it, good old Don was dropped for the next match."

Mr Tunney said tunnelling for Clem 7 caused some disruptions to the surface of the oval, which were repaired.

"They had to do a bit of work before the tunnel went through and we now have this lovely playing surface, which is a licorice allsorts of material underneath.

"It has some peat moss, lots of re-inforcement, it is very water efficient, so we have tanks underneath and it is perfectly flat so the water percolates down to our tanks underneath, and that is reticulated back up onto the oval," he said.