CHERYL'S PEARLS: Pics 'n Ponderings

A Note From Cheryl

2011-11-02T23:14:00.000-04:00

Thank you for visiting my Concert Review Blog. I have enjoyed attending, photographing and writing about a variety of concerts over the past several years. I hope that my reviews and photos have made you feel like you were right there with me.

At this time in my life I’ve had to take a step back, look at what’s truly important and prioritize my time, energy and resources. I need to spend time with my aging father, my quickly growing grandchildren, and be sure I carve out plenty of time for my husband so that he knows how important he is to me.

In order to do all of this I will not be attending many concerts. I will be extremely selective and whenever I go to a show, I want to relax and enjoy it. I don’t want to stress over getting the best photo or remembering some occurrence so that I can write about it.

If you want to view a collection of some of my favorite photos from the past several years you can find them here:
Cheryl's Pearls Photos - Concerts

Thanks again for visiting.

May God Bless,
Cheryl

Rodney Atkins at Celebrate Virginia Live in Fredericksburg, VA September 9, 2011

2011-09-13T18:09:00.000-04:00

RODNEY ATKINS CELEBRATES VIRGINIA

I must confess I was a little leery of attending a concert at the Celebrate Virginia Live venue in Fredericksburg, VA after an August earthquake rocked the area followed by Hurricane Irene with torrential rains that washed away roads and left many in the area without power for days. But that Friday we saw the first rays of sunshine in over a week so my daughter-in-law and I decided to venture forth. True, there were some muddy spots where we had to step gingerly but all in all the outdoor venue was in good shape and it was great to get out of the house.

Rodney Atkins appeared to be thrilled to be in Virginia. He told us to think of ourselves hanging out in his front yard while he played guitar and sang from his front porch. In fact it actually felt like that’s exactly what we were doing!

With his humble charm and no-nonsense style he immediately put the audience at ease as he sang his newest release “Farmer’s Daughter.” He knelt down several times to converse with fans closest to the stage and hand out guitar picks. He confessed that he’s not worried about conforming to the “norm” which may be why he doesn’t win a lot of awards but he unashamedly puts God, family and friends first in his life (and that ranks him high in MY book).

Atkins continued to perform a number of his hits: “It’s America,” “About The South,” “Friends with Tractors,” and he even covered a few songs to the delight of the crowd – “Good Ol’ Boys” (Waylon Jennings), “Much Too Young (Too Feel This Damn Old)” (Garth Brooks), and “Back on the Road Again,” (Willie Nelson). It was obvious Atkins and his band mates were enjoying themselves.

Atkins continued to maintain the momentum by saving some of his best songs (in my opinion) for last: “Take a Back Road,” “Cleaning This Gun,” “These Are My People,” and “Watching You.” Atkins invited the cutest little 5 year old girl on stage to sing along on the chorus of “Watching You” as the audience cheered and applauded her effort.

With the anniversary of 9/11 only two days away, Atkins closed with a fitting tribute to the military by singing “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows).”

Roots & Boots with Aaron Tippin, Sammy Kershaw, & Joe Diffie

2011-09-04T16:50:00.000-04:00

ROOTS AND BOOTS CONCERT IN WOODSTOCK, VA

The Roots and Boots Concert Tour is all about getting back to the “roots” of country music and, as Aaron Tippin says, restoring camaraderie among musicians which he says there’s too little of these days. Aaron Tippin is joined by Sammy Kershaw and Joe Diffie as they tour around the country sharing stories and singing their songs together on stage.

I had the opportunity to see them at the Shenandoah County Fair in Woodstock, VA on Thursday, September 1st. I was curious to see the nature of the crowd. As expected there were several old timers in attendance but there was a surprising number of young people there as well. In fact a pre-teen sat behind me and sang along to practically every song. It just goes to show you that traditional country music is timeless.

There was a lot of lighthearted banter on stage. Sammy Kershaw was the main perpetrator but Aaron Tippin and Joe Diffie had their fair share. Between all the jokes and chatter they each took turns singing some of their greatest hits.

After Sammy Kershaw sang his number one hit “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” he laughed about never making it to number one on two other songs because Tracy Lawrence kept edging him out. I don’t think the crowd cared – they seemed to enjoy singing along to “Cadillac Style,” “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer,” and “Third Rate Romance.”

As for Joe Diffie, he struck me as a humble and talented musician who thoroughly loves playing music. With a twinkle in his eye he sang “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox,” Pickup Man,” “Third Rock From the Sun,” “John Deer Green,” and “Home,” to name a few.

Aaron Tipping received a standing ovation for “Where the Stars and Stripes and The Eagles Fly” as he honored the military. The crowd also enjoyed “You’ve Got To Stand For Something,” “Kiss This,” “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio,” “Workin Man’s Ph.D.” and “My Blue Angel.”

I wish them the best as they travel the country as ambassadors of traditional country music, courageously sharing the stage and the limelight with fellow artists. We, the fans, are the true benefactors.

American Idol Live Tour in Washington, DC August 19, 2011

2011-08-23T19:53:00.000-04:00

AMERICAN IDOL COMES TO D.C.

My husband and I enjoyed being “armchair judges” as we watched Season 10 of American Idol. We each had our favorites and decided it would be fun to see them perform live when the Tour came to the Verizon Center August 19.

We were pleasantly surprised to discover a new and improved American Idol Tour compared to years past. Previously contestants would come out to perform in the order they were eliminated so you would have to wait a long time to see your favorite if they were closer to the top. This time there were more group numbers and duets mixed in plus contestants were utilized as background singers for occasional solo performances. Of course if your favorite happened to be the winner, Scotty McCreery, you had to wait for the second half of the show before he even set foot on the stage.

Now I’m sure everyone who watched American Idol has an opinion on who’s a better singer or performer and I’m not here to debate that, I’m simply sharing my personal observations.

•    Thia Megia is cute as a button and I was surprised by her poise on stage. She waved and engaged the younger crowd.
•    Naima Adedapo is a live wire and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her dance as much as listening to her sing. She appeared very comfortable on stage.
•    Pia Toscano has a beautiful voice and is a lovely girl but she just didn’t seem to connect with the audience.
•    Paul McDonald seemed to enjoy performing in such a big arena and was mildly successful in getting folks to stand and sing.
•    Stefano Langone worked the stage and the crowd but I failed to see the need for him to yank off his shirt just as the lights dimmed.
•    Casey Abrams played his bass fiddle in addition to singing and looked as though he was having a great time engaging the ladies in the front row.
•    To be honest I hadn’t been blown away by Jacob Lusk but on stage he sang with utter abandon and pure enjoyment. He was truly fun to watch.
•    It took a while for us to locate James Durbin because he entered from the rear of the Verizon Center and made his way through the crowd and onto the stage for his set. He was energetic, enthusiastic and hit some pretty amazing notes.
•    Haley Reinhart was sultry and saucy and I was a bit surprised by the lack of participation when she invited the audience to sing along on “Benny and the Jets.” It begs the question: are folks are still put out by the fact that James was eliminated before Haley?
•    I’m sorry those who had tickets for the Baltimore show didn’t get a chance to hear Lauren Alaina due to her vocal problems but she was in full voice in D.C. I only noticed an occasional rasp when she spoke. Her performance was solid and I have a feeling once the tour is over and she is completely rested she will be even better.
•    After a tremendous build up and introduction, Scotty McCreery finally took the stage. He was relaxed, comfortable and thankfully no longer held the microphone like a flute. Scotty was definitely the crowd favorite and he acknowledged this with several handshakes, waves and nods.

For more photos see: American Idol Live Tour Photos by C Walker

AMERICAN IDOLS LIVE 2011 TOUR SET LIST:
1.    The Girls – “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
2.    Pia Toscano – Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys & Jay z
3.    Pia Toscano and Stefano Langone – “California King Bed” by Rihanna
4.    Paul McDonald – Maggie May by Rod Stewart
5.    Thia Megia – “Who Says” by Selena Gomez
6.    Pia, Thia, Haley & Naima – “Tightrope” by Janelle Monae
7.    Stefano Langone – “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
8.    Stefano Langone and the Girls doing “DJ Got Us Falling In Love.” by Usher
9.    Guys w/o Scotty- “Animal” by Neon Trees
10.    Naima Adedapo – “On The Floor” by Jennifer Lopez
11.    Pia Toscano – New Single! “This Time”
12.    Lauren, Pia and Thia – “Firework”
13.    Casey Abrams – “Smooth” by Rob Thomas and Santana
14.    Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart – Moanin
15.    Casey Abrams – Harder to Breath by Maroon 5
16.    Group Number – “Forget You” – Minus Scotty
    INTERMISSION
17.    Lauren Alaina – “Flat on the Floor” by Carrie Underwood
18.    Lauren Alaina – “Like My Mother Does” New Single!
19.    Lauren, Haley, Thia, and Stefano – “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry
20.    James Durbin – “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns and Roses
21.    James Durbin – “Uprising” by Muse
22.    Jacob Lusk – “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross
23.    Jacob Lusk with Pia, Naima and Stefano – “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell
24.    Haley Reinhart – “House of the Rising Sun”
25.    Haley Reinhart – “Bennie and the Jets”
26.    Scotty McCreery – “Your Man” by Josh Turner
27.    Scotty McCreery – “Are You Going to Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square
28.    Scotty McCreery – “I Love You This Big” New single!
29.    Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina – “When You Say Nothing At All” by Alison Krause
30.    Scotty McCreery with Lauren, Thia, Pia and Haley – “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry
    Entire Group: Medley James & Lauren – “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake, Paul, Haley & Casey join with “Faithfully” by Journey, Stefano & Naima Adedapo join with “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith, Thia & Jacob join and everyone

Published in the Star Exponent: see article here

Tim McGraw's Concert August 13, 2011

2011-08-16T14:18:00.008-04:00

EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC TOUR’S LAST SHOW

Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic Tour came to a close inBristow, VA on August 13, 2011 and it was full of surprises.

Opening act The Band Perry is a delightfully energetic,entertaining group of siblings who have honed their craft to perfection. As they sang “If I Die Young” the air wasfilled with voices singing along with The Band Perry bringing a smile to theirfaces. They thanked Tim McGraw for theopportunity and experience of opening his show and are poised for headlining a tourof their own this fall in addition to opening for Reba and Keith Urban.

Luke Bryan brought levity and laughter to the stage as hesang and danced his way through “Country Man” and “Rain Is A Good Thing” but itwas the song “Country Girl Shake It For Me” that really stirred things up. Bryan was “pranked” by male tourmates who paraded around in short-shorts and tiny pink shirts that exposed baremidriffs causing Bryan to fall on the stage laughing uncontrollably. The stunt left him momentarilyspeechless. Bryan eventually gatheredhimself enough to finish the song to a roar of applause from the audience.

As the lights dimmed the crowd was caught off guard to findTim McGraw in the back of the pavilion to open the show singing “Something LikeThat.” He continued with “Where theGreen Grass Grows” and finally began to make his way down to the front whilesinging “Down on the Farm” shaking hands all along the way. When he finally reached the main stage toperform “Last Dollar (Fly Away)” a young fan was lifted onto the stage to joinhim and sing along.

Throughout the evening McGraw walked back & forth, and up& down along the catwalk slapping hands raised high, signing posters andconnecting with fans almost to the detraction of his songs. I’m sure those fans who captured hisattention would disagree with me.

First The Band Perry and later Luke Bryan returned to singselections with McGraw. It was Bryan’s humorousserenade using a version of Taylor Swift’s “Tim McGraw” that made it difficult for McGraw totransition to a more serious performance of “Better Than I Used To Be.” After three false starts the band and McGrawfinally settled into the song.

It was obvious that the artists were having fun with eachother, especially since this was their final performance on tour together. As audience members it felt a bit special tobe witnesses to the jokes, pranks and camaraderie that often occur among tourmates. It was definitely a one-of-a-kindnight.

Keith Urban in Wasington, D.C. July 28, 2011

2011-07-29T19:05:00.026-04:00

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE URBAN KIND

Keith Urban’s “Get Closer” tour provided ample opportunity for Urban fans to do just that at the Verizon Center July 28th. After performing several popular songs like “Put You in a Song,” “Days Go By,” “Only You Can Love Me This Way,” “Long Hot Summer,” and “Stupid Boy,” Urban left the main stage and ventured out into the crowd. Passing within arm’s reach of two of my friends they observed a gleeful Urban flanked by security being high-fived, patted on the back, touched and grabbed by numerous fans along the way to a circular satellite stage near the middle of the arena.

Out in the midst of the crowd Urban performed “I’m In,” “Jeans On,” and then sat down to sing “You’ll Think of Me” as the platform began to slowly rotate and rise from the floor giving everyone a clear view. Afterward he cheerily braved the masses making his way back to the main stage and reminded us all of his extraordinary guitar skills with a blistering guitar solo during “’Til Summer Comes Around."

As Urban surveyed the many colorful signs scattered among the crowd one in particular caught his eye proclaiming “Nicole Says It’s O.K. For You To Kiss Me.” Pretending to text his wife for permission, Urban invited the young lady on stage, gave her a kiss on the cheek and posed for a photo.

She was not the only fan invited on stage. During the song “Sweet Thing” three volunteers from the audience were selected by Urban for a friendly competition of “Urban Karaoke.” Each volunteer sang a round of the chorus and the soloist earning the most applause won the privilege of finishing the song with Urban while the other two sang with band members all in good fun.

Just when we thought Urban was on the main stage to stay he took off once again, this time into the far reaches of the second level to sing “You Look Good In My Shirt” where he left a signed guitar in the hands of an astonished fan.

In the end it was a country rocking, good time party hosted by Keith Urban where concert goers were made to feel like honored guests. Urban acknowledged each section of the arena then declared how much he appreciated the fact that we took the time and spent our hard earned money to come share a couple hours with him especially during “these uncertain economic times.”

Jake Owen

Concert opener Jake Owen served to whet the crowd’s appetite delivering up a nice mix of his hits (“Yee Haw,” “Startin’ With Me,” “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You,”) with selections from his new album set to be released August 30th. If the songs “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and “Trip to Heaven” are any indication of what’s in store, we’re definitely in for a treat.

Set List for Keith Urban 07-28-2011

1)    Put You In A Song
2)    You Gonna Fly
3)    Boondocks (snippet of Little Big Town cover)
4)    Only You Can Love Me This Way
5)    Long Hot Summer
6)    Stupid Boy
7)    Silly Love Songs (Paul McCartney cover)
8)    Making Memories Of Us

Satellite Stage
9)    I'm In
10)    Jeans On
11)    You'll Think Of Me
      ----------
12)    Days Go By
13)    I Told You So
14)    Til Summer Comes Around
15)    Sweet Thing
16)    Kiss A Girl (with fans on stage)
17)    Without You
18)    Somebody Like You
19)    Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me
20)    Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way (Waylon Jennings cover)

Band member Covers:
21)    With Or Without You (U2 cover - snippet, sung by Jerry Flowers, bass guitar player)
22)    American Girl (Tom Petty cover - snippet, sung by Danny Radar, guitarist)
23)    It's a Long Way to the Top (AC/DC cover - snippet, sung by Brian Nutter, guitarist)

Song performed in upper level
24)    You Look Good In My Shirt

Encore:
25)    Tonight I Wanna Cry
26)    Better Life

Published: The Star Exponent
Re-posted on Urban Country News

Flatts Fest in Bristow, VA June 18, 2011

2011-06-20T11:10:00.000-04:00

OPENING DAY FOR FLATTS FEST

Rascal Flatts brought their show to town with all the fun and games of the midway at a fair complete with a shooting range, mini golf, a dunk tank, face painting, exhibits, a prize wheel and a karaoke challenge to keep folks of all ages entertained before the evening performances. The Flatts Fest at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA on June 18 was the first of many scheduled across the country this summer.

Justin Moore

First to perform on the main stage was Justin Moore who reminded me of a caged tiger as he paced the stage with purpose and intensity. When he wasn’t grabbing hands he was grabbing our attention with poignant lyrics to songs like “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” and “Small Town USA.”

Easton Corbin

Easton Corbin came out next with his down home country charm and George Strait voice. He seemed content to stay in his comfort zone behind his guitar singing several of his own hits (see set list) and covering Brooks & Dunn’s “Put A Girl In It.”

Sara Evans

Sara Evans added some much needed glamour and femininity to the show. She had to walk carefully in those high heels. She confessed her fear of a “Shania Twain moment” (falling) with the hazardous combination of heels and a slick, shiny stage. Yet Evans managed to maneuver quite well if not cautiously and often reached out and connected with her fans as she sang through a number of her famous songs.

Amid smoke and flashing strobe lights Rascal Flatts emerged through three separate doors, descended stairs and proceeded to three different drum sets for the intro which led into opening number “Why Wait.”

Rascal Flatts - sharply dressed in black & white

Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus looked mighty sharp in their black and white color coordinated outfits but the evening was all about the fans filling the pit and lining the stage frequently reaching out to the Flatts boys. Eager fans were rewarded for their adoration and enthusiasm with high fives, handshakes, winks and nods.

As the show progressed Rascal Flatts gave tribute to their early musical influences. DeMarcus played piano and sang Michael McDonald’s “Taking It To the Streets.” Rooney played guitar and sang Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “The House Is Rockin” and Vince Gill’s “What the Cowgirls Do.” But it was LeVox who got the crowd to sing along on his solo of the popular Stevie Wonder song “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”

Sara Evans ventured on stage to join Gary LeVox for a lovely rendition of the song “Easy” from Rascal Flatts’ album “Nothing Like This” and Lionel Ritchie joined the boys via video magic for their encore performance of “Dancing on the Ceiling.”

For more photos from the Concert see: Flatts Fest Pics

SET LIST FOR FLATTS FEST June 18, 2011:

Justin Moore:

Backwoods
HowI Got to Be This Way
If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away
SmallTown USA
KickYour A$$
GiveMe All Your Loving

Easton Corbin:

TheWay Love Looks
ALittle More Country Than That
PutA Girl In It (Brooks & Dunn cover)
Can'tLove You Back
It’llMake You Wanna Drink
RollWith It

Sara Evans:

AsIf
Perfect
BornTo Fly
MyHeart Can’t Tell You No (Rod Stewart Cover)
Stronger
IKeep Looking
SudsIn The Bucket
RealFine Place To Start

Rascal Flatts:

WhyWait
Me& My Gang
SummerNights
BrokenRoad
Stand
Unstoppable
MyWish
TakingIt to The Streets (Michael McDonald cover)
Houseis Rockin/Cowgirls (Stevie Ray Vaughn / Vince Gill Covers)
Signed,Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder Cover)
LonesomeRoad
Easy– with Sara Evans
LifeIs a Highway
FastCars & Freedom/Red Camero
TakeMe There
WhatHurts The Most
Tonight.Tonight

---Encore---
IWon't Let Go
DancingOn The Ceiling (Lionel Richie Cover)

Sugarland with Little Big Town in Columbia, MD

2011-05-30T12:01:00.002-04:00

ALWAYS A PARTY WITH SUGARLAND

I ventured to Columbia, MD with my sister and some girl friends to catch Sugarland’s latest tour and, as always, it was a pleasure. Here are some highlights from the show on May 22 at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Opener Matt Nathanson talked about what a hard time he had believing Sugarland had been performing one of his songs in concert until Jennifer Nettles actually called and chatted with him on the phone. Not long after that he said he was invited to join them on tour. Sugarland’s Kristian Bush then came out joined Matt in singing the song in question “Come On Get Higher.” (listen here)

Little Big Town recalled their first tour with Sugarland at Columbia, MD in August 2006 and said it was good to be back. They now have many hits to their credit and performed a number of them along with several selections from their new album “The Reason Why.” Mid-way through their set Little Big Town talked about recent a challenge issued by one of their fans to “countrify” a Lady Gaga song. “You bet we can!” declared Karen Fairchild. And they proceeded to show us how it’s done with a fantastic rendition of “Born This Way.”

Sugarland exploded onto the stage amid bright lights and smoke singing “All We Are” from their latest album, “The Incredible Machine.” They sang several crowd favorites in addition to the collaboration “Run” with Matt Nathanson from his upcoming album.

Sugarland had a lot of fun with the song “Everyday America,” turning it into a medley including snippets of Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You,” Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious.”

As the concert drew to a close Jennifer Nettles reminded the audience of the widespread prediction for the end of the world. “My mom is the best person I know so when I called her yesterday and she didn’t answer I was a little worried…“she confided, “But I finally reached her and I figure if she’s still here then we all must be o.k. ” At that Little Big Town and Matt Nathanson joined Sugarland on stage for an encore performance of R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”

“Let’s party!” said Jennifer Nettles – and indeed they did!

Sugarland, Little Big Town and Matt Nathanson

To view more photos from the concert click here

Set List from Columbia, MD Show:

Matt Nathanson
1.    Car Crash
2.    Room
3.    Faster
4.    Come On Get Higher
5.    Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey)

Little Big Town
1.    Little White Church
2.    A Little More You
3.    The Reason Why
4.    Bones
5.    Why Oh Why
6.    Bring It On Home
7.    Born This Way (Lady Gaga)
8.    Shut Up Train
9.    All The Way Down
10.    Runaway Train
11.    Boondocks

Sugarland
1.    All We Are
2.    Stuck Like Glue
3.    It Happens
4.    Settlin’
5.    Tonight
6.    All I Want To Do
7.    Incredible Machine
8.    Little Miss
9.    Run Right Into You (Matt Nathanson)
10.    Baby Girl
11.    Everyday America
a.    Forget You (Cee Lo Green)
b.    Hit Me Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)
c.    9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)
d.    Bootylicious (Destiny’s Child)
12.    Stay
13.    Find the Beat Again / Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
14.    Who Says You Can’t Go Home (Bon Jovi)
15.    Something More
Encore:
16.    Stand Up
17.    Like A Prayer (Madona) with Little Big Town
18.    It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (R.E.M)

Tenth Avenue North in Woodbridge, VA

2010-11-08T19:48:00.004-05:00

TENTH AVENUE NORTH GIVES LOCAL CONCERT

Tenth Avenue North played the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, VA on Thursday, November 4. Promoted by Dan Donehey, father of lead singer, Mike Donehey and sponsored by Mike’s alma mater, Fredericksburg Christian School, it was obvious Mike was thrilled to be playing at a venue so close to his hometown with family and friends in attendance.

If you purchased a deluxe ticket you were allowed early entry for an informal question and answer time with Tenth Avenue North’s band members: Mike Donehey, Jason Jamison, Jeff Owen, Rueben Juarez and Brendon Shirley. This is different from your average “meet and greet” where you have a brief encounter with the band, perhaps obtain an autograph and get your photo taken with them. During the Q&A we learned that all the band members listed “The Truth Is Who You Are” as a current Tenth Avenue North song favorite; Mike wrestled with writing “Empty My Hands” for over one and a half years before he was satisfied with the finished product; they have to be creative where family time is concerned while on tour; and in case you thought Mike stole his hairstyle from Justin Bieber he claims he’s had it since before Justin was even born.

The concert was full of songs off their current album “The Light Meets the Dark” and selections from their first album “Over and Underneath.” When asked how the band is able to keep their performance fresh night after night Mike Donehey replied that the set list is thoughtfully prepared allowing for some flexibility. The ability to challenge audiences to a deeper walk of faith while simultaneously encouraging them with the truth of God’s grace has propelled Tenth Avenue North to the forefront of the Christian music industry.

            I couldn’t help but be impressed by the band’s sincerity and commitment to share their faith through music. They are also willing to put their faith into action. Jeff and Jason took a moment to encourage support for organizations against human trafficking and slavery. Mike later challenged us to support the needy in third world countries through Compassion, International – something each of the band members already do. According to Mike “worship is something we do with our whole life.”

            Opening for Tenth Avenue North was Matt Maher who proved to be a great choice as he interacted with the audience while sharing his music, encouraging audience participation. Matt was followed by the contemporary Christian group Addison Road. I confess I was a little disappointed when they didn’t perform their hit “What Do I Know of Holy” but there were those in the audience more familiar with the songs on their self titled album that didn’t seem to mind.

            All in all it was a wonderful night of praise and worship with a personal challenge for me to live out my faith in everything I do.

Go here for more photos from the concert.

Published: STAR EXPONENT

Adam Brand performs in Bristow, VA

2010-10-07T14:18:00.018-04:00

THE "BRANDING" OF AMERICA

I always enjoy catching the side stage performances at radio station sponsored festivals. In the past some side stage performers have gone on to become huge names in country music (Jason Aldean and Zac Brown Band come to mind).

A few weeks ago during the Fall Festival in Bristow, Virginia, I was delighted to see singer / songwriter Adam Brand perform on the side stage. Who is Adam Brand, you ask? He’s no stranger to country music, just a stranger in our country.

Adam Brand hails from Perth, Australia. He has numerous Platinum and Gold Australian Country Music Record Awards, plus several CMAA awards - the most recent being “Male Artist of the Year” in 2009. He’s also been nominated for 2010 CMAA’s Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Male Artist of the Year.

Brand was featured in season nine of the Australian “Dancing with the Stars” and won! His partner, professional dancer Jade Hatcher, became his wife on May 31, 2010. They decided to take an extended honeymoon in the United States.

Brand has recently signed with U.S. label Arista Nashville (a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment) and has a single available on iTunes called “Ready for Love.” In a video created for the song you will see glimpses of his beautiful wife, Jade.

Check out the newly released video here.

What a treat to be able to have Adam Brand at such a small setting as a side stage and hear this seasoned performer share his wonderful songs with us. In addition to “Ready for Love” one song in particular stands out in my mind. “Kissing the Phone” was especially poignant for those listeners missing a loved one far away from home. This song talks about people attempting to convey their emotion and longing over the phone.

I can’t imagine what it must be like for Adam Brand to go from tremendous stardom to being a virtual "unknown" here in the states. As Brand sings his way across America I hope many of you will get the opportunity to hear him before he heads back to Australia. If you don’t hear him this tour, perhaps next time when he returns to “Brand America.”

Photos from Adam's performance in Bristow: here

Sugarland with Little Big Town - Bristow, VA

2010-09-28T14:40:00.021-04:00

INCREDIBLE TIME WITH SUGARLAND

As a member of Sugarland’s Fan Club I had the unique opportunity to be one of the few fans selected to attend their afternoon sound check in Bristow, VA before their performance that evening. About 12-15 of us were checked through security and led to our seats in the pavilion. No cameras were allowed so I’ll do my best to paint a verbal picture for you.

The band members were already warming up when Kristian Bush casually walked on stage wearing a white t-shirt, torn jeans, flip flops and a ball cap. He waved to us and proceeded to discuss songs with the band.

We were treated to instrumental renditions of “Little Miss,” Every Girl Like Me,” and “Tonight” – all brand new songs from Sugarland’s “Incredible Machine” album to be released October 19. They discussed measures and counts and at one point Kristian turned to us and said, “See, we really do work!”

With 15 minutes left in the sound check Jennifer Nettles arrived barefoot in a khaki colored jumper over a sports bra. She and Kristian adjusted their wireless mics and ran through the song “Settlin’.” Kristian played guitar and Jennifer walked through the steps on stage. They worked out a dance move and did a hamstring stretch to warm up. As they rehearsed “Incredible Machine” Jennifer walked over to Brandon Bush (Kristian’s brother) on the keyboard, picked up a pair of drumsticks and began playing to the beat.

The last song they rehearsed was “Sigh No More” – one of the encore performances they do with Little Big Town. Finally they bid us good bye and said “See you at the show!”

Having seen Sugarland perform the week before in Charlottesville, Virginia, I was truly looking forward to experiencing their concert again. Every time you go to this show you see something different and new. It is evident a lot of thought went into creating the set with its machine-type mechanisms and contrasting romantic, Victorian feel with lamps, lighting and visual effects.

Sugarland is energetic and fun. Jennifer Nettles is such a joy to watch, playfully toying with the audience, cracking jokes with that deep southern drawl of hers and casually moving from song to song. She has a way of embodying the music – it seems to come from a place deep within her. She can be graceful as a ballerina one minute and funky as a street dancer the next.

Kristian Bush is a wonderful side kick for Jennifer. His face is always full of expression as he plays guitar or mandolin and sings. When he’s not mixing it up with Jennifer he’s frequently moving about the stage and interacting with the audience.

If the songs “Stand Up,” “Incredible Machine,” and “Stuck Like Glue,” performed in concert are any indication of the new album coming out in October, I think Sugarland has a huge hit on the horizon.

Sugarland’s opening act, Little Big Town, played several songs from their current album “The Reason Why.” They opened with the harmonious “Why, Oh Why” followed by “Little White Church,” as well as “Runaway Train,” “The Reason Why,” “Shut Up Train,” and “Kiss Goodbye” which is lovely and will be their next single off the album. They also performed some crowd favorites “A Little More You,” “Bring It On Home,” and the ever popular “Boondocks.”

Little Big Town returned during Sugarland’s finale to perform London-based folk rock quartet Mumford & Son’s “Sigh No More.” The harmonies were beautiful but personally I preferred their Charlottesville finale performance of “Walkin’ In Memphis” with Sugarland.

The final song of the night was Sugarland’s rendition of The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” which received a tremendous response from the audience and appeared to have everyone up on their feet singing and dancing. I left Bristow with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step.

Thanks for the incredible time Sugarland!

Additional Photos the Bristow Concert here

Published: Star Exponent

Josh Turner at the Shenandoah County Fair

2010-09-06T17:18:00.008-04:00

HAYWIRE AT THE FAIR

As Josh Turner sings in his song “All Over Me,” – “Well the weather man said it’s gonna be a hot one, heard it on the radio…” it was indeed blisteringly hot on Wednesday, September 1, at the Shenandoah County Fair in Woodstock, VA where Josh brought his “Haywire” Tour. Lots of folks were overcome by the 95+ degree heat (myself included) and I’d like to personally thank the Woodstock Fire and Rescue department for their prompt assistance. All I can say is when it’s extremely hot and sunny outside be sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate if you’re gonna be out there in it!

Aside from the heat, the concert was most enjoyable. Josh sang a mixture of old and new songs in that deep, rich baritone voice of his that sets him apart from anyone else. Familiar songs like “Everything is Fine,” “Firecracker,” “Would You Go With Me,” “Long Black Train,” “Me and God,” plus songs from his new album: “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “As Fast As I Could,” “I Wouldn’t Be A Man,” “Eye Candy,” “All Over Me,” “Haywire,” and “The Answer.” It’s refreshing to hear an artist whose songs consistently reflect his convictions on family values, love and faith.

Josh introduced his wife, Jennifer, who plays keyboard with the band and is currently pregnant with their third son. I noticed the two of them exchanging eye contact and smiling at each other during the concert. It was sweet to see.

The crowd was very receptive to all the songs Josh played but it seemed to me that his spiritually based songs got the most enthusiastic response. Josh was warmly embraced in this rural area and he appeared to be grateful for it as well as humbled by it when acknowledging the standing ovations, frequent cheers and applause.

Photos of Josh Turner at Sheandoah Co. Fair by CWalker

Published: Star Exponent

Trace Adkins in Harrisonburg, VA August 18, 2010

2010-08-30T17:26:00.003-04:00

FAIR GAME

Trace Adkins certainly had his “game on” recently at the Rockingham County Fair in Harrisonburg, VA. It was August 18, and his new album, “Cowboy’s Back In Town,” had just been released the day before (available on iTunes). Trace was in rare form, joking and laughing with the audience between songs.

Trace had a little fun with the Queen and Princesses of the Fair asking if they thought their crowns were real. He then turned the joke back on himself saying his wife and daughters believed they were born wearing crowns.

Trace performed a wide variety of his many hits and crowd favorites, plus his new single, “This Ain’t No Love Song.” He also introduced some additional selections from the new CD – “Hell, I Can Do That,” “Hold My Beer,” “Brown Chicken Brown Cow” all of which had us rolling in the aisles with laughter.

Eventually Trace pointed to a young lady in the crowd and said “Stop all that jumpin’, you’re making me tired.” Then he looked at us, shook his head and with that lopsided grin of his declared, “That girl’s been jumpin’ up and down all night!” Later Trace singled out someone waving a hat and asked, “Is that my hat? Well come on up here!” and proceeded to autograph the hat.

Toward the end of the evening Trace laughingly proclaimed “My album just came out yesterday and I don’t know who scheduled this concert but it musta been a mistake! I gotta go to New York tomorrow morning for the Today Show and I’m gonna sound like crap!” Everyone laughed, cheered and applauded.

It’s impressive that Trace kept his commitment to a small county fair, gave it his all and still planned to appear on national T.V. the next day. I made sure I watched Trace Adkins on the Today Show. It was mentioned that he drove through the night to get there and you know what? He didn’t sound like “crap” at all.

Trace Adkins Concert Pics by CWalker

Rascal Flatts - Bristow, VA August 14, 2010

2010-08-17T16:28:00.011-04:00

NOTHING LIKE THOSE FLATTS BOYS

Rascal Flatts rolled their “Nothing Like This Tour” into Bristow, VA Friday, August 14. Catching a break from the sweltering heat and ferocious thunderstorms attacking our area recently, the weather was delightfully balmy with reduced humidity – just perfect for a concert.

RCA recording artist, Chris Young, opened the show with his rich baritone vocals and country boy charm. Chris appeared to enjoy himself on stage, joking with his band mates during “Beer and Gasoline,” and easily shifted gears, appealing to family values singing “Voices” and “The Man I Want to Be.” The ladies in the crowd certainly seemed “thunderstruck” as Chris sang his number 1 hit “Gettin’ You Home.”

Kellie Pickler sure brought the heat when she arrived on stage. Dressed in a little black dress that had the guys following her every move, Kellie danced and pranced through songs like “Best Days of Your Life,” “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You,” “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” and “Red High Heels.” When she slowed things down with “I Wonder,” I noticed a lot of bling – her microphone sparkled and so did the engagement ring from her fiancé, Kyle Jacobs.

Rascal Flatts promised ‘Nothing Like This Tour’ and they had a couple of roving reporters with a film crew seeking people to interview and project on the hi-def screen between artists. Let me just say we saw folks with very unique “talents” in addition to some cute couples – one teenage couple on their first date managed to get that awkward first kiss out of the way early. Oh my!

Rascal Flatts (Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney) finally took the stage to thunderous applause and sang hit after hit. Celebrating 10 years of music they mixed old and new songs together like: “Praying for Daylight,” “I’m Movin’ On,” “Mayberry,” “I Melt,” “These Days,” with “Me and My Gang,” “Fast Cars and Freedom,” “Here’s To You,” “What Hurts the Most,” “Here Comes Goodbye,” and “Unstoppable.” They also introduced their newest single, “Why Wait” about a guy who’s already bought his girl a diamond ring and can’t wait to get to church and get married.

I was impressed once again with Rascal Flatts’ rich harmonies, showcased even more beautifully when they talked about how they began singing in church at an early age and broke into the hymn “Oh the Blood of Jesus.” They continued to demonstrate their versatility singing snippets of “Take It To the Limit” (Eagles) and “Open Arms” (Journey) then followed up with a classic Rascal Flatts song “Bless the Broken Road.”
Up-tempo “Life Is A Highway” and encore “Summer Nights” which included Chris Young and Kellie Pickler had the crowd on its feet singing loud and strong. There’s nothing like those Flatts boys…

Click to view Cheryl's photos from the concert

Published: Star Exponent
Article re-posted: Urban Country Blog and Got Country?

Brooks and Dunn in Bristow, VA August 1, 2010

2010-08-04T17:23:00.016-04:00

BROOKS & DUNN’S LAST RODEO

Brooks and Dunn came to Bristow, VA on August 1 to present their Last Rodeo Tour before they part ways. It was a rousing, fun-loving, charming, and bittersweet performance for the duo.

Adding some edge to the country sound for the evening was opener Gary Allan. Mixing rockier tunes such as, “Get Off On the Pain,” “She’s So California,” “Learning How to Bend,” with tender ballads like “Best I Ever Had,” and “Today” Gary seemed to enjoy seeing and hearing fans sing his songs back to him.

However Gary was upstaged by his own dog, Lucy, when he brought her on stage for his final number. I was amazed at how well Lucy obeyed her master, sitting close to his feet at the end of the catwalk amid thousands of cheering fans. I could only shake my head and imagine how my dog would react in that situation, possibly doing some serious damage to someone.

The crowd enthusiastically received Brooks & Dunn apparently forgiving them for postponing their originally scheduled show June 19 when Ronnie Dunn had vocal problems. During the concert both Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn took the opportunity to thank their fans for making their ride to country music fame and fortune possible. In return they did something daring in the middle of their set – they let the audience pick a song for them to sing that was not already on the set list. With Brooks & Dunn’s deep repertoire that was a risky move but when someone called out “That’s What She Gets for Loving Me” they sang it flawlessly although Ronnie certainly breathed a sigh of relief when it was over.

There was a lot of humorous banter between the two men all evening long. At one point in the show Ronnie Dunn bemoaned the fact that he never got to wear a cowboy hat like popular country music artists Tim McGraw or Kenny Chesney, purposefully leaving his hat wearing partner, Kix Brooks, off the list. Ronnie said that in order to show he’s a real cowboy he had to do something drastic and proceeded to show us his arm with a tattoo of the word COWBOY in big black letters.

As always Brooks & Dunn made sure they honored the various branches of our military. Servicemen stood at attention during “Only in America” as celebratory streamers fell reminding us of the cost of the freedom we enjoy.

When Brooks and Dunn sang “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone” – I thought, “We sure will, country music won’t be the same without you guys!”

See Brooks & Dunn Concert Photos by CWalker

Brooks & Dunn Set List:

Play Something Country
You Can't Take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl
Momma Don't Get Dressed Up For Nothing
Hillbilly Delux
Put A Girl In It
You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone
Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You
Last Rodeo
Lost and Found
That’s What She Get’s For Loving Me
It’s Getting Better All The Time
Cowgirls Don’t Cry
My Next Broken Heart
How Long Gone
Red Dirt Road
Believe
She Likes To Get Out Of Town
Neon Moon
Rock My World Little Country Girl
Only In America
My Maria

Encore:

Brand New Man
Boot Scootin’ Boogie

The Star Exponent

Urban Country Blog

Got Country?

ADDENDUM:
I've had a few folks ask the name of the young couple who opened the show before Gary Allan & Brooks & Dunn took the stage. That would be Thompson Square comprised of married couple Keifer & Shawna Thompson. They sang their first single "Let's Fight" but I enjoyed their newest release "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not?" a lot more. Best of luck to this talented duo who will be going on tour with Jason Aldean from October 21 through November 20.

Tim McGraw in Bristow, VA

2010-07-15T15:29:00.015-04:00

PHOTOGRAHING TIM McGRAW

I enjoy the challenge of concert photography. Some concerts are more of a challenge than others; Tim McGraw’s concert is a case in point being a very popular show with many adoring fans in attendance. Instead of reviewing his concert I thought I’d give you a glimpse of what I experienced behind the lens of my camera.

Opening the show was Love & Theft. Who are they you ask? Well if you’ve heard Taylor Swift’s song “Hey Stephen” you’ve been introduced to the lead singer Stephen Barker Liles. That leaves Brian Bandas and Eric Gunderson to round out the group. Their set was short so I had to make the most of my photo opportunities moving around to get a variety of angles. I discovered the end of the cat walk yielded the best photos and since not all the concert goers had taken their seats I had an unobstructed view.

It was a bit more challenging to get photos of Tim McGraw’s next opening act, Lady Antebellum comprised of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood. When you have a group of 3 it’s nice to get both individual and group shots. Thankfully Lady A came together often and long enough to capture although the crowd was beginning to thicken and I was finding it harder to maneuver.

If I thought it was hard to move before Tim McGraw came out it was nearly impossible once he hit the stage! I thought I found a secure spot at the corner of the main stage and attempted to focus on Tim through my lens but he kept moving. I adjusted the focus several times and was vaguely aware of girls screaming around me. When I finally looked up I was shocked to find Tim McGraw standing directly above me laughing at the look of surprise on my face. I was practically mauled by fans trying to climb over me to get to Tim and decided that probably wasn’t the best place to stand for photos.

I made my way to the end of the catwalk and had good success until Tim decided to venture to the end and sit down. Once again I was surrounded by eager fans and got pushed, elbowed and doused in beer. I backed away from the mayhem, captured the moment from a safe distance and continued to move looking for a good spot without heads, hands and arms obstructing the view.

In case you’re wondering – yes, I did manage to enjoy the concert. I found myself singing along frequently. I stopped to watch often, laughed with my girlfriends, and appreciated the efforts of all the artists to connect with the audience and reach out to fans.

Tim McGraw Concert Photos by CWalker

Published : Star Exponent Reposted: Urban Country Blog

Country Throwdown Review - Bristow, VA

2010-06-18T21:36:00.032-04:00

THROWDOWN COMES TO TOWN

The Country Throwdown Tour is traveling all over the United States this summer giving country music fans a lot of “bang for their buck.” There are at least twelve side stage artists and eight additional artists performing on the main stage. Throw in opportunities to meet many of the artists with personally autographed posters and CDs and it feels like a mini CMA Fest!

If I were to highlight every single performer on the Throwdown Tour my review would be very lengthy indeed and of course everyone has their favorite (myself included). I’m just going to mention those that stood out for me that day or caught my attention for some reason…

The Bluebird Café tent is where all the singer/songwriters perform. It is an intimate setting where people sit around and interact with the artists between songs. You are given the chance to see them up close and personal early in their careers. It was here that Walker Hayes caught the eye of many of the young ladies with his flashy smile, winning personality and witty songs. I’m not sure if country is ready for his rap or funk but it certainly was entertaining.

The Outlaw Stage is a bit bigger format and I eagerly anticipated seeing Jonathan Singleton and The Grove perform at this venue. Their video "Look Who's Back In Love" is currently on CMT and I enjoy their style of classic country blended with rock country and truly hope they catch a break in the near future.

Emily West is another lesser known artist on the Outlaw Stage who was stunning in both looks and ability. She reminded me of Faith Hill in many ways with her willowy figure, brown eyes, long blond hair and big voice. Emily is best known for her song "Blue Sky" which features Keith Urban on background vocals. I was also captivated by her song “Mississippi’s Crying.” This girl must have a thing for lost love and rain since both are reflected in these 2 songs.

I’d never before seen Eric Church perform so I was unprepared for his fierce intensity as an entertainer. I think it took me several minutes before my mouth closed and I began to snap photos. Goodness, this young man really gets into his music and encourages both himself and the crowd with fist pumping, shouts and exclamations. He worked up quite a sweat and had a large majority of the crowd on their feet during his entire set. Impressive.

I’ve always been a fan of Little Big Town and once again they did not disappoint with their wonderfully rich harmonies. In addition to many of their hits they sang their newest single “Little White Church” from their highly anticipated album “The Reason Why” to be released August 24 and also gave us a sneak preview of a couple more songs.

Jamey Johnson stepped onto the stage and seemingly threw down the gauntlet with his quiet, unassuming yet intense presence. He simply stood there and sang powerful songs, letting the words speak volumes. The stage lighting was dark and as I walked around to get a photo from another angle I was surprised to see his right arm in a cast with fingers just free enough to strum his guitar.

For me the highlight of Jamey’s set was when Little Big Town joined him on stage to sing his new single “Macon” from his upcoming album “The Guitar Song” set to be released September 14.

Wrapping up the evening was the seasoned duo Montgomery Gentry who kept everyone entertained to the very end remembering to recognize our service men and women along the way.   With familiar hits like “My Town,” “Something To Be Proud Of,” “Lucky Man,” “What Do You Think About That?” “Gone,” “Back When I Knew It All,” “One In Every Crowd“and “Roll With Me;” Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry left us with a song on our lips and a smile on our faces.

Photos from Country Throwdown Tour by CWalker (click to view)

Performers:
•    Bluebird Café
Troy Olsen, Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Dave Pahanish, Heather Morgan, Walker Hayes, Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes
•    Outlaw Stage
     Tyler Reeve, Emily West, Jonathan Singleton and The Grove, Heidi Newfield
•    Main Stage
     The Lost Trailers
     Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses
     The Eli Young Band
     Jack Ingram
     Eric Church
     Little Big Town
     Jamey Johnson
     Montgomery Gentry

Published: Star Exponent
Re-posted: Urban Country   Got Country?

Brad Paisley's Water Tour - Bristow, VA

2010-05-24T21:37:00.020-04:00

WATER TOUR ALL WET

I should have known. With a name like “The Water Tour” and its ominous beginning with most of Brad Paisley’s equipment lost during the Nashville flood we were destined to get wet when the weather forecast called for a chance of rain. Sure enough just as they opened the gates for the concert it began to pour.

At least the performers on the side stage “Water World Plaza” were covered but all of us concert goers were left to fend for ourselves. Ponchos, caps, umbrellas, tarps – whatever could be found was used to defend against the rain. Many just gave up and got wet.

The fact that we showed up and endured was not lost on the artists. Over and over again they expressed their appreciation for all the people who supported them and their music enough to stand in the rain and sing along.

Steel Magnolia, Josh Thompson and Easton Corbin all did a great job on the side stage and the crowd never diminished, in fact it was constantly building despite the falling rain.

Finally it was time for the main stage acts. Justin Moore was full of sass and swagger and a deep southern boy drawl as he kicked things off with his current hit “Backwoods.” He seemed comfortable interacting with the crowd and moving about. There were times during his set when I saw a hint of Dwight Yoakam in his body movements.

Darius Rucker credits country radio for his current success and seemed genuinely happy to be performing for his fans. His emotion was contagious. Whether he was singing the fun-loving “Alright,” a tender ballad like “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” a song from his Hootie & the Blow Fish days “Hold My Hand,” or even a Prince cover like “Purple Rain,” Darius had folks dancing in the aisles, singing and having a great time right along with him.

Brad Paisley promised to “rock our faces off” and indeed he went the extra mile for his fans. Brad rarely stayed in one place all night long frequently walking the catwalk, venturing down into the crowd to play a guitar solo, later leaving the stage walking through the audience playing and singing then camping out on a little satellite stage way out in the 300 section for a couple of songs before returning to the main stage. Looking out in amazement at all the people packing the lawn Brad was extremely appreciative for their perseverance as the rain continued to fall.

I’m always impressed by Brad’s animations and high tech video screen. I wasn’t the only one who did a double take when the spotlight landed on Alison Krauss sitting on a stool in the corner of the stage during “Whisky Lullaby.” For a moment I thought she was really there. Having Andy Griffith appear on screen during “Waitin’ On A Woman” was equally as much fun especially the outtake after the song.

I have to give kudos to Brad Paisley and his team for pulling together and getting this wonderful show on the road in such a timely fashion. Rain or shine, this concert is a must see. It’s brimming with talent, overflowing with fun and even if you get soaking wet when you go – they sell really nice t-shirts!

Link to Water Tour Concert photos by CWalker

Published: Star Exponent Reposted: Urban Country Blog

Dierks Bentley & The Travelin' McCoury's - Richmond, VA

2010-05-19T20:29:00.032-04:00

BLUEGRASS BENTLEY-STYLE

Dierks Bentley has a new album coming out June 8 entitled “Up On The Ridge” which is reported to have a more “bluegrass” feel to it. Dierks co-wrote five of the 12 songs and enlisted artists Tim O'Brien , Alison Krauss, Chris Thile, The Punch Brothers, Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, and Del McCoury to assist him.

“I’m a songwriter and a musician; my roots are in acoustic country and bluegrass music,” said Dierks. Bluegrass is very wide ranging, according to Dierks, and it goes from “hard core traditional” to “way out there” – it’s just as diverse as country music.

Dierks is touring smaller venues giving a preview of his new album and I had an opportunity to see him with The Travelin’ McCoury’s at The National in Richmond May 18. I wasn’t sure what to expect but from the creative opening notes of Rob McCoury’s banjo and Jason Carter’s fiddle leading into Dierks’ “Free and Easy,” followed by a brilliant rendition of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” I knew this was going to be a magical night. The 2 other Travelin’ McCoury’s: Ron McCoury (mandolin), Alan Bartram (bass) plus Dierks’ band mates Steve Misamore (drums) and Tim Sergent (steel guitar) made up the band for the evening.

Dierks introduced 4 songs from his soon to be released album: the title cut “Up on the Ridge,” a version of Bob Dylan’s “Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)“ “Fiddlin’ Around,” and “Draw Me A Map.” I found the songs enjoyable, toe tappin’, and meaningful. I’m counting the days until I can purchase a copy.

Not only did Dierks mix it up by playing several of his hits (see set list) but he and the Travelin’ McCoury’s did some great cover songs. “Just Breathe” by Pearl Jam is such a lovely song and they performed it beautifully! “Midnight Rider” (Allman Brothers Band) started slow but changed pace with a bluegrass tempo adding quite a twist. Hayes Carll (opening act) was invited back onstage to join them singing “All My Ex’s Live In Texas” by George Strait. This ended up being a fun sing-along song and had the artists on stage grinning at the enthusiastic audience participation.

Finally Dierks and the Travelin’ McCoury’s closed the show with “Eastbound and Down” (from Smoky & the Bandit – a Jerry Reed cover). A rousing and fitting finish to an evening packed with extraordinary musicianship. I couldn’t help but notice how much they appeared to enjoy playing music together; giving a nod at a good performance, yielding the floor for a solo, challenging each other to go faster, laughing and patting one another on the back. But even more amazing was the speed of their skillful playing and the endurance required to sustain it.

Dierks Bentley has said many times that if he hadn’t discovered bluegrass, he’d never have become a country singer or landed a record deal.   His love for country was kindled by the energy and artistry of bluegrass, and he’s never lost his passion for it. Personally, I think he’s kindling a brand new interest in bluegrass, Bentley-style.

Set List (The National - Richmond, VA)
* - selections from the new album "Up on the Ridge"
1.    Free & Easy (with instrumental intro)
2.    Foggy Mountain Breakdown
3.    Fiddlin’ Around *
4.    Feel That Fire
5.    Rovin’ Gambler (traditional bluegrass)
6.    Draw Me A Map *
7.    Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do
8.    Good Man Like Me
9.    Up On The Ridge *
10.    Settle For A Slow Down
11.    Midnight Rider (Allman Brothers Band cover)
12.    Sideways
13.    Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) *
14.    Evangelina
15.    Come A Little Closer
16.    How Am I Doin’
17.    All My Ex’s Live In Texas (George Strait Cover)
18.    Just Breathe (Pearl Jam cover)
19.    What Was I Thinkin’
20.    Eastbound & Down (from Smoky & the Bandit – Jerry Reed cover)

Dierks Bentley Concert photos by CWalker (click to view)

Published : The Star Exponent    Re-Posted: Urban Country Blog

Billy Currington at Celebrate Virginia Live in Fredericksburg

2010-05-16T17:33:00.011-04:00

CURRINGTON SHOWS HOW COUNTRY BOYS ROLL

The weather forecast called for a chance of thunderstorms May 14th during the Celebrate Virginia Live concert featuring Billy Currington so my friends and I packed our rain gear just in case and headed to Fredericksburg for the evening. What we weren’t prepared for were heavy winds and dirt blowing all over the place. By the time Billy took the stage I felt like I had dust and grime over every inch of my body. I can’t imagine what it must have been like performing under those conditions. I did wonder though, as the wind increased and thunderstorm warnings were issued, if Billy had flashbacks of his horrific experience in Alberta, Canada back in August 2009 when the stage collapsed during a wind storm and he suffered a concussion. However Billy Currington is a true professional and he gave a great performance despite the threatening weather – now THAT’S how a country boy rolls!

Billy sang many of his hits during the first half of his set – “Must Be Doin’ Something Right,” “Why, Why, Why,” “Don’t,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll.” His vocals were unaffected by all the dust. He even managed to sing “I Got A Feelin’” without missing a beat while an over-sized cow mascot danced among the crowd right in front of him.

Billy really came alive in the second set after taking a short break and returned to the stage energized, ready for some fun. He gave tribute to Kenny Rogers with “Lucille,” got funky with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” and pumped up the crowd with Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason.” He finished the concert singing crowd favorites like “Good Directions” and “People Are Crazy.”

Kip Moore opened the show for Billy. I couldn’t help but notice that Kip seemed to be poured from the same mold as Billy, so to speak: a blue-eyed Georgia native, singer/songwriter with a delightful southern drawl and easy laugh. His songs are catchy and my friends and I were disappointed we couldn’t get a CD. “Faith When I Fall” is especially good and “Drive Me Crazy” has a strong beat and tends to stick in your head. After seven long years of hard work Kip has finally landed a contract so I hope it’s the beginning of good things for this young man. You can find him on MySpaceKipMooreMusic so give a listen and watch for this newcomer.

Billy Currington / Kip Moore Concert Pics by CWalker

George Strait & Reba in Charlottesville, VA

2010-04-09T11:48:00.008-04:00

GEORGE & REBA – Worth the Wait!

For Christmas this past year my brother, sister and I went together and surprised our 95-year-old father with tickets to see George Strait and Reba McEntire in Charlottesville, VA on January 30. Dad was thrilled with the gift and said it was the perfect ticket because they are “two of his favorite country music singers” as he told his friends.

Then the big snow of 2010 hit and the concert was postponed until Saturday, April 3. Thankfully it wasn’t canceled.

The big day finally came and we arrived at JPJ Arena a little early. I checked to see if my hopes for Dad to be able to meet Reba would be a reality. It was confirmed and I could finally let him in on the secret. He was SO surprised! Then he said, "I wish I’d known ahead of time so I'd have some crosses to give her." (Dad's hobby is wood working and he makes tiny wooden crosses to give away as gifts). I told him not to worry; I knew he would want to do that so I tucked some extra crosses in my purse just in case.

The meet and greet was held after Reba finished her performance and before George Strait took the stage. We made our way up and down several stairs to get to the appointed location which was quite an effort for Dad but he never complained. We stood among 30-35 people waiting our turn to meet "the Queen of Country." After I met Reba I turned and said, "Reba, this is my 95-year-old father who's really been looking forward to meeting you tonight." Dad stepped up to her and took her hand. She said, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you," throwing an arm around Dad's shoulders. Dad said, "I've been waiting 95 years to meet you!" Reba laughed that delightful laugh of hers. Then Dad said, "I have something for you," and pressed three tiny wooden crosses into her hand. Reba said, "Are all of these for me?" to which Dad replied, "Yes m'am!" Reba thanked him and said it was a pleasure to meet him. They had their photo taken together and Dad was grinning from ear to ear the rest of the evening.

If you’ve ever seen a concert “in the round” you know the stage is set up in the middle of the arena and the artists have to be mobile to involve everyone in their performance, however it’s nearly impossible for them not to turn their backs to a portion of the crowd at some point.

Both Lee Ann Womack (the opening act) and Reba McEntire moved around quite a bit during their sets, occasionally staying on one side or another to perform a song. George Strait, on the other hand, moved methodically from corner to corner staying to sing two songs before moving on to the next corner. All three artists totally entertained the capacity crowd for well over three hours Saturday night.

When I asked Dad what he thought of the concert he shook his head and said, “It’s just amazing how they can sing so loud for so long!” I laughed and said, “Well Dad, they have a lot of help with microphones, sound systems and speakers.” “I know,” he replied, “but they still sing pretty loud for a long time and they have lots of songs to remember too.” He had a point.

Link to Lee Ann Womack, Reba McEntire and George Strait Photos by CWalker

Photo of the Week on - TheBoot.com
Article also published in - The Star Exponent and on Urban Country Blog

Jack Ingram's Acoustic Motel Tour

2010-03-28T17:08:00.009-04:00

ACOUSTIC IN ANNAPOLIS

My girlfriends and I spent the afternoon walking around the beautiful town of Annapolis, Maryland before heading into Ram’s Head Tavern for Jack Ingram’s Acoustic Motel Tour Thursday, March 25th. As we took a seat at our table we were pleasantly surprised at the cozy atmosphere. Jack had placed a lamp beside a leather chair on stage giving an intimate feel to the room. The lighting was kept low and no flash photography was allowed.

Jack was comfortably casual on stage, just him and his guitar, singing and chatting with the audience between songs, telling stories and cracking jokes. His dad was the brunt of some of the jokes as he talked about their occasionally turbulent relationship. He wrote “Biloxi” for his dad and sang it to him on Father’s day one year. It was not a flattering song and Jack confessed that once he became a father himself he had a change of heart and later wrote a “Biloxi part two” entitled “The Measure of a Man.”

He was especially charming when talking about his children. I don’t know how many times I’ve listened to “Ava Adele” but I’ll never hear it the same way again knowing Jack wrote it about his daughter.

Jack also shared about his struggles as an artist beginning with his first album in 1995 and how long he waited to get that number one hit year after year, label after label, song after song. Jack listened every week to the Top 40 count down hoping to hear one of his songs break into the top 40 and make it to number one. It finally happened in 2006 with “Wherever You Are.”

When Jack sang “Barefoot and Crazy” he stopped just after singing “cool wet kiss” and said, “When I wrote that, I thought it was really sexy. But I’ve gotta tell you a story...” And he proceeded to tell about the day when he arrived at a venue and took a walk through a field to stretch his legs. Lo and behold this good looking blond came walking toward him and he didn’t know what to say to her. As she talked he realized she knew who he was and he began to feel more confident. Then she told him she loved the song with the “cool whip kiss” and Jack just nodded yes but didn’t have any idea what she was talking about. She realized by the look in his eyes that he was clueless so she pressed on, “You know... the one about being barefoot and jumpin' in?” “Ahhhh, yes” Jack said, “the cool whip kiss,” then he looked at us and said with a grin, “Adds a whole other dimension to the song, doesn’t it?” and finished singing the song using “cool whip kiss” in place of “cool wet kiss” while we all sang along.

Jack continued to sing, telling stories now and then and we didn't want our evening to end. Jack thoroughly entertained us, making us feel right at home.

Article also on Urban Country Blog

Taylor Swift in Charlottesville, VA

2010-03-23T10:44:00.008-04:00

SWIFT IS SWEET & SASSY IN C’VILLE

Taylor Swift emerged wearing a drum major uniform as the band played and cheerleaders tumbled on the opening number “You Belong With Me.” It looked like something straight out of High School Musical. And that was just the beginning. Utilizing costume and set changes and incorporating clever video montages Taylor took us on a magical journey Saturday night at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville.

We visited a high school class room where Taylor was ignored by a handsome young man who did homework and danced with someone else while Taylor sang “Teardrops on My Guitar.”

In a re-enacted interview Taylor discussed how she frequently writes songs about her relationships saying, “Guys don’t have anything to worry about if they don’t do bad things.” Taylor sang “Forever and Always,” - a song written after a painful break up. Then she tossed a chair off the upper level of the stage, walked down the stairs, out to the end of the catwalk, got down on her knees and reached out to the crowd.

Always appreciative of her fans, Taylor sang “Hey Stephen” in the middle of the 100 section then made her way to the rear of the arena to sing “Fifteen” and her first number one hit - “Tim McGraw.” I noticed her mom lovingly smiling up at her as she sang.

When she walked back to the main stage through the crowd she not only shook many outstretched hands but stopped and hugged a lot of fans along the way, especially the young ones. I guess I can’t begrudge her the long wait for the concert to continue. After all, those little girls will remember this night forever.

The setting for “Love Story” was a feast for the eyes with a castle, lords and ladies dancing, Taylor in a beautiful ball gown and even the band members decked out in Victorian dress.

Throughout the evening Taylor was charming and flirtatious, toying with the audience like a seasoned performer. Her vocals were excellent even though the frequent tossing of her golden tresses were often a distraction for me.

The encore held a surprise ending. As Taylor sang “Should’ve Said No” she backed up and continued to sing beneath a shower of water like she did on the 2008 ACMA’s.

Opening for Taylor was the 2009 AMA Breakthrough Artist of the Year Gloriana – a group of 4 very talented individuals: Tom Gossin (guitar, vocals), Mike Gossin (guitar, vocals), Rachel Reinert (vocals), and Cheyenne Kimball (vocals, mandolin). They are most known for their hit “Wild At Heart” although “How Far Do You Wanna Go” is currently climbing the charts. Their harmonies are tight and their voices blend beautifully. Gloriana is energetic, fun and is definitely going places.

Next up was Kellie Pickler, stand out from American Idol Season 5. She opened with “Best Days of Your Life” followed by “Things That Never Cross A Man’s Mind” and her current single “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You?” just to name a few. She perched on a stool to sing “I Wonder” and closed her set with “Red High Heels.”

It was Kellie’s sparkly silver 5-inch heels that caught my eye. How anyone can walk in them is beyond me. And she even managed to walk up and down the ramps on either side of the stage, determined to connect with the audience. Impressive!

Despite the malfunction in Kellie’s ear monitor and her self-consciousness over her snug black leather stretch pants that caused her to apologize for the view to the crowd behind her, Kellie’s performance was quite good.

Published: The Star Exponent and Urban Country Blog

Winter Jam in Charlottesville, VA

2010-02-28T18:53:00.012-05:00

A JAMIN’ GOOD TIME

It was a bargain! All seats were ten dollars paid at the door - first come, first serve - and you got to see eight different groups perform. It was called “Winter Jam” held at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville, VA on February 20th and the place was packed with young and old alike.

Kicking off the event was Revive - an energetic Australian group followed by a young seventeen year old solo artist named Robert Pierre who recently released his second album.

Sidewalk Prophets were well received by the crowd and concluded their set with their hit single “The Words I Would Say.”

I have to be honest Fireflight made me take flight. Their hard rock sound was cranked so loud the walls were vibrating. But they had plenty of admirers in the audience – different strokes for different folks, right?

NewSong sang with tight harmonies and passion. Lead singer Russ Lee issued a challenge as he shared about a man who had no money to put in the offering plate so he stood in it and declared that he was giving himself to the Lord. NewSong’s CD “Give Yourself Away” was made available to concert goers for whatever they could afford to pay. Included in the CD was a second CD for the purchaser to give away to someone who may need encouragement. What a unique concept! Judging by the number of people flooding the halls heading to the merchandise tables during intermission I believe many people took them up on their offer.

The Newsboys, lead by Michael Tait, formerly of dcTalk, took the stage by storm. It was non-stop entertainment with hits past and present. I found myself grinning from ear to ear at Michael’s exuberance and ability to draw the audience in. While singing “Jesus Freak” Michael held onto a harness as the platform where he was standing rose from the catwalk then he swung down and lay flat on his back without missing a beat. Crazy. But Michael got very serious as he sang a personal song called “I’ll Be” about dark times when one looks for (and receives) assurance from God.

At this point in the program, Tony Noland gave an inspirational message and urged support for Holt International – a ministry supporting orphans until they can be adopted. He even introduced us to his adopted daughter, Joy Fei Fei.

And if you were wondering how Winter Jam tickets could possibly be so cheap it’s because buckets are passed before intermission to receive donations from those who are willing and able to support the idea of making this concert affordable for everyone.

Next up was Tenth Avenue North, a local favorite since lead singer Mike Donehey grew up in nearby Fredericksburg, VA. They sang their award winning hit “By Your Side” plus two other singles from the same album “Love Is Here” and “Hold My Heart.” They also performed “Break Me Down” to mix things up. It was over all too soon for me.

Third Day was wonderful with Mac Powell on lead vocals singing several of their hits: “Sing a Song,”
“Creed,” “Call My Name.” Later he was joined at the end of the catwalk by Dawn Michelle of Fireflight for a duet performance of “Born Again” followed by an acoustic rendition of “Cry Out to Jesus” which was absolutely lovely.

Mac also had Dave Hanbury of Revive take a verse on “God of Wonders” and it was awesome to hear a full arena of voices singing along on the chorus. Mac closed out the evening with an acoustic rendition of “Angus Dei” then quietly slipped away leaving the audience singing, lost in the spirit of song and praise.

Published - The Star Exponent

Shine All Night Tour in Fairfax, VA

2010-02-02T15:50:00.017-05:00

STARS SHINE ON SNOWY NIGHT

My friends and I kept checking the Patriot Center website to make sure Martina McBride and Trace Adkins were still going to perform January 31st despite the heavy snowfall over the weekend. We were not disappointed. It was by far one of the more entertaining concerts I’ve been to in a while.

Opening for Trace and Martina was Sarah Buxton with singer/songwriter/guitarist Jedd Hughes. Sarah has a single out now called “Outside My Window” which she & Jedd performed together along with Jedd’s song “Big Blue Sky”. Both songs will be on Sarah’s upcoming album set to be released February 23rd. Sarah also sang “Stupid Boy,” a song she wrote that was made popular when Keith Urban recorded it.

Trace Adkins started his set with “I Got My Game On” followed by “Swing” and “Songs About Me” then slowed things down with “I Wanna Feel Something” and the emotional “All I Ask For Anymore,” (which garnered two Grammy nominations for Trace). He joked about not being at the Grammy’s this year (which were taking place the same time as the concert) and said he’d already “checked that ‘freak show’ off his bucket list.” He figured someone would let him know if he won then yelled back stage to see if he’d gotten any phone calls. Sorry Trace.

It surprises me how easily Trace can move from a tender song like “You’re Gonna Miss This” to a funny, tongue-in-cheek song such as “Marry For Money” and have us in tears of fond remembrance one minute or hoots of laughter the next. He has a unique gift.

The highlight of Trace’s performance for me was when members of the Howard University Gospel Choir joined him on stage and together they sang “Muddy Water” as well as Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” Trace’s lower register is amazing, you can almost feel the walls shake when he hits those bass notes.

Martina McBride may be petite but she has an enormous voice. No one sings “Broken Wing” quite like Martina, who received a standing ovation for her rendition. “Happy Girl,” “Wild Angels,” and Independence Day,” were other crowd favorites. Getting down on her knees, Martina gave a riveting performance of “I’m Trying” – a song about a woman who won’t give up on her man struggling against alcoholism.

At one point in the performance Martina climbed onto a large crescent moon and rode it over the audience to a satellite stage. When she stepped off she quipped, “I guess you can all say you’ve officially been mooned by Martina McBride.” She then proceeded to sing “Love’s the Only House” followed by “Blessed.” As she made her way back to the main stage through the crowd she sang “This One’s For The Girls” and shook hands with many fans along her path.

Martina said she’s frequently been asked about her “unusual” pairing with Trace Adkins. She replied they have several things in common. Trace sings about a Badonkadonk, “And I have a Badonkadonk,” she said. “Trace also sings the song about ‘One Hot Momma’ and well….” Martina left us to conclude that she fits the bill nicely.

Martina is a class act and has proven herself over the years with timeless hits. As she sang “Whatever You Say” I noticed some tears in her eyes and couldn’t help but compare those words with careers of artists today in regard to ticket sales and fan support. “I know you can hear me, but I’m not sure you’re listening. I hear what you’re sayin, but there’s something missin’. Whether I go, whether I stay, Right now depends on whatever you say.”
I say with enthusiasm – STAY!

Published:

http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/stars_shine_on_snowy_night/51679/

Chris Young - Benefit Performance for St. Jude

2010-01-24T22:32:00.010-05:00

CHRIS YOUNG IN STERLING, VA

The last time I saw Chris Young perform in person was at Dave & Buster’s in Nashville, TN in 2007 so I was really looking forward to his performance on January 15th at Rock ‘N Rodeo in Sterling, VA. This concert was billed as a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Chris has always been an avid supporter, sharing about his visits to the hospital and encouraging people to give. One hundred percent of the $10 admission price went to support St. Jude and by evening’s end at least $12,000 had been raised.

Chris sang several selections from his new album including the title cut “The Man I Want to Be.” The lively songs “That Makes Me” and “Twenty-One Candles” were enthusiastically received by the crowd. He prefaced “Voices” as being a song about his family and thanked country radio and all his fans for making “Getting You Home” a number one hit for him.

Chris threw the audience a curve when he covered ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” but they soon caught on and started singing along. Chris was also able to pull several selections from his debut album and had folks join him on such songs as “Beer and Gasoline,” “Drinking Me Lonely,” and “Lay It On Me.” There were several female volunteer chauffeurs after he sang “Who’s Gonna Take Me Home?”

Chris comes across as genuine and sincere and he appeared to be having as much fun on stage as we did watching him. I had a great time!

Opening for Chris were The Gypsy Sons, a local foursome from Alexandria, VA with rock & roll leanings in the style of Aerosmith and Jimi Hendrix. They had quite a following in the audience with much cheering and support.

Also appearing was Jonathan Singleton and The Grove from Jackson, TN. Jonathan is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who has penned such hits as “Don’t” for Billy Currington; “Red Light” for David Nail; “Watching Airplanes” for Gary Allan; and “Why Don’t We Just Dance?” for Josh Turner. He and his band have opened for artists like Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and Carrie Underwood and will soon be touring with Montgomery Gentry on their Country Throwdown Tour this summer. Their style has been honed over the years and is one that combines alternative country with classic country. They have recently released their debut single called “Livin’ In Paradise,” available on iTunes and it’s definitely worth a listen. Their fan base has been steadily growing as evidenced by the significant number of faithful supporters in the crowd and judging by the response to their performance in Sterling I’d say they have gained some Virginia fans as well.

Chris Tomlin's "Glory in the Highest" Christmas Concert

2009-12-19T17:16:00.004-05:00

Season's Greetings!

During the holiday season it’s especially nice to be able to attend a (dare I say it?) Christmas concert where the artists are not worried about being “politically correct” as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

On December 10th my husband and I joined some friends at Chris Tomlin’s “Glory in the Highest” Christmas Concert held at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge, VA. Setting the holiday mood were beautiful white twinkling lights draped along the curtains that changed their color from deep red to green then blue and back again.

Chris Tomlin casually stepped on stage to lead everyone in the popular Christmas carol “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and the concert began. Chris is small in stature but boundless in energy. He radiates the joy he sings about in “Joy to the World” and encourages others to rejoice with “My Soul Magnifies the Lord.” When he sang “Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground)” the true meaning of Christmas was made clear. A babe was born with the purpose of redeeming mankind.

Louie Giglio came out with gift in hand and chose a volunteer from the audience to unwrap it. The young girl was thrilled with the lavender covered Bible and back stage passes. Louie proceeded to talk about the greatest gift ever given and how the shepherds must have felt when faced with the amazing news that special night so long ago. How frightening and thrilling. What a gift our world received. What a difference He can make in our lives today, if we let Him.

Chris continued to sing seasonal and worship songs like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Holy Night,” “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” and “Glory in the Highest.”

It was uplifting and refreshing to celebrate the true reason for the season. Merry Christmas! God bless us, everyone.

Follow You Tour Concert Review

2009-11-27T16:12:00.008-05:00

ARTISTS LEAD THE WAY

Those who know me know I listen to a variety of music. The concerts I attend are primarily country but I have attended some pop rock, jazz, and contemporary Christian concerts on occasion. On the contemporary Christian music front I look for artists that not only have great sounds and styling but also a solid message. I have enjoyed concerts by artists such as Third Day, Michael W. Smith, and Casting Crowns. More recently I had the privilege to see Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath, and Leeland during their Follow You Tour.

The concert was held at Culpeper High School November 10, 2009 where nearly 1,200 fans filled the auditorium to overflowing. Most of those in attendance came from a 10-200 mile radius thanks to the publicity of Radio Station WPER. They were not disappointed. Battistelli, Heath, and Leeland shared the stage much of the time during the three hour concert in addition to giving each other the spotlight to sing their individual hits.

Francesca Battistelli was the darling of the evening eliciting the most applause from the teenagers in the crowd and rocking the house with her hits “Free to be Me” and “I’m Letting Go.” She has a beautiful, full voice and infectious smile, it’s no wonder she was so popular.

It’s always enlightening to hear the story behind a song and Brandon Heath shared he wrote “Trust You” as a personal testimony about his struggles and resulting faith in the Lord. His openness and sincerity were endearing and there was a palpable connection with the audience. Brandon had a very creative intro to his hit “Give Me Your Eyes” utilizing a cover of “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. Wait and See” and “I’m Not Who I Was” were other Heath crowd favorites.

You could hear a pin drop when Brandon and Francesca introduced a Christmas song they’ve been working on telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The words were powerful and their harmonies delightful. I hope they will record and release this one soon!

Leeland (comprised of brothers Leeland and Jack Mooring, Jake Holtz, and Mike Smith) describe their music as “progressive, creative worship music with pop rock and British rock influences.” They performed several songs from their new album Love is on the Move including “The Door,” “New Creation,” “Lift Your Eyes Up, “ “Pure Bride,” and the duet with Brandon Heath “Follow You” as well as some of their more familiar songs like “Tears of the Saints,” and “Yes You Have.”

Leeland was definitely energetic on stage, yet there were moments of quiet intensity that took my breath away. Good music and well written lyrics can do that to a person.

Intermission gave us all a chance to donate to “Food For the Hungry” supported by the Follow You Tour artists whose goal is to have over 1,000 children sponsored by the Tour’s end. Their message is that we put our love into action, helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

I came away from this concert refreshed and invigorated, thankful for the opportunity to truly worship, grateful for the gift of music and such talented artists as these.

Links to interviews with the artists prior to the show:
• FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI by Amy Wagner
and
• BRANDON HEATH by Cheryl Walker

http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/lifestyles/culpeper_news/article/heath_young_life_helped_lead_me_to_the_lord/45455/

• JACK & LEELAND MOORING by Cheryl Walker

http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/news/local/article/award-winning_artists_coming_to_culpeper/46753/

All For The Hall - October 13, 2009

2009-10-16T23:54:00.011-04:00

ALL FOR THE HALL BENEFIT CONCERT - Nashville, TN

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend Keith Urban’s “All for the Hall” benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame October 13th. What an amazing showcase of talent!

Keith Urban opened the show with an abbreviated version of his Defying Gravity tour set list with a couple of variations. The first of which was a wonderful acoustic version of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” that Keith declared was what country music and the Hall of Fame are all about.

Midway through his set he was joined by Brad Paisley for “Start a Band” – something I have been longing to see ever since I first heard the song. It was all I had hoped for. Both artists had fun singing and performing together. They divided and conquered the audience as Keith exited stage right and Brad stage left going up into the stands to play dueling guitars, thrilling concert goers along the way.

There was a lengthy intermission once Keith wrapped up his portion of the program allowing a special house band to set up on stage. For the rest of the evening Vince and Keith became part of the “house band” for the remaining performers.

Vince emerged wearing a Nashville Predators jersey and opened with “Liza Jane.” Keith joined him on some blistering guitar riffs. Vince then dedicated the next song, “Whenever You Come Around,” to his wife, Amy Grant, who was seated in the audience.

Following Vince was Little Big Town singing “Fine Line” and their popular song “Boondocks” which got folks up on their feet.

Dierks Bentley kept the energy high with “Sideways” and it was fun to watch the expressions on Keith Urban and Vince Gill’s faces as Dierks ran around and worked the crowd. Everybody was enjoying being together. Dierks concluded with “Free and Easy” encouraging the audience to sing along.

Lady Antebellum came out looking thrilled to be included in the evening’s activities. They sang their hit “I Run to You” followed by their current single “Need You Now.”

Keith welcomed Jason Aldean to the stage to thunderous applause as he sang “Big Green Tractor” and shook hands with nearby concert goers. Keith clearly enjoyed playing back up with Jason’s guitarists on “She’s Country” exchanging high-fives when the song was over.

Faith Hill, looking elegant in a black pant suit, joined Keith and Vince on stage to sing “Let Me Let Go” with Vince. There were smiles all around as that song brought back memories. Then Faith broke into Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” rocking the house.

Taylor Swift walked out in a glittery strapless dress and heels with guitar in hand. She strolled out on the short catwalk and did a lovely acoustic version of her new single “Fifteen” then donated her guitar with her lucky number “13” on it. She followed up with “Love Story” getting quite flirty with Keith as he played and sang along.

All the performers returned to the stage joining Keith Urban, Vince Gill, songwriter Monty Powell, guitarist Dan Huff and the rest of the house band for “Lay Down Sally” to close the show.

Keith promised there will be more “All for the Hall” benefits in the future – October 5, 2010 to be exact. So mark those calendars and save the date my friends – you don’t want to miss this one.

Photos from All For The Hall 2009 by C Walker Here

Published: Star Exponent

Pajama Jam - October 2, 2009

2009-10-05T19:07:00.011-04:00

LADIES LOVE COUNTRY BOYS...

Imagine 900 women gathered together for dinner and a concert dressed in pajamas and slippers. That’s what happened October 2nd at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA for the 6th annual Pajama Jam for Breast Cancer awareness benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Money was raised though ticket sales, raffles and a silent auction for various items ranging from autographed posters and guitars to a pair of pants worn by Kenny Chesney.

Donating their time for the “Jam” this year were artists Josh Thompson, James Otto, and Jake Owen. Josh Thompson arrived appropriately attired in pajamas although he kept his boots on. He entertained the lively audience with a variety of cover songs plus the song he wrote for Jason Michael Carroll, “Growing Up Is Getting Old” and Josh’s latest single, “Beer on the Table.”

James Otto took command of the stage after Josh and his booming voice matched his towering size. I was blown away by his rendition of “In Color” – a song he co-wrote with Jamey Johnson and Lee Miller. And of course he had the ladies eating out of his hand with “Just Got Started Lovin’ You.”

James signed a guitar to auction after his set and the bidding wars began. When the dust settled the winning bid totaled $1,000. The winner revealed her motivation for such a high bid: her co-worker had just been diagnosed with cancer. Not only did she receive the guitar but she won a kiss from James.

Jake Owen kept the excitement going with his performance. Singing many crowd favorites like “Cherry On Top,” “Anything For You,” “8 Second Ride,” he was hard pressed to keep his seat on the stool provided for the acoustic set. He did stand up briefly for “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You” unwinding the microphone cord from its stand so he could move around at least a little.

He told a very entertaining story about his experience at the CMA Awards this year and his view from the front row near the edge of the stage looking up. Some of those girls should take that into consideration when choosing their wardrobes and the length of their skirts.

Being the prolific songwriter that he is, Jake sang a song inspired by that situation that had us all in stitches. Even he got tickled when singing it. I’m not sure it will ever make it onto one of his albums but it certainly was funny.

However there was one unfinished song he shared that I certainly hope he completes someday because all the ladies loved it:

“Hey baby, I’m taking off early this afternoon,
I’m gonna be home soon and I’m sure gonna love on you.
Don’t worry, I’ve already made the plans, honey.
‘Cause I’m your man and that’s what I’m supposed to do.
I’m gonna hold you close and take my time,
Feel your body move with mine,
Run my fingers through your hair,
I’m gonna kiss you honey from head to toe...
Right now, that’s all you need to know.
Don’t worry ‘bout puttin’ on a thing to wear
‘Cause we got nowhere to go… and all night to get there."

Fortune Williams Festival - September 26, 2009

2009-10-01T14:22:00.009-04:00

CLASSIC COUNTRY
- Jimmy Fortune and Marty Stuart

It was a dark and stormy night…
but that didn’t stop the sellout crowd from squeezing into the Cochran Pavilion at the Frontier Culture Museum to hear some good, old-fashioned country music that Saturday evening, September 26th.

And to think, I almost didn’t go to the Fortune Williams Music Festival but my friend persisted and I’m so glad she did because I certainly would have missed a classic event.

We arrived in time to hear several songs by Jimmy Fortune, formerly of the Statler Brothers. His voice is amazing – a smooth, soaring tenor that makes you sit up and take notice. The sounds of the rain pounding on the roof combined with the warmth of the crowd and the delightful, classic tunes gave me a sense of stepping back in time to a simpler day and age. As Jimmy sang songs like “On the Other Side,” “More Than a Name On the Wall,” “How Great Thou Art,” “When One Door Closes,” I found myself smiling with contentment.

During the break we braved the elements and ventured down to the refreshment tent to get something warm to drink. While there Jimmy showed up to sign autographs and pose for photos. As I thanked him for his wonderful performance he replied, “I have some of the greatest fans in the world!” Indeed he does.

We returned to the Pavilion to dry off and warm up, ready for Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. When Marty came out we forgot all about the weather. His sunny personality radiated from the stage and he kept us thoroughly entertained with his wit and musicality. Marty got the crowd singing with “Whiskey Ain’t Workin’ Anymore,” and “Tempted,” and I was enthralled as he wove the story of “Little Big Horn” using both words and instruments to pull us in.

Ever the encourager, Marty frequently shared the spotlight with his fellow band members, giving them each a chance to shine. One of the more memorable moments occurred when ~~Jimmy~~, Kenny Vaughan, his guitarist, took the lead on “Walk Like That,” showcasing his quick fingers and delightful facial expressions.

Marty even called Jay Unger, a popular fiddler, to the stage and complimented him on his composition entitled, “Ashokan Farewell.” Marty suggested they play it together. The crowd cheered its approval at the idea. Marty picked up his mandolin and softly played in the background allowing Jay to shine, taking the lead only when Jay nodded. They watched and read each other’s cues smiling with delight at the opportunity to make music. The end result was breathtaking! When the last note faded away the audience came to their feet for a standing ovation. I felt as though I’d witnessed something truly special.

Toby Keith and Trace Adkins at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA

2009-09-16T22:53:00.010-04:00

HONORING AMERICA'S FINEST

On a deliciously cool, late summer evening Nissan Pavilion brought its concert season to a close with two of country music’s rough and ready artists Toby Keith and Trace Adkins.

Trace Adkins opened his performance with “I Got My Game On” and continued with other light-hearted songs like “Swing,” “Songs About Me,” “Marry for Money,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” “One Hot Momma” and “Badonkadonk.” He shifted gears singing “You’re Gonna Miss This,” a very poignant song for those in the audience who recently sent their kids off to college. And then he sang “Arlington,” a personal favorite of mine with scenes of the nation’s famous cemetery on the big screen behind him reminding us of the high cost of freedom. Trace followed this song with another he admitted he seldom sang live but with the anniversary of 9/11 having occurred just the day before he said he wanted to send a message to the terrorists responsible for the suicide bombings and proceeded to sing, “Welcome to Hell.” Suffice it to say he got his message across.

Toby Keith took charge of the stage after Trace and continued to fire up the crowd as he began his set with his current single “American Ride,” a song that aims its cynicism at cultural trends. Toby sang hit after hit: “Talkin’ ‘Bout Tonight,” “Whiskey Girl,” “God Love Her,” “Talk About Me,” “Kiss Me Like This,” “Who’s Your Daddy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “I Love This Bar,” and “Beer For My Horses,” to name a few.

In my opinion the highlight of the evening came when Toby returned for his encore performance with “American Soldier.” The lights were dimmed and the big screen revealed scenes of our men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as Toby sang. Moments later military personnel began to enter the stage. Some were soldiers Toby and Trace met on tour in Iraq; others were patients they met at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Some were disabled and some were home on furlough. They all received a standing ovation. It was a chance to thank our military for their service to our country.

After Toby gave one of the vets a shirt, the “Star Spangled Banner” was played and Toby launched into “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue.” Trace Adkins took over the microphone for a verse allowing Toby to hug the necks of several members of the military gathered behind him. It was a magical moment, one I felt honored to witness.

Published:

http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/toby_and_trace_honor_americas_finest/43612/

Keith Urban in Washington, D.C. 08-20-09

2009-08-24T16:47:00.019-04:00

KEITH URBAN DAZZLES D.C.

I was looking forward to celebrating my birthday with my girlfriends as we drove into D.C. to see Sugarland and Keith Urban perform at the Verizon Center on August 20th. We had just sat down to dinner when I received a text from a radio station I occasionally share photos with. I was to meet them at Will Call.

I left thinking I’d be right back but I was very wrong. The radio station surprised me with a pass to Keith Urban’s Backstage Experience and said I had to hurry if I was going to make it! I hustled after Brian, one of the DJs, texting my friends along the way, apologizing for leaving them with my half eaten dinner and an unpaid bill. They told me not to worry, to go ahead and have fun.

The Backstage Experience consists of a group of about 60-70 people gathered together for a BBQ Dinner, a group photo with Keith, a video presentation of the making of the tour, and a brief acoustic performance by Keith himself. For our acoustic performance Keith played “Jeans On,” a selection from his Golden Road Album requested by a young lady seated up front.

As soon as Keith finished playing another girl asked him to sing “Happy Birthday” for her friend, Lisa. Keith agreed but before he could start, Brian called out from the back where we were standing, “Hey Keith! It’s Cheryl Walker’s birthday too! You need to sing Happy Birthday to Cheryl Walker!” Keith replied, “What… you want first and last names???!!” and Brian said “I’m sure there’re other Cheryls in the room and it’s THIS Cheryl,” pointing to me. With a big grin on his face Keith said, “Oh THAT Cheryl Walker right there? THAT Cheryl?” He then proceeded to sing “Happy Birthday” to us and when he got to our names he sang, “Happy Birthday to Lisa and Cheryl, that Cheryl right there, over there that Cheryl.” It was hilarious and certainly one of the most unforgettable birthdays I’ll have for years to come.

After the Backstage Experience we headed into the arena where Sugarland was already on stage. You would never know Jennifer Nettles had struggled with any type of vocal problems recently. Although when her mic cut off for an extended period of time and I could see Jennifer’s lips moving but there was no sound and I feared the worst. Thankfully it was only a technical problem. Her voice was amazingly strong the rest of the evening and the entire performance was a joy to watch – so energetic and fun.

The crowd erupted when Keith Urban came out singing “Hit the Ground” and indeed he hit the ground running with 2 hours of well paced non-stop entertainment. From his current chart topping singles “Kiss A Girl” and “Sweet Thing” to classic hits “Days Go By” and “Somebody Like You,” Keith held the audience in the palm of his hand. Weaving his spell with uniquely designed guitars (imagine lights and mirrors) Keith’s technique and incredible fret work demonstrated jaw-dropping skill.

Wanting to make this concert enjoyable for fans in every corner of the arena, Keith has employed a unique set of 5 huge hi-def screens that rotate and bring another dimension to his tour. Leaving the stage to get personal with the fans, Keith strolled through the crowd like a modern day minstrel making his way to the satellite stage in the back of the arena to perform a few songs and later into the stands to sing a selection.

This is definitely one concert you don’t want to miss!! Be sure and check Keith Urban's Official Tour schedule (http://www.keithurban.net/tourdates.html) for concert dates and see if he's coming to a city near you!

Published:

http://www2.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/a_very_urban_birthday/42193/

American Idol - Washington, D.C. 08-04-09

2009-08-11T20:33:00.021-04:00

IDOLS MAKE AN IMPRESSION

My friends and I joined thousands of other “arm chair judges” for American Idol Season 8 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC on August 4th to hear our favorite contestants perform. Many had differing opinions about who should have won but we were all there to show our support and enjoy an evening of good music. We were not disappointed. With few exceptions every performer sounded surprisingly good with a full band and backup singers for support.

Michael Sarver, the oil rigger, worked hard to get everyone up and dancing with fair results as he opened the show. Megan Joy was still quirky but now looked more like a Barbie doll in a slinky pink dress and heels with sparkles on her tattoo instead of the flower child she appeared to be on TV. Scott MacIntyre was the first to really connect with the crowd despite his blindness. He joked between numbers and demonstrated remarkable piano skills. Next up was Lil Rounds who finally looked like she was having fun by her third number, dancing and singing “Single Ladies” (Beyonce’).

Anoop Desai mixed it up with ballads and dance numbers throwing in a few moves that elicited squeals from fans. Then Matt Girard, minus his facial mole and sporting a faux hawk hair cut, took to the piano with confidence, singing and playing with plenty of showmanship and ability. I enjoyed his set as well as the piano duets he performed later with Scott during the group performance.

Allison Iraheta remained true to her rocker style playing guitar and belting out the lyrics with a wind machine blowing her hair all around. She definitely took ownership of the stage with the maturity of someone twice her age but not one of her songs varied in intensity. They were all fierce and it sometimes sounded like she was yelling. I hope she still has a voice by the end of the tour.

Of all the Idols, Danny Gokey surprised me most. He looked like he was truly enjoying himself dancing and singing “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” by Michael Jackson. I was impressed by how well he related to the crowd making eye contact and covering every corner of the stage. During his set Danny briefly mentioned the tragic loss of his wife and encouraged us all “not to let tragedy define you” and “don’t let it keep you from following your dreams.” He then proceeded to sing “My Wish” (Rascal Flatts) with conviction and emotion. I enjoyed his full, throaty voice and sincere delivery.

Judging by sound of the cheers and screams that accompanied his appearance it was clear Adam Lambert was the house favorite. The show quickly went from G to R rated with his seductive movements and flamboyance. Adam really knows how to work a crowd and he certainly did during the opening number “Whole Lotta Love” (Zeppelin). The songs “Starlight” (Muse) and “Mad World” (Tears for Fears) allowed him to show off his impressive vocal range and ability. Then he was joined by Allison Iraheta for “Slow Ride” (Foghat) and it was hard to tell who was having more fun – Allison or Adam. He wrapped up his set with a David Bowie Medley – “Life on Mars/Fame/Let’s Dance” shedding his jacket, strutting his stuff, and making me wonder how we’ve gotten here from the days when Elvis’ dance moves were considered shocking.

Kris Allen proved he was worthy of the Idol title when he opened his set playing guitar and singing “Heartless” (West/The Fray). His voice was full and strong. Kris delivered “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Winters) with equal intensity and abandon, getting lost in the lyrics. It was obvious he was in his comfort zone behind either guitar or piano. It was as if we were guests in his studio watching as he immersed himself into the music. If only he would look up and acknowledge our presence - but then it just might break the spell.

AMERICAN IDOL SET LIST 2009
Michael Sarver
In Love With A Girl, Gavin DeGraw
Closer, Ne-Yo
Megan Joy
Put Your Records On, Corrine Bailey Rae
Tears Dry on Their Own, Amy Winehouse
Scott MacIntyre
Bend & Break, Keane
A Thousand Miles, Vanessa Carlton
Lil Rounds
Be Without You/Just Fine, Mary J. Blige
No One, Alicia Keys
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Beyoncé
Anoop Desai
Always On My Mind, Willie Nelson/Elvis Presley
Mad, Ne-Yo
My Prerogative, Bobby Brown
Matt Giraud
Hard to Handle, Otis Redding/Black Crowes
Georgia on My Mind, Ray Charles/Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell
You Found Me, The Fray
Production Number
Megan & Lil: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, Four Seasons/Andy Williams
Scott & Matt: Tell Her About It, Billy Joel
Michael: Suspicious Minds, Elvis Presley
Anoop, Matt, Scott, Michael, Lil, Megan: Beggin’, Four Seasons/Madcon
SECOND ACT SET LIST
Allison Iraheta
So What, Pink
Cry Baby, Garnet Mimms/Janis Joplin
Barracuda, Heart
Danny Gokey
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Michael Jackson
Maria Maria, Santana
What Hurts the Most, Rascal Flatts
My Wish, Rascal Flatts
Adam Lambert
Whole Lotta Love, Led Zeppelin
Starlight, Muse
Mad World, Tears for Fears/Gary Jules
Slow Ride, Foghat (with Allison Iraheta)
Life on Mars/Fame/Let’s Dance, David Bowie
Kris Allen
Heartless, Kanye West/The Fray
All These Things That I’ve Done, The Killers
Ain’t No Sunshine, Bill Withers
Bright Lights, Matchbox 20
Hey Jude, The Beatles (with several other Idols)
Group Idol Finale
Entire Group: Don’t Stop Believing, Journey (with a chorus of Steam’s Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/idols_make_an_impression/41270/

Brad Paisley - Bristow, VA 07-25-09

2009-07-29T15:35:00.016-04:00

An “American Saturday Night” in Bristow, VA

Catching everyone off guard (including yours truly) Brad Paisley appeared in the audience to open the show at Nissan Pavilion July 25th with a brief rendition of “Start A Band” then moved onto the stage to sing “American Saturday Night”. It was obvious Brad was determined to make sure this concert was a party for everyone who showed up. From the huge hi-def jumbo-tron screens for the folks on the lawn to the cat walk and far corners of the stage which he frequently visited, Brad made sure nobody felt left out.

Then there was the music. Brad carefully selected a variety of songs that encompassed American life: Childhood (“Water,” “Letter to Me”), Relationships (“Waitin’ On A Woman,” “Mud on the Tires,” “She’s Everything”), Self Image ( “On-Line,” “The World” “Celebrity”), Hanging out with the guys (“Catch All the Fish,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her”), Humor (“The Pants,” “Ticks,” “Alcohol”), and Faith (“When I Get Where I’m Going”).

Brad also created a cartoon animation for the big screen portraying various country music artists in trouble (Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith) requiring “Super Brad” to come to the rescue. I was torn between watching the animation and watching Brad when he played guitar right in front of me.

Not only did Brad start his concert in the audience but he ended it there as well by leaving the stage and going out into the 200 section of seats during a guitar solo to the thrill and delight of his fans. What a guy!

Special guests appearing with Brad for the evening were Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley. I had the pleasure of meeting both of them before the concert and learned a couple of interesting facts about these two young men.

Jimmy Wayne wears Brut cologne – how do I know this? Jimmy asked if I recognized the fragrance, I did and he confirmed it. He thinks it’s a very economical choice. Of course one of the DJs in the room teased Jimmy saying his grandfather wears Brut but I can still remember how popular it was in the 1970’s (was it that long ago???).

Dierks Bentley played paintball in 90 degree heat earlier in the afternoon. How do I know? For one thing his tour manager told us while we were waiting in line to meet him. But I found out first hand. After we posed for our photo together I patted his side and thanked him. He winced and said I found the spot where he got hit with a paint ball. He then proceeded to pull up his shirt and show me the red welt. I wonder which one of his band mates “nailed” him with that shot?

As for their performances Jimmy Wayne was quite the crowd pleaser following Brad’s example by venturing into the audience twice during his songs to pose for photos and dance with the ladies. His vocals were intense as he sang “Do You Believe Me Now,” and “I'll Be That.” The joy of being on tour with Brad was written all over his face. He was well received by the crowd and judging by the long line waiting for autographs after the show folks are starting to notice his talent.

Dierks Bentley should be named the running man of country music. I’ve never seen anyone race around so much during a performance without being winded while singing. His endurance is incredible. He certainly got the crowd warmed up starting with the energetic “Sideways,” followed by “Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do” and several of his major hits. He used every inch of the stage and catwalk, leaning far out into the crowd to hold hands, give high fives and connect with fans.

Kudos to Brad Paisley for being so generous and allowing his opening acts to utilize his entire stage and catwalk. Not all headlining artists are as accommodating. It certainly made for a fun-filled, interactive concert.

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/news/local/article/an_american_saturday_night/40792/

Sugarland Love on the Inside Tour

2009-07-25T09:56:00.004-04:00

Sugarland in Roanoke, VA 06-26-09

Now that Jennifer Nettles has to take more vocal rest to protect those wonderful pipes of hers I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to see Sugarland perform their “Love on the Inside” tour this summer in Roanoke, VA. Sugarland’s concert was truly a feast for the senses with all the props and special effects. Beautifully ornate hanging lamps, enormous lanterns, umbrellas with tiny lights, bubbles softly floating down and confetti falling from the ceiling plus the ebb and flow of stage lighting all served to create various moods throughout the evening.

Jennifer Nettles appeared to hold nothing back during Sugarland’s energetic performance. Her vocals were spot on and you would never know there was any hint of a problem. She had the audience wrapped around her finger with her spontaneity, playfulness and charm. Meanwhile guitarist, Kristian Bush made friends with the crowd by tossing picks, shaking hands, nodding and pointing to fans.

Sugarland opened with an expressive rendition of “Love” followed by the crowd pleasing “Settlin’” and “It Happens.” Jennifer Nettles is as much fun to watch as she is to listen to. With her body movement and facial expressions she becomes an extension of whatever song she’s singing. The acoustic version of “Genevieve” was delightful, “Blood on Snow” was a powerful new song and who doesn’t like (and sing along with) “All I Want to Do?”

Ever full of surprises Jennifer, Kristian and their band donned wigs and caps for the encore performance of the B52’s “Love Shack” and I was sad to see the evening come to an end. This had to be one of my all-time favorite concerts.

Having Holly Williams (daughter of Hank Williams, Jr.) and Billy Currington as opening acts was certainly a smart move. I had never heard Holly before and she was terrific. Her current single “Keep the Change” is quite good. By the time she concluded her brief acoustic performance she’d definitely captured the attention of the audience and won new fans.

Billy Currington was smooth, laid back and engaging as he sang a mix of old and new songs. His current single “People Are Crazy” is climbing up the charts and got a great response from the crowd as did the familiar and sassy “Must Be Doin’ Something Right.” His band is very talented and I enjoyed the entire set. It was over all too quickly but word was that he was going to play at a club later that night after the concert. I’m sure many folks headed over to hear more. Billy closed with “Good Directions” so I hope anyone going to the club after the concert got good directions and met up with Billy for that second show.

George Strait - Bristow, VA 06-13-09

2009-06-15T18:58:00.013-04:00

"GENTLEMAN GEORGE"

In the world of country music he is often referred to as “King George” with over 50 number one hits to his name, but when George Strait walked on stage at Nissan Pavilion Saturday, June 13, his countenance was that of a true southern gentleman, humble and gracious. He smiled and waved to adoring fans as he strode from one end of the platform to the other acknowledging the crowd before taking his place at the center microphone. Opening with “Write This Down,” and moving on to “I Just Want to Dance with You” he nodded and grinned at the ladies who raised their hands, volunteering to be George’s dance partner. Others settled on dancing in the aisles with their dates as George continued to serenade them with songs like “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” “Seashores of Old Mexico,” “Check Yes or No,” “She’ll Leave You with a Smile,” “The Chair,” and “Troubadour,” just to name a few.

Of course George had to bring up his home state, which is a sticky subject around here where the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins rivalry is so heated, but the crowd was a forgiving one as George knowingly winked and continued to sing “Texas.”
The storm that rolled through the area during the concert didn’t seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the audience one bit. They were singing “Rolling on the River of Love” with George and praying for that “Blue Clear Sky” as he sang.

George made sure he introduced all the members of his famous “Ace in the Hole” band, most of whom hailed from the lone-Star State, giving credit where credit is due. Whenever he received exceptional applause or a standing ovation (which was often) George would bow, nod his head and thank his fans for the success of that particular song. Such a gentleman! Unwilling to let George leave without an encore, the crowd clapped and cheered until he reappeared to sing “High Tone Woman,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “The Cowboy Rides Away.”

Opening for George was the lovely, high-spirited Julianne Hough from “Dancing with the Stars” fame. Singing several numbers including “That Song In My Head” and “My Hallelujah Song,” Julianne lit up the stage with her energy and charm. She humbly thanked her fans for the success of her country music career thus far.

Blake Shelton followed Julianne, bringing wit and humor to the show as only he can. Singing some of his more light-hearted songs like “The More I Drink” and “Some Beach,” Blake had the crowd laughing along but it was his cover song that got the biggest reaction. Asking George for some advice since not everyone would know him or his music, Blake said George advised him to choose a song that most folks would be familiar with and could sing along to. Blake then sang the most unusual cover song I’ve ever heard: the theme song from “FreeCreditReport.com” – if you watch TV, you’ve definitely seen and heard the song. The crowd erupted with howls of laughter as Blake sang the commercial jingle.

Now that Blake had the crowd’s attention he proceeded to sing his classic “Austin,” then said he’d been looking forward all day to singing his next song which was Michael Buble’s “Home.” He also sang “Green” followed by “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” and concluded his set with “Ol Red.”

Published:
http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/gentleman_george/37689/

Keith Urban & Dierks Bentley - Roanoke, VA

2009-05-31T19:02:00.009-04:00

THE GREAT ESCAPE

After juggling schedules, arranging babysitters, and traveling hundreds of miles, my friends and I descended upon Roanoke, VA along with thousands of others to “Escape Together” with Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley May 29th at the Roanoke Civic Center. We’d been looking forward to this night out for months and it had finally arrived!

As a member of Dierks Bentley’s Fan Club I applied for and won a meet and greet with him. It was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. – the moment the doors opened. Security graciously allowed all fan club members to enter early then led us to a hallway where we waited for admittance into a room to meet Dierks. When we entered, Dierks greeted us then took time with each individual, speaking directly to them. I had prepared a small gift bag which included coffee for Dierks and some cute little socks for his daughter, Evie. Dierks was like a big kid and said, “Ooohhh – what’s in the bag???” He proceeded to open it, took a deep whiff of the coffee, asked where it was from (my hometown), then held it out for his tour manager to smell and declared it “awesome!” He also thanked me for the socks saying they were perfect.

After meeting each individual and getting a group photo Dierks gave us time to ask a few questions. Someone asked what was on that CD he gave George Strait on the ACM TV Special. He said they just wanted him to give George a blank CD as a prop but Dierks actually gave George a song he had written. He said George told him that he’d put it with all the other songs he gets everyday. Dierks shook his head, laughed and said, “I can’t believe he said that to me! But then only George can say that and get away with it.”

Someone else asked what his next single would be from his new album and Dierks replied, “We’re gonna play it tonight – “I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes.”” Everyone nodded their approval. Then Dierks said he needed to get going so the concert could start on time. He hugged the ladies goodbye and shook hands with the guys. We left the room convinced that Dierks Bentley is one of the nicest country artists in the business.

True to his word Dierks started the show at 7:30 p.m. sharp. He was a fireball on stage, running from side to side, jumping up on monitors or the drum stand, absorbing the energy from the crowd and giving it back again. “Sideways,” “How Am I Doin?” and “Free & Easy,” were highly energetic songs. He and the band did a wonderful bluegrass rendition of “Come A Little Closer.” He pulled a fan onto the stage to watch a video with him. They laid down and donned 3-D glasses at the beginning of “What Was I Thinkin’?” then Dierks jumped up and sang the song live. He frequently interacted with fans that were closest to him, giving “high-fives” and chatting them up. It was a great opening for the main attraction.

The lights went down, a smoky mist filled the stage as Keith Urban strolled to the center mic and began his set appropriately with song “Hit the Ground Runnin’.” In total it was a non-stop, fast paced, rollercoaster thrill ride. The audience sang along with many familiar hits like “Days Go By,” “Where the Blacktop Ends,” “Sweet Thing,” “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me,” “Kiss A Girl,” and “Somebody Like You,” just to name a few. Keith performed a total of 20 songs not to mention the times he stepped back and gave his band members (Brad Rice, Chris Rodriguez, Brian Nutter and Jerry Flowers) an opportunity to shine with solos of their own. Then there was the duet with Dierks – “Take It To the Limit” – which was absolutely priceless! (Many thanks to Kristen for the video) Dierks had the words to the song written on his arm. Mid-verse Keith spied them and held up Dierks’ arm for all to see the evidence. Dierks claimed he just wanted to be like Keith with a tattoo on his arm. Later during the song when Chris Rodriguez was playing a guitar solo Dierks showed Chris his arm insisting he also had chords on there for Chris’ benefit. It was hilarious and we were all rolling with laughter then singing at the top of our lungs when it was our turn to join in.

During the concert Keith ventured out into the crowd twice. Utilizing the catwalk ramps he walked back to the rear stage for “Once in a Lifetime,” and “Making Memories of Us” then returned to the main stage. Next he walked out and up into the stands as he played “You Look Good in My Shirt.”

The center catwalk served as a wonderful spot for “You’ll Think of Me,” and “Raining On Sunday.” The special effects were phenomenal for my new favorite “Til Summer Comes Around” where Keith does an amazing guitar riff.

I have to mention the incredible screens and lighting here. Those 5 huge screens are very mobile. As they swivel on tracks they can be directly behind Keith and the band reflecting footage from the film crew or recorded images, they can also swing up at an angle or even hang directly above them like a ceiling, creating swirling effects and mysterious moods. It’s quite a sight to behold. I was on sensory overload!

This truly was a great escape for my friends and me. It ranks up there as one of the best concerts I’ve seen in a long time. I’m looking forward with much anticipation to my next “escapade” in August when Keith is joined by Sugarland.

Kristen's Video:

Keith Urban - Dierks Bently Take It To The Limit

Jason Michael Carroll Concert - Charlottesville, VA 5-23-09

2009-05-26T09:20:00.014-04:00

THREE IN ONE

My friend, Lisa, and I visited beautiful downtown Charlottesville, VA this past weekend and saw Steve Azar, Keith Anderson and Jason Michael Carroll at the Charlottesville Pavilion.

I hadn’t seen Steve Azar in concert since December 2006 and let me just say the man puts on a fantastic show. He is extremely entertaining on guitar and I love the jazz / blues twist he gives to many of his songs. He introduced his new tune “Moo-La-Moo” in addition to playing some old favorites like “Waitin’ on Joe” and “I Don’t Have To Be Me ‘Til Monday.” I could have listened to more but all too soon the set was over and Steve was gone.

Next on stage was Keith Anderson. Now this guy has the ability to sing a rowdy number then turn right around and sing something so moving it gives you chills. He is “tough and tender” personified. And he has quite a following as evidenced by the sign waving ladies in the audience who volunteered to be the object of one of Keith’s famous hugs when he sang “Somebody Needs A Hug.”

Lisa and I were quite surprised by the average attendance at this concert. Of course it WAS a holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and it IS a college town with University of Virginia being so close by. Most of the college students have gone for the summer. Obviously their loss was our gain.

When Jason Michael Carroll stepped onto the stage he invited everyone in the back and on the lawn to move up closer. A few of the folks in the front row didn’t seem too happy about that but Jason made everyone up there feel welcome as he sang and signed almost anything anyone handed to him – shirts, hats, tickets, etc. This is a wonderful gesture when done in moderation. Quite frankly I would have liked to see more of Jason’s face looking out at the crowd relating to the whole audience as he conveyed the message of his songs. Plus the boy can definitely dance and that’s always fun. Jason is energetic in his performance and I love the deep resonant tone of his voice. His southern charm comes through whether he’s singing country rock like “Barn Burner” and “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” or a ballad like “Alyssa Lies.”

Jason’s son, JW, is adorable and he joined Jason on stage for “George Strait Cover Band” and “Livin’ Our Love Song,” mimicking his father’s moves, singing into his own little microphone. Jason has even taught JW how to make a “rock face” by sticking out his tongue and holding up pinky and pointer fingers. The crowd was charmed by this small lad.

All in all it was a delightful concert and an enjoyable day. We had a great time singing, dancing, and listening to both new and familiar music on a beautiful, summer evening. Who could ask for anything more?

Casting Crowns perfoms in Charlottesville, VA 5-15-09

2009-05-18T14:46:00.008-04:00

CASTING CROWNS SHINES THE LIGHT

The Grammy winning contemporary Christian music group, Casting Crowns, performed for a very receptive crowd Friday, May 15th, at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. If you are unfamiliar with Casting Crowns, it is comprised of 7 very talented individuals: Mark Hall, lead vocals; Megan Garrett, piano , vocals; Melodee DeVevo, violin, vocals; Juan DeVevo, guitar, vocals; Hector Cervantes, guitar, vocals; Chris Huffman, bass, vocals; and Brian Scoggin, drums.

Performing several songs from their current album “The Altar and the Door” lead vocalist Mark Hall explained, “"When we're at the altar, everything makes sense, we know what we're supposed to do. We know how we're supposed to live. Everything's black and white. But somewhere between the altar and the door, when we leave and go out into our lives, it all leaks out, and everything gets gray again. The Christian life is the journey between the altar and the door, trying to get the things you've got in your head, your hands, your feet, and into your life.”

Mark often referred to himself as “a dork” and someone who is on the journey himself. He has a wonderful gift of communication, making you feel as though he’s the guy next door. Someone you can relate to, someone who understands. And that’s not surprising for when he isn’t touring with Casting Crowns he’s a Youth Pastor in McDonough, Georgia.

Mark kept the audience entertained with stories behind the songs and countries the band has visited. When he shared about their trip to Korea we found ourselves encouraged to sing along in Korean, laughing as we made the attempt.

Many in the crowd joined in singing well known praise songs like “The Voice of Truth,” and “Who Am I?” Megan Garrett gave a masterful performance of “I Know You’re There” and Melodee DeVevo’s violin solo on “Praise You With the Dance” was invigorating! Hector Cervantes rocked the house with his rendition of “My Redeemer Lives.”

Speaking a word of caution before singing “Slow Fade” Mark encouraged us to guard our hearts and minds with what we watch, read, and listen to. "People don't crumble in a day. You don't fall, you fade," Hall explains. "In your mind, there's that pride that says 'I'd never do that'... but you don't just do it, it's a slow series of compromises, little ones that go there, until eventually you're sitting in a place you'd never go, doing something you'd never do... and yet the way you're living totally makes sense to you somehow because you're so numb."

Songs like “If We Are the Body,” and “What If His People Prayed” challenged us to a more responsible walk of faith. Casting Crowns knows just where to shine the light. I came away refreshed, renewed and hopeful for a better tomorrow.

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/music/article/shining_the_light/36066/

Jimmy Wayne Benefit Performance in N.C. 4-18-09

2009-04-21T15:00:00.014-04:00

JIMMY WAYNE GOES THE DISTANCE

On my way home from visiting family in Georgia I stopped in North Carolina to hike up Crowder's Mountain with none other than country music artist, Jimmy Wayne. After opening for country superstars like Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley, he was back in his home town to perform a benefit concert at Gardner Webb University in support of the Cleveland-Rutherford Kidney Association. For the past 4 years he has organized a hike on the day of the concert followed by a cold treat at Tony's Ice Cream in downtown Gastonia.

Jimmy lead the way of the one-mile hike occasionally dropping back to check on the slower hikers then sprinting ahead to the front of the line. At the top we paused to catch our breath and take in the beautiful views, enjoying the sunny afternoon. Jimmy casually chatted with folks and posed for photos before heading back down the mountain.

That evening as we gathered at the convocation center at Gardner Webb University there were 1,200 foster kids in attendance thanks to the "Cheeks in the Seats" donation and sponsorship program. Jimmy Wayne has not forgotten his roots nor where he came from. He sang many crowd favorites including his number one hit, "Do You Believe Me Now." He shared his story of bouncing from various foster homes, feeling worthless, and living the life of a juvenile delinquent until an elderly couple took him in at the age of 15, loving him into wholeness. His is a message of faith and hope which he shares unashamedly knowing that there are many kids in similar situations today.

Not only is Jimmy Wayne talented vocally but he is blessed with the ability to connect with his audience and communicate from the heart. His unique gift of storytelling has translated into a successful career of songwriting. I was thoroughly entertained as he shared his life and music with us throughout the evening.

As I stood to go I was painfully reminded of our earlier climb on Crowder's Mountain. Jimmy Wayne has faced many challenges struggling up the mountain of life - "believe in yourself," "you are valuable," "you have a purpose in life" are words that have gotten him to the top. Thanks for the inspiration Jimmy!

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/lifestyles/any/article/jimmy_wayne_goes_the_distance/34307/

Randy Travis - Ft. Worth, Texas

2009-03-30T21:09:00.011-04:00

HONKY-TONK HERO

My husband and I were recently in Texas to visit our son and daughter-in-law and take in the sights. After an evening at the Rodeo in the Stockyards of downtown Fort Worth we left the Cowtown Coliseum and went around the corner to Billy Bob's Texas where we heard Randy Travis was going to perform. When we walked in I was overwhelmed with the noise and flashing lights of pinball machines, the press of people crowded around pool tables and bar stools, and the couples moving on and off the dance floor. The place was enormous! We finally wound our way around to the roped off section where rows of tables were set up in front of the stage. Our tickets were checked and we were escorted to our seats just in time to see Randy Travis and his band take the stage.

Randy was wearing his best "Aw shucks, ya'll" demeanor and that million dollar smile of his as he sang many hits and crowd favorites throughout the evening. Having just appeared on American Idol with Carrie Underwood two days before, Randy related the following story: Two teenage girls met him backstage and said how much they loved seeing him on the show singing Carrie's song, "I Told You So." A young man next in line corrected the girls saying, "I believe that's your song, isn't it Randy?" "Things like that will keep ya humble" Randy declared as he proceeded to sing his song "I Told You So" (originally released in 1988) resulting in a standing ovation.

Among the many songs performed that night, applause resounded for past hits like "Diggin Up Bones," "Three Wooden Crosses," "He Walked On Water," "Deeper Than the Holler," "King of the Road," "On the Other Hand" and the classic, "Forever and Ever, Amen." Randy moved effortlessly from one song to the next, occasionally stopping to embellish with a joke or story.

At the end of the show Travis remained on stage at least 15 minutes signing autographs and shaking the hands of faithful fans who squeezed their way to the front to say thanks for the music.

I'm so glad we had the opportunity to experience Randy Travis in concert at Billy Bob's Texas.

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/lifestyles/any/article/honky-tonk_hero/33011/

David Archuleta - Richmond, VA

2009-02-28T16:35:00.008-05:00

DAVID ARCHULETA PACKS THEM IN AT THE NATIONAL

Despite the late start to the show, David Archuleta found a very forgiving crowd awaiting him at The National in Richmond, VA February 25th. It was Archuleta's second time to perform his headlining tour and the sold-out crowd with a large number of adolescent females frequently squealed their delight and admiration for this young artist.

Archuleta opened with "Touch My Hand" from his self titled album and managed to reach out and touch the hands of a few lucky fans pressed up as close as security would let them. He seemed genuinely appreciative of the warm reception and the fact that so many people would come to his concert. He even took pictures of the crowd saying, "Oh my gosh, this is amazing - you guys are awesome! I've never been to Virginia before - I love it here!"

He was bouncy, attempting a dance step now and then as he sang songs like "Barriers" and "Works For Me" but he was obviously concentrating on his performance and the words, still adapting and getting comfortable with this new set. When Archuleta did a medley of U2's "One Love", Desiree's "You Gotta Be," Sara Bareilles' "Love Song", and "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, he fumbled a few of the words but didn't let it stop his performance - he just smiled and sang on. His hit "Crush" and new single "A Little Too Not Over You" had a lot of folks singing along but my personal favorite was saved for last - "Angels," by Robbie Williams. David sang it with such control and power that I was completely mesmerized.

Set List:
1. Touch My Hand
2. Barriers
3. A Little Too Not Over You
4. You Can
5. My Hands
6. Works For Me
7. Waiting For Yesterday
8. Medley: One/You Gotta Be/Love Song/I’m Yours
9. To Be With You
10. Don’t Let Go
11. Zero Gravity
12. Somebody Out There
13. Crush
14. A Thousand Miles
15. Angels

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/lifestyles/any/article/archuleta_packs_them_in/31246/

Rodney Atkins - Richmond, VA

2009-02-26T20:08:00.010-05:00

RODNEY ATKINS - The Reason I Love Country Music

I went with my brother, Eddie, to catch Rodney Atkins along with The Lost Trailers in concert at The National in Richmond, Virginia on February 13th. While Eddie is eclectic in his musical tastes I wouldn't necessarily say he is a huge fan of country music but he's always willing to listen with an open mind.

The Lost Trailers consist of five young men: Ryder Lee (lead vocals) Stokes Nielson (vocals & lead guitar), Andrew Nielson (keyboards & guitar), Mandy Medina (bass), and Jeff Potter (drums). They opened the show with lots of energy and were received warmly by the Virginia crowd. You notice Ryder's distinct southern drawl right away when he sings their hits "How 'bout You Don't" and "Holler Back." Sporting a fedora, Stokes Nielson rarely stood still, jumping around on stage and reaching out to fans, all to their fascination and delight.

The Lost Trailers left everyone smiling and in a great mood, ready for the main attraction. Fans who had driven from near and far roared their approval as Rodney Atkins stepped into the spotlight. He treated the audience to several selections from his soon to be released album "It's America." Two of the most memorable for me were "The River Just Knows" about a veteran who goes fishing and a light hearted song called "Friends with Tractors."

Rodney's smile and easy-going nature was contagious. He connected with many folks in front of the stage, giving "high-fives," shaking hands, tossing his guitar picks, and accepting gifts from devoted fans. The crowd sang along on "Watching You" with such enthusiasm that Rodney had them do an encore of sorts and even became choked with emotion as he listened.

Eddie and I had the good fortune to be able to meet both The Lost Trailers and Rodney Atkins before the show and they were all very personable, delightful young men. As a season ticket holder at The National, Eddie has been to many concerts over the past year and he made an interesting observation regarding country music artists. They make a lot of effort to connect with the audience from the stage and seem to be more accessible to their fans. Another reason why they are number one in my book!

Little Big Town - Washington, DC

2009-02-15T21:27:00.008-05:00

LITLE BIG TOWN PLAYS THE 9:30 CLUB

My friend, Karen, and I were excited about seeing Little Big Town and the Zac Brown Band perform on February 4th at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. but when we told our kids where we were going they were less than enthusiastic. They love the venue but said two women really shouldn't travel in that area of D.C. alone at night. Since both our husbands were unavailable that evening we recruited one of my son's friends to be our chauffeur and body guard.

Mike arrived to pick us up in a '99 Dodge RAM Truck, you know, the kind you have to grab hold of something in order to climb up into. It was big and loud and Karen and I held our breath as we navigated the narrow streets in D.C. but people (and cars) certainly did get out of our way!

We made it to the 9:30 Club just in time to meet some friends and make our way to the front of the stage. The Zac Brown Band kicked off the show with their unique blend of country, bluegrass, and a touch of Jimmy Buffett. We were spell-bound when they performed their rendition of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." When they played their number one hit "Chicken Fried" I think the entire sold-out crowd was singing along. They certainly warmed up the crowd for the main act.

After opening for artists like Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and George Strait, Little Big Town has branched out and is now headlining their own tour. They opened with their current single "Good Lord Willing" and followed with "Good As Gone," "A Little More You," "Bones," and moved into a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain." Little Big Town certainly uses their versatility and harmonies to perfection. Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, and Phillip Sweet each have the capability to sing lead or back up, weaving in and out of these roles effortlessly. It's a joy to watch. I especially enjoyed their acoustic rendition of "Lost" from their "Road To Here" album as they finished with the cover of Coldplay's "Fix You" at the end. It was beautiful.

On stage Little Big Town is energetic, encouraging crowd participation. They interact frequently with their fans and because we were so close it was easy to reach up and shake their hands. Kimberly even posed for an extended period of time so Mike could take a cell phone picture. Alas, his hand shook so badly the photo was blurred beyond recognition but he will forever have the memory that Kimberly posed just for him.

The place was rockin' by the time Little Big Town played their biggest hit and crowd favorite "Boondocks." They returned for an encore of The Dream Academy's "Life In A Northern Town" and closed with a lively version of The Eagles "Heartache Tonight."

When we climbed back into Mike's big old truck and headed out of the city Karen and I were glad to be with someone who knew where he was going as we peered out the windows at the shady looking characters along various intersections. Walking in the house into my husband's arms I found myself humming Little Big Town's song, "Bring It On Home." I enjoyed the evening but there's no place like home!

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/little_big_town_plays_little_club/29921/

Rascal Flatts & Jessica Simpson in Charlottesville, VA 01-29-09

2009-01-31T08:26:00.000-05:00

AN ENGAGING PERFORMANCE

Life's like a road that you travel on, there's one day here and the next day gone Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand, sometimes you turn your back to the wind...
Life is a highway...

My Rascal Flatts concert experience was a lot like one of the cover songs they sing by Tom Cochrane called "Life is a Highway" - full of twists and turns and unexpected surprises - some welcome, some not.

I fretted about the weather canceling the show Thursday, January 29th, at John Paul Jones Arena but the snow and ice cleared by that afternoon. Then I thought I had allowed plenty of time to get to the concert but upon arrival learned I'd lost my opportunity to meet Rascal Flatts.

Once I got past my disappointment I turned my attention to our seats. My friend, Amy, and I were intrigued by the stage set up. The "cat walk" was in the shape of a diamond reaching all the way to the back of the arena. Our seats were smack dab in the middle of it. When the show started, we were great as long as Rascal Flatts - Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney - remained center stage but when they split up (which was often) we had to laugh because we looked like bobble head dolls, turning this way and that as they took turns singing on either side or behind us. "Bob That Head" is actually a pretty good name for this tour after all!

I must say Rascal Flatts knows how to engage their fans - literally. During "Bless the Broken Road" a young couple was encouraged to climb onto the stage where the guy got down on one knee, pulled out a ring and proposed to his girlfriend - of course she said "yes."

Throughout the evening Gary, Jay, and Joe Don would shake fans' hands, give "high fives," toss a guitar pick, pose for an occasional photo or sign an autograph. One little fan named Noah, who appeared to be about 4 or 5 years old, sang along with Rascal Flatts as he watched the concert from his father's shoulders. He was finally allowed on stage to sing with Gary but was awestruck by the crowd and had to be coached. Gary whispered in his ear and Noah finally finished the song with "Here's to you!" - it was precious!

Jay DeMarcus sincerely thanked the fans for spending their hard earned money to come to the concert during these tough economic times. Remember they have a new CD coming out April 7th called "Unstoppable" so plan accordingly...

Rascal Flatts' opening act, Jessica Simpson, struggled a bit. She sings well enough. Her voice is strong and on pitch. She's attractive and definitely has the guys' attention but she just doesn't seem to connect with the audience. Granted there weren't as many fans to connect with since the crowd seemed to trickle in as she sang. She did a good job with her new single "Pray Out Loud." Unfortunately history repeated itself (i.e. Kennedy Center, December 2006; Good Morning America, September 2008 ) as Jessica credited Dolly Parton for her success then proceeded to flub the song, "Do You Know" requiring a "do-over." At least she stuck it out and finished the song. I understand she's under a lot of public scrutiny these days and I'm sure it's stressful. I wish her the best as she pursues her country music career.

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/columnists/article/an_engaging_performance/29377/

Neil Diamond - for the Young at Heart

2008-12-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

I was in the car on my way to Northern Virginia with my 94 year old Dad and his girlfriend. My Mom passed away in 2005 and Dad’s been dating Rosemary for 2 years now. “Did you know Neil Diamond is going to be in Charlottesville December 8th? “ Rosemary asked. I replied that I had already purchased tickets to go with one of my co-workers. “Oh I wish I’d known, I would love to go!” Rosemary sighed. I told her I thought there were still tickets available if she wanted me to check then turned to look at Dad, “Would you like to go see Neil Diamond?” I asked. “Sure, I’ve always wanted to go to a big concert,” he replied with a wink and the game was afoot.

Mirna and I arrived early to collect Dad and Rosemary for our big outing. Dad was a little concerned about being able to hear as he confessed his hearing aid had been sent out for repairs. “Oh, I think the concert will be loud enough for you, Dad.” I said

After eating at Panera Bread and almost losing Dad and Rosemary in Barnes and Noble we finally drove to John Paul Jones Arena an hour before show time. I got a good parking spot so we didn’t have far to walk. Rosemary came prepared to crochet during the long wait before the show started. I gave everyone their tickets and we went through the check points. Mirna and I went first. Purses were thoroughly searched since no cameras were allowed. I thought Dad and Rosemary were right behind us but when I turned around I didn’t see them. I looked back at security and heard Rosemary say, “Weapon? That’s not a weapon! It’s a crochet hook! It’s not even sharp on the end!!” To which the security guy replied in his kindest tone, “I’m sorry ma’am but you’re going to have to leave it behind.” “But what must I do with it??!” Rosemary asked as I drew closer. I couldn’t hear what the gentleman told her as I offered to take the offensive little hook back to the car. She wasn’t having any of it. She continued to plead her case with security and I noticed Dad standing off to the side with a big grin on his face. Rosemary was finally allowed to stow her crochet hook under a table outside the main entrance.

Unfortunately we didn’t purchase our tickets at the same time so we weren’t seated together. Mirna and I escorted Dad and Rosemary to their seats and determined to meet back at the “crochet hook table” after the concert. The ushers offered the elevator but Dad said there was no need, he could manage steps just fine, thank you very much, after all he square dances once a week. Then he pulled me aside and asked “There aren’t that many steps are there?” I assured him he would be fine. We left them at their seats and headed across the arena to where our seats were located.

I noticed there were people of all ages attending Neil Diamond’s concert that night from college kids to folks my Dad’s age. Everyone was singing along to the classics like “Cherry, Cherry,” “I Am I Said,” “I’m A Believer,” “Holly, Holy.” Neil even got a standing ovation for “Sweet Caroline,” and repeated the chorus. I overheard some college girls appreciate this because that was the only song they knew.

Neil told announced that proceeds from the merchandise sold at his concerts would go to benefit the people of Galveston and Houston, Texas devastated by Hurricane Ike. After hearing him sing “Man of God,” “America,” and “Brother Love’s Travellin’ Salvation Show” I felt like I’d been at a big tent revival. It was great!

Published:

http://www.starexponent.com/cse/entertainment/music/article/neil_diamond_for_the_young_at_heart/26516/

Kevin Costner in Alexandria, VA - December 2, 2008

2008-12-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

Kevin Costner: Following His Dreams

Kevin Costner appeared at The Birchmere in Alexandria on December 2nd with his band Modern West. That’s right, Kevin Costner sings and plays guitar. My friend, Pat, recently interviewed Kevin for an upcoming issue of Country Weekly magazine and she invited me to accompany her to the show.

When we arrived the place was packed and I was concerned about getting a good seat. I needn’t have worried. We were on the guest list and our seats had been reserved right up front. How awesome was that? Pat had even been given backstage passes and we were both pretty excited about meeting Kevin Costner before the show. The first thing I noticed when we walked backstage was how tall Kevin was, and then as we chatted I was impressed by his casual charm, humor, and sincerity. Pat and I practically floated back to our seats.

As Kevin explained from the stage, many of his friends told him he was crazy to pursue a career in singing. He had achieved so much in life as a successful actor and director – why mess things up? But his wife encouraged him to follow his dreams, especially after seeing him come alive performing with his band.

Costner humbly took the stage with his band Modern West at The Birchmere and said he hoped we would enjoy their brand of rock and roll. He then looked out at the crowd and said with a smile, “Wow, you guys are a lot taller in person.” The audience laughed because he just said what we were all thinking about him and he knew it.

He said they would be playing some new songs during the evening then said, “Who am I kidding? They’re probably all new songs to you guys.” Since Costner co-wrote several of the songs on his album Untold Truths, he introduced each selection with a story or explanation.

The idea for the song “5 Minutes from America” was conceived on a trip to the gulf coast after the devastation of hurricane Katrina during the filming of The Guardian. The song “Don’t Lock Him Away” was written as a word of advice to the young girl featured in the movie Swing Vote. “Find That Girl” is based on his real life experience of seeing that special someone in a crowded room and being unable to meet her because of the crowd. Kevin shyly confessed after the song that he did indeed find that girl and make her his wife.

Before singing “Every Intention” Kevin asked the ladies in the room to give men a break because they all make mistakes. As he finished the song he placed his hand over his heart and faced left, right and center saying “Sorry” to every woman in the room, apologizing on behalf of all men. This probably didn’t earn any points with the guys but certainly won the hearts of the ladies.

The most endearing story Costner told was about learning to ride a Sting-Ray bicycle as a young boy. He had complained to his mom that he couldn’t keep pace with the other boys. She took an ace of spades and clipped it on the rear spokes with a clothes pin and told him that he’d be the leader of the pack. Kevin figured if one would make him fast, the whole deck would make him faster but unfortunately the tire wouldn’t budge with all those cards. That’s when he learned that less is more. However, he still couldn’t keep up with the boys so his mom took a bath towel, pinned it to his shirt and told him he would fly on that bike. Thus the song “Superman 14” was born.

Throughout the evening I was thoroughly entertained by Kevin’s stories and songs. He may not have a polished voice but he can hold his own. His band mates are extremely talented and complement him greatly. He truly does come alive on that stage, having fun making music with his band.

Published in the Start Exponent:

To view article go HERE

Lady Antebellum in Salem, VA - November 14, 2008

2008-11-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

LADY ANTEBELLUM

VOTED NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

I first saw Lady Antebellum in the summer of 2007 during CMA Fest in Nashville, TN. There was a buzz about them even then. They were known as “the group to watch.” Lady Antebellum consists of two guys and a girl: singer Charles Kelley, brother to popular artist, Josh Kelley; singer/guitarist Dave Haywood; and singer Hillary Scott, daughter of country music artist Linda Davis.

I really enjoyed their performance so I purchased their CD when it came out. Along with it came a free subscription to the Lady Antebellum Fan Club. When I heard they were coming to the Salem Civic Center in Salem, VA with Jason Aldean November 14th I decided to pay a visit to my friend, Kristen, who lives in Salem and both of us went to the concert.

My Fan Club membership gave me 2 passes to meet Lady Antebellum, one for me and one for my friend. I take photos for a radio station website and they obtained a couple of meet and greet passes for me as well. This provided an opportunity for me to share my bounty with others. How would I choose who to take with me?

I scanned the crowd and noticed a mother and daughter near the back of the Civic Center lost in conversation. I approached them and asked who they were more excited to see, Jason Aldean or Lady Antebellum. “We like them both,” they replied.

I asked if they had seen Lady Antebellum win the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year on TV earlier in the week. “Oh yes! We were so excited for them” they exclaimed. “Would you like to meet them?” I asked. The little girl’s eyes got as big as saucers as the mother said, “Are you serious?”

“Come with me” I said as I lead them to the backstage area where we were all gathered to meet Lady Antebellum. We chatted while we waited. Lakyn is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. She and her mom, Leesa had driven 2 hours from their home in Rocky Gap, VA to attend the concert. They didn’t have a camera to take a photo with Lady Antebellum but I offered mine when the time came.

We lined up for our “moment” and out through the curtain came Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley. Kristen and I went first then I introduced Leesa and Lakyn to “Lady A” as they are affectionately known to their fans. They were very gracious and unhurried signing autographs and welcoming her to the show. Lakyn was clearly star struck as she gazed up at them all. Just before the photo was taken Lakyn almost fell through the temporary backdrop but Hillary caught her. Afterwards Lakyn said, “I’m never washing my jacket again - Hillary touched it!” She was so excited.

The concert was extremely entertaining. Lady Antebellum clearly deserves the recognition they’ve gotten recently. With tight harmonies and a high energy performance, they take turns sharing the spotlight and have a rollicking good time on stage which is irresistible - you can’t help smiling and tapping to the beat.

When I got home I e-mailed Leesa and Lakyn their individual photo and received this in reply, “You don’t know how much your kindness touched us. You made a little girl’s night. Thank you so much and we wish you and your family a Happy Holiday Season.”

You know, watching that little girl’s eyes light up and sharing in her joy blessed my heart beyond measure. It was the highlight of my evening so, no Leesa and Lakyn, thank YOU!

Published in the Star Exponent 11/28/08 - Making a Little Girls Dream Come True

To view the article go HERE

Reba and Kelly in Charlottesville - Oct. 30, 2008

2008-11-01T10:56:00.000-04:00

REBA AND KELLY – 2 WORLDS, 2 VOICES

Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson arrived in Charlottesville a day before all the trick-or-treaters came out for Halloween. Their performance was certainly a “treat” for those of us fortunate enough to be at John Paul Jones Arena on Thursday, October 30th.

Both Reba and Kelly were complimentary of our fair state of Virginia with all the beautiful fall foliage. Reba, age 53, hails from Oklahoma while Kelly, a mere 26 years old, claims the lone star state of Texas as home.

I remember watching the 2007 “CMT Crossroads” episode that paired 2002 American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson with country music legend Reba McEntire. I was curious to see Reba singing some of Kelly’s songs and vice versa. It turned out to be a great show and obviously they enjoyed working together because they created this tour called “2 Worlds, 2 Voices”.

It's amazing to me to see someone as well known and talented as Reba McEntire take a newcomer like Kelly Clarkson under her wing, teach her to "fly" and give her freedom to soar! Reba is obviously very secure in who she is. She’s willing to take risks and try something different by singing some of Kelly’s rock songs. Reba isn’t one of those artists that have to have the limelight all the time. She and Kelly take turns singing backup vocals for each other.

Kelly bounced across the sage in bare feet throughout the evening while Reba did her fair share of country music swing and line dance stepping. They honestly looked as though they were having a blast on stage which in turn made it fun for the audience.

At one point Kelly gave a rather lengthy introduction to a song then just as they got ready to sing she realized the intro was meant for a different song. She became flustered, looked at Reba and said, “Why didn’t you stop me?” to which Reba nonchalantly replied, “Aww, I figured you’d get there eventually…” We all had a good laugh at Kelly’s expense before they launched into the next song. Reba, ever the professional, remained unfazed and supportive. Kelly was embarrassed but sang flawlessly with a rather sheepish look on her face. It was a truly funny moment that showed their humanity and the audience loved them for it!

Reba and Kelly have been gifted with power-house vocals and fantastic control. It was delightful to listen to them sing individually and in duets together. Their harmonies were wonderful and their enthusiasm contagious.

Published in the Star Exponent 11/6/08 -
Two Worlds, Two Voices Tour

See Star Exponent Article Here

Pajama Jam in Roanoke, VA - October 3, 2006

2008-10-04T11:18:00.000-04:00

PAJAMA JAM 2008

With October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month my girlfriends and I were pretty excited about the Pajama Jam held at the Hotel Roanoke. What is a Pajama Jam you ask? Well it’s an event sponsored by a radio station in Roanoke, VA, to benefit the American Cancer Society and you get to attend in your PJs. That’s right – over 900 women went to a gigantic pajama party where we enjoyed a delicious dinner, heard country music artists perform and got to bid on various items for charity. We had a blast!

There were ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes wearing a variety of pajamas and crazy slippers. I loved looking at the creative designs and funny slippers. We laughed a lot!

I was looking forward to the entertainment but came away incredibly inspired by the women who were there. A few came directly to the hotel after receiving their radiation or chemotherapy treatments in order to support the cause and have a night of fun. There were numerous cancer survivors in attendance. One woman, Nicole Cagle, shared her courageous story of survival with such a fun-loving, positive spirit you couldn’t help but be moved. She is currently in her fourth battle with cancer and she challenged us to take time for ourselves and the more important things in life. We sat at the table next to her and during the entertainment I noticed she was up dancing once or twice with a big grin on her face.

The Pajama Jam was first organized in 2003 by Robynn Jaymes, a Roanoke, VA radio station DJ who is herself a cancer survivor. “I am very humbled by the support of this community! It all started with a PJ party and trying to make women not just aware, but to take action. I’ve learned personally that early detection is the best protection,” said Robynn.

The Lost Trailers, Jimmy Wayne and Joe Nichols were the entertainment for the evening but Jimmy Wayne had to cancel due to vocal problems and doctor’s orders. The Lost Trailers and Joe Nichols certainly didn’t seem to mind being the only males in a conference room full of women.

The Lost Trailers (comprised of Ryder Lee, Stokes Nielson, Andrew Nielson, Jeff Potter, and Manny Medina) ventured into the crowd a few times to serenade several women much to their delight. Joe Nichols was joined on stage by a lucky birthday girl and treated her to a personal rendition of “Happy Birthday” in his best Elvis impersonation.

After ticket sales, auction items and other donations, a total of $40,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society. A grand total of $140,000 has been raised over the past 5 years with the Pajama Jam. That’s an impressive figure.

The girls and I plan to make the Pajama Jam an annual event. You see, it became even more relevant when I returned home and discovered someone close to me had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost everyone I talk to knows a friend or family member who has been diagnosed with some type of cancer. Please support the American Cancer Society… and maybe I’ll see you at next year’s Pajama Jam sharing good times with your friends and celebrating life!

Martina McBride in Bristow, VA - September 27, 2008

2008-09-28T11:27:00.000-04:00

MARTINA McBRIDE – A LADY FOR THESE TIMES

Martina McBride was the perfect choice to close out the concert season for Nissan Pavilion September 27th. Even with heavy downpours of rain there were committed fans that cheered and sang and stayed to the very end. They were rewarded for their faithfulness. Prior to the show fans were videotaped writing their hopes and dreams on a white board and it was shown on the big screen as Martina sang her recent single, “For These Times.” Cheers erupted for various comments written, causing Martina to turn as she sang to see what was on the video screen.

Martina has a delightful stage presence. You know how folks will gather in front of a stage to get their picture “with the artist” while they’re singing? I watched this happen several times but once when a young lady posed in front of Martina for a photo-op Martina leaned down, held up two fingers over the girl’s head and gave her “rabbit ears” for the photo. The girl was oblivious to what was going on behind her. It was priceless!

Before the concert started a young Marine approached our section and asked for a marker so Martina could sign his cap. I happened to have one in my purse and gave it to him thinking he wouldn’t possibly have the chance to get it signed nor would I probably ever see that marker again. I was wrong on both counts. Mid-way through the concert between songs security allowed him to approach the stage. He asked Martina to sign his cap and she said, “I can’t sign this,” to which he replied, “It would be my honor to have your name on it.” Martina signed his cap, handed it back to him and said, “Thank you very much!” His name? USMC Staff Sergeant Jonny Nobel.

Martina McBride has to be the most gracious artist I’ve seen in recent months. As she neared the end of her set she commented that she’s been singing for many years and she deeply appreciates the fact that people still come out to hear her. She truly loves to sing and always tries to pour her heart out every time she performs. I believe her too. Her vocals were spine tingling as she sang “Broken Wing,” “Independence Day,” “Concrete Angel,” and “Anyway.” Nobody sings those songs like Martina! Did you know she can play harmonica? Yep. She played it during “Loves the Only House.” And that’s not all; she has a brother in the band who plays guitar. Talent runs in the family.

Martina affectionately referred to her opening acts as “the boys” acknowledging that they were sure to have gotten the crowd warmed up for her and indeed they did.

Jason Michael Carroll was first to shake things up singing, “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead.” He moved us all with his ballad “Alyssa Lies” – the first time I heard it on the radio, it stopped me in my tracks. If you’ve never heard it before, you should give it a listen. When his 3 year old son, JW, emerged holding a Guitar Hero guitar during the final song, “Waitin’ In the Country” you could hear a collective “Awww….” from the audience. I’ve seen my own 3 year old grandson mimic his father with those Guitar Hero guitars so it was especially poignant for me.

Next up was Jack Ingram whose goal was to get everyone in the Pavilion on their feet participating at least once. He proved to be very convincing. If he saw you sitting down he pointed you out to the camera man. He encouraged audience participation on his older songs, “Keep on Keepin’ On” and “Barbie Doll” but it was his newer hits, “Lips of An Angel,” “Wherever You Are” and “Love You” that had the crowd singing along. Jack is obviously a people person because he jumped down from the stage and mingled with the crowd for a few minutes during his set. He took photos with one fan and chatted with some girls who had seen him jogging earlier in the day. He had asked them if they were looking forward to seeing Jack Ingram that night and they’d replied, “Jack who?” I bet they know who he is now!

Brooks and Dunn in Charlottesville, VA - September 7, 2008

2008-09-09T17:20:00.000-04:00

BROOKS & DUNN PLAY CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

Even if you don’t know many country music artists, I’d venture to guess you’ve probably heard the name “Brooks & Dunn.” Winning Country Music Association’s ”Vocal Duo of the Year” award practically every year since 1992, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn must be doing something right. Judging from their performance at JPJ Arena September 7th, it’s apparent they’ve done their homework. Blending old favorites with new songs they captured the audience the moment they stepped onto the stage.

Well known for their high energy shows, Kix Brooks kept things lively with his enthusiastic personality and guitar playing while Ronnie Dunn interacted with the crowd, at one point playing cowbell, tossing drumsticks to fans. Kix also played harmonica and flirted with the female back-up singers, all in good fun. Songs like “She Likes To Get Out of Town,” “Play Something Country,” “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk (Out of the Girl), “Hillbilly Delux,” and their new single “Put a Girl In It” are so upbeat it’s hard to stay seated, you just want to get up and dance! In fact one lucky girl in the front row was hoisted onto the stage to do-se-do and go for a spin with Kix Brooks. He literally spun her around until they were both a little dizzy. She’ll definitely have something to tell the folks back home!

Ronnie Dunn, who was dressed in black, appears to be the more reserved member of the duo. His vocals are delivered with power and conviction and when he sang “Believe” I got goose bumps. It was beautiful. But that wasn’t the only song that proved to be emotional during the show. As Brooks & Dunn sang “Only In America” several service men marched to the end of catwalk, stood at attention and saluted while red, white and blue streamers cascaded down upon the crowd.

Kix Brooks & Ronnie Dunn sure know how to weave a show together. With up-tempo songs like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Brand New Man,” and “Red Dirt Road,” mixed with ballads like “Neon Moon” and “My Maria” you feel like you’re riding a wave and when it’s over you think, “Wow! That was FUN!

Rodney Atkins opened for Brooks & Dunn. I remember the first time I saw Rodney. I was in Nashville at the 2006 CMA Festival. His drummer, Kevin, actually invited me to the Riverfront to listen to his band and asked if I’d ever heard their song, “If You’re Going Through Hell.” It had just begun to get some air play on the radio and I’d heard it a few weeks before so my girlfriends and I went to the Riverfront and saw Rodney and the band perform. He was terrific and still is.

I got a chance to catch up with both Kevin and Rodney backstage in Charlottesville. They are delightful young men and I’m so glad that Rodney’s songs have done well on country radio. He was quite excited about opening for Brooks & Dunn.

Rodney Atkins exhibits a down home country charm when on stage, comfortably chatting and joking with the audience. He sings “These Are My People” with enthusiasm using a spotlight to shine on “his people” in the crowd. He has quite a sense of humor as evidenced by the song, “Cleaning This Gun” about a father’s advice to a boy who wants to date his daughter. He wrote the song “Watching You” with his son Elijah in mind and I noticed while singing it at JPJ Arena he changed the words “Scooby Doo night light” to “Spiderman night light” so I assume Elijah is a fan of Spiderman these days.

Published in the Star Exponent 9-19-08 - Brooks and Dunn Get Down

To see published article go HERE

American Idol in Washington, D.C. - August 14, 2008

2008-08-09T17:39:00.000-04:00

AMERICAN IDOL IN D.C.

My husband and I gradually got hooked on the show “American Idol” this past year and as we watched the eliminations week after week we began to choose our favorites. We’d talk about their performances and I confess I even voted occasionally for the one I thought deserved to win.

When we heard the American Idol Tour was coming to the Verizon Center in Washington, DC August 14th, we got tickets to go. I was looking forward to seeing the Top Ten Idols perform. I tried not to let the crowded metro ride into the city and hour long wait to be seated for dinner dampen my enthusiasm for the evening.

The show was well worth the wait! No matter which Idol was your favorite there was something for everyone since each of the Top Ten finalists had solo time on stage.

Here’s my “take” on the show:

Chikezie Eze was a good choice to open the concert. He was upbeat and lively singing “Hey Mama” (Kanye West) and “Caught Up” (Usher).   The crowd was really pumped by the time Chikezie left the stage.

Little Ramiele Malubay was the weakest link as far as performances go. Her dance number – “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5) – was perky but she just didn't seem as relaxed as the others did on stage. After singing two slow songs without much interaction with the crowd, what Chikezie had pumped up was now deflated by Miss Malubay.

Thank goodness for Michael Johns! He came onto the stage like he owned it singing “We Are the Champions” (Queen).   He was quite comfortable in the spotlight, chatting with the audience, commenting how big the Verizon Center was and yet it felt very intimate to him.   His soulful rendition of “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” (Dolly Parton) had the ladies swooning. He said Randy Jackson didn’t care for his next number - “Dream On” by Aerosmith - but he was going to sing it anyway and it brought the house down. Michael appeared to be genuinely appreciative of the crowd's response to his performance.

I prepared myself for another slow down when Kristy Lee Cook came out but she was surprisingly good! She worked the stage well, covering both sides and the center catwalk. She opened with “Tryin’ To Squeeze the Love Outta You” (Carolyn Dawn Johnson) and her version of “God Bless the U.S.A.” (Greenwood) had folks standing, hands over their hearts. Kristy shared that she and Carly (Smithson) toured the White House earlier in the day and it made quite an impression on both of them.

Carly Smithson did not fail to impress with her big vocal range and ability. “Crazy On You” (Heart) was amazing however she kept fidgeting with her mic and ear piece the entire time she was on stage. Once she turned around and mouthed something to the band. Obviously there was a sound problem but none of the other Idols seemed to experience it. I enjoyed her songs but all that fidgeting really took away from her performance.

Brooke White emerged through a trap door, center stage – barefoot and seated at a piano. She was very confident and all smiles. Everybody raves about how well Brooke sings “Let It Be” (Beatles) but I personally preferred her performance of “Yellow” (Coldplay) – it was a perfect fit for her.

Jason Castro sat on a stool with his ukulele to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Iz Version) and walked to the mic on the catwalk to sing “What a Day for a Daydream” (Lovin’ Spoonful).   His voice was nice, but not fantastic. His approach to the stage seemed very casual and laid back. “Mellow” has been a term frequently applied to Jason and it’s appropriate. He never ventured to either side of the stage to interact with the crowd and whenever he actually DID speak, it came out as a mumble, at least to my ears. I overheard the guys behind me say in disbelief “I can’t believe this guy lasted so long on the show!” Me either.

Syesha Mercado was very energetic during her set performing “Umbrella” (Rihanna). She received a standing ovation after a powerful rendition of Beyonce’s “Listen” and stood there with a look of surprised delight on her face, basking in the glow. When she finished her set, it was her responsibility to introduce the “runner-up” on American Idol…

And yes, the girls screamed for young David "aw shucks" Archuleta. He really does have an amazing voice. I was totally impressed with his performance. He, too emerged through a trap door, seated at a piano with mist swirling around him, singing “Angels”(Robbie Williams) – absolutely magical. I also enjoyed his performance of “Apologize” (Timbaland). It seems “Archie” has been working on his stage presence; he didn’t look as stiff as I thought he might.

When David Cook walked out I was surprised to see him in a suit and tie! He jokingly said he was running for president then later explained he had visited the Senate on behalf of his brother for Cancer Research. Personally I wish he’d performed in his rocker duds, I think he’d have been more comfortable since I noticed he kept tugging at his suit sleeves while playing guitar - oh well, he was incredible anyway. He’s definitely at home on stage and at one point took out a video camera and began filming the audience.   I LOVED his opening number of "Hello" (Lionel Richie) and of course, his rendition of "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson) is one of my David Cook favorites. The tribute to his brother - "My Hero" (Foo Fighters) - was a bit too rocky for my taste but there was something for everyone...

All ten finalists came out for a group performance of “Don’t Stop the Music” (Rihanna) and then, just like that, it was over. Three hours had gone by in a flash and left us all wanting more.

Published in the Star Exponent 8-21-08 - Idols Show They've Improved

To view the article go HERE

Rascal Flatts in Bristow, VA - July 26, 2008

2008-07-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

FLATTS AND SWIFT PLAY FOR A SELL OUT CROWD

Five Rascal Flatts concerts, three years of observing their career, finally getting to meet them… priceless! I confess I was as excited as the numerous school girls I saw attending Saturday’s Rascal Flatts concert at Nissan Pavilion July 26th. I had prepared a small gift bag for “The Guys” (Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, and Jay DeMarcus) as a token of my appreciation for their music. Inside was coffee from The Frenchman’s Corner, concert photos, carved wooden crosses by my Dad and a personal note of thanks from me. In a today’s culture where we often hear negative messages in lyrics, Rascal Flatts remains upbeat and positive. They have also been extremely generous in giving their time and money to worthy causes, one being the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. Can you tell I’m impressed with these young men?

There were 80+ people backstage to meet Rascal Flatts and after standing in line for 40 minutes it was finally my turn. I handed my gift to Gary LeVox and told him I’d been waiting three years to meet them. He said, “Well come on over here!” throwing his arm around me for a hug. Joe Don heard there was coffee in the bag and said, “Oh boy! Thank you so much” and both he and Jay DeMarcus gave me hugs. I noticed how each one made eye contact and sincerely thanked me for being a fan and coming to the show. The “Meet and Greet” didn’t last long but the guys made the most of the short time they had with every person they met.

When my husband and I made our way into the Pavilion for the concert we were amazed by lack of empty seats. The place was packed! Reports of it being a sold out show were no exaggeration.

Rascal Flatts exploded onto the stage – literally. There was a loud BANG and the curtain fell revealing a folding staircase that lowered, releasing the guys into bright lights and smoke. Throughout the evening there were flashing light shows and dancers in the background but the show belonged to Rascal Flatts. They opened with the title cut from their latest CD “Still Feels Good” and moved into the popular “Life Is A Highway.” The crowd roared its approval, waving arms in the air and pumping fists. During the night Gary LeVox borrowed hats from various people in the audience, wore them for a while then tossed them back. Jay DeMarcus entertained us with his impersonation of phone conversations between ladies planning their “girl’s night out” to see Rascal Flatts in concert. He even gave us a sample of the way women walk. Personally I think he needs a little more practice…

Joe Don Rooney gave an acoustic guitar performance as he sang “I’m Movin’ On” and Jay De Marcus accompanied himself on the keyboard as he sang “Skin (Sarah Beth)” but the rest of the evening belonged to Gary LeVox and his strong vocal skills. Whether they are singing ballads like “My Wish,” “Bless the Broken Road,” “Feels Like Today” or rousing numbers like “Fast Cars and Freedom” and “Me and My Gang,” their blend of harmonies is so rich you find yourself smiling and wanting to join in.

As for the opening act, Miss Taylor Swift, who is all of 19 years old with a stage presence of someone who has been performing for many years, all I can say is this girl is going places! She’s spirited and fun and she sang several of her hits. During “Our Song,” “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and “Tim McGraw” she was sweet and demur but when it came to “Picture to Burn” and “Should’ve Said No” she let loose. In fact she beat on garbage cans with drumsticks demonstrating her rage when her boyfriend should have said no to an offer from another girl.

You can believe what you’ve heard about Taylor Swift appreciating her fans. She met many of them before the concert and I was blessed to be one of them. In person she’s tall and willowy, glowing with personality. She posed for photos and signed autographs. One young boy had a sign that said, “Taylor, you can drive my truck when I get one.” She laughed and signed his sign. I’ve seen her perform at a benefit concert in Nashville, open for both George Strait, and Brad Paisley so I put together a photo collage to give her. She said, “Is this for ME??” and was very sweet.

At the end of Rascal Flatts’ show Taylor emerged wearing a Washington Redskins Jersey with “Taylor” across the back to the delight of fans.

Be sure to watch for Taylor’s newest song “Change” to be played during the 2008 Olympics. Yes indeed, she’s definitely one to keep an eye on.

Brad Paisley in Bristow, VA - July 12, 2008

2008-07-13T16:44:00.000-04:00

PAISLEY PARTY COMES TO TOWN

“I don’t care which political party you belong to: Republican or Democrat – tonight you’re all members of the Paisley Party and we’re gonna have a good time!” Brad Paisley exclaimed as he took the stage July 13th at Nissan Pavilion. Trust me, with Paisley at the helm you’re going to have a fantastic concert experience. From the moment he stepped into the spotlight and walked down the catwalk reaching far into the crowd he took command. Opening with “Mud on the Tires” and quickly moving through “Better Than This” and “The World,” Brad Paisley dazzled the crowd with his incredible guitar skills and ever changing selection of uniquely designed paisley guitars.

Mid-way through the concert I was mesmerized by the creative, computer generated cartoon animation utilized to introduce Brad and his band members in the form of superheroes battling super villains. More impressive was the fact that the animation was done by Brad Paisley himself.

Several times throughout the evening on-screen images played an important role in the musical numbers. Alison Krauss made a virtual appearance to sing “Whiskey Lullaby” with Brad. Dierks Bentley appeared briefly on screen for a humorous exchange during “Celebrity” and a previously recorded B.B. King announced “B.B. and B.P. are back in town!” launching into a rousing guitar number. We experienced a sense of loss and appreciation for those who have gone before as Brad sang “When I Get Where I’m Going” while a montage of familiar faces (Ronald Regan, John F. Kennedy, crew members of the Challenger space shuttle, Dale Earnhardt, Porter Wagoner, and more recently Tim Russert) flashed on the screen.

Brad Paisley has the remarkable ability to move from sensitive ballads into witty, fun-loving songs with ease. Preparing us for something new, in true Paisley fashion he said “this is one of the most romantic songs I’ve ever written” and with a tender touch on the guitar he proceeded to sing, “She just wants me to support her, and the best way that I’ve found, …with a gentle hand and a loving touch, I put that toilet seat down.”

Jewel with Brad Paisley

Opening for Brad was Dancing with the Stars sensation, Julianne Hough, who’s lively performance included her latest hit, “That Song in My Head.” Chuck Wicks from the short lived show “Nashville” performed his hit single, “Stealing Cinderella” as well as his new release, “All I Ever Wanted.” The folk/pop/country artist, Jewel, was probably the most well known of the opening acts. She sang “Stronger Woman” and “I Do” from her recent album but received greater applause for her older works, “Who Will Save Your Soul” and “You Were Meant for Me” ending her set with an old-fashioned yodel. She later returned for a duet with Brad singing, “That’s the Way Love Goes.”

There was something for everyone at this concert. Brad Paisley was true to his word – by the end of the night I definitely felt like I had been to a party and I had a blast!

Brad Paisley’s Set List:

Mud On the Tires
Better Than This
The World
Wrapped Around Your Finger
She’s Everything
Celebrity
Mr. Policeman
I’m Still A Guy
Letter To Me
I’m Gonna Miss Her (Fishin’ Song)
Instrumental during screen animation
Whiskey Lullaby
Acoustic Performance with Jewel – That’s the Way Love Goes
When I Get Where I’m Going
Online
Alcohol

Encore:

Ticks
Good Times Roll

Published in the Star Exponent 7-25-08 - Paisley Party Comes to Town

To view article go HERE

Tim McGraw in Bristow, VA - June 15, 2008

2008-06-17T17:00:00.000-04:00

NOT A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE

While waiting at the special tent outside the gates of Nissan Pavilion to receive my pass for Tim McGraw’s private preshow party I noticed several men and women in uniform. I struck up a conversation with one of the ladies. Earlier in the day Tim’s band members had been at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to visit injured soldiers home from the war. She even filled me in on the fact that the Warren Brothers were with Tim’s band and would be playing with them on stage tonight. The young lady I spoke to said there were several students at the concert as Tim’s guest who were from the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD who were preparing to be physicians, nurses and scientists to care for those in harm’s way. They were heading backstage to personally meet Tim. I was impressed!

When I got to the preshow party I saw several wheelchairs upfront and a few more uniformed personnel milling around. One young man in a T-shirt was declaring he’d just gotten back from Iraq two weeks ago and was inviting all the ladies to sign his chest. I think I’ll show my support some other way.

After enjoying refreshments, everyone was ready for some music. Tim’s band members, The Dancehall Doctors, came out with Lance Miller first, then Catherine Rainey followed by Tim McGraw. Tim sang two songs: “Everywhere” and “Just to See You Smile” for this intimate performance. Tim acknowledged the military and how appreciative he is for their sacrifice and service. When it was over he shook hands with everyone in the front row.

I headed into the Pavilion and took my seat. Halfway to Hazard was already on stage and what an energetic couple of guys they are! Chad Warrix and David Tolliver worked hard to keep the crowd’s interest focused on the stage. David even jumped down from the stage and walked through audience toward the end of their set. They did their job - I was entertained.

Jason Aldean was next and he was well received at Nissan Pavilion opening with his current single, “Relentless” then moving through several of his hits, “Amarillo Sky,” “Why,” “Laughed Until We Cried” and the lively “Johnny Cash.” He said the last time he was in town he got a less than favorable review by the Washington Post. In response Jason proceeded to play Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” He closed with “Hicktown” and had everyone on their feet with a smile on their face.

The much anticipated moment had arrived. Tim McGraw finally strode out onto the stage amid the roar of the crowd. He began with a brand new song called, “Still” and throughout the night he skillfully blended old and new songs to keep the momentum going. A young boy joined him on stage for the final chorus of “Last Dollar (Fly Away)” which was very sweet. He serenaded various women who were fortunate enough to be standing next to the stage while Tim was singing “Suspicions,” “I Like It, I Love It,” and “Real Good Man.” I saw a couple of them afterwards and I do believe they looked as if they might faint! One woman could hardly speak.

For me the most poignant moment of the evening came when Tim returned to the stage for his encore. He stood there and solemnly sang, “If You’re Readin’ This” – a song about a deceased soldier’s final letter home. I was moved to tears and, as I glanced around I noticed I wasn’t the only one. Tears were streaming down many cheeks in the Pavilion that night.

Of course Tim didn’t end the concert there. He closed with some livelier, upbeat songs and said how much he loved his job but quite frankly it’s that one song that remains in my memory. That song, combined with meeting the military earlier in the day and seeing those soldiers in wheelchairs served to remind me of the more important things in life. Thanks for the experience, Tim; it’s one I won’t soon forget.

Published in the Start Exponent 6-20-08 - Not a Dry Eye in the House

To view the article go HERE

Kenny Chesney Stadium Tour in Baltimore, MD - May 10, 2008

2008-05-11T17:35:00.000-04:00

POETS AND PIRATES COME TO BALTIMORE, MD

David Nail

We began watching the weather reports a week in advance, hoping the rain would hold off. I enjoy concerts, just not in the rain. Saturday was looking questionable with a 30% chance of showers in the morning and to top it off, the temps were going to be in the 40-50’s that evening. This is May, right?

We packed our jackets and ponchos and headed to the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore - home of the Ravens- for a full day of concerts. Traffic was manageable and we arrived in time to listen to some side stage entertainment along Raven’s Walk while we ate lunch. David Nail sang his new single, “I’m About to Come Alive.” Some pretty girls certainly came alive in front of the stage when this attractive young man began to sing. He didn’t seem to mind it – guess it goes with the territory.

As we headed toward the stadium we stopped at one of the radio station tents and who should arrive while we were there? American Idol’s Phil Stacey! He said hello and shook hands and even granted some photo-ops with fans before heading to the side stage for his performance. Unfortunately it was scheduled to occur at the same time as Gary Allan so we missed it.

By the time Gary Allan came on stage the sun had come out and it was beginning to get down-right hot! Gary himself was heating up the stage singing “Nothing on But the Radio,” “Best I Ever Had,” “Watching Airplanes,” “Right Where I Need to Be,” “A Feeling Like That,” and “Songs About Rain” just to name a few.
Next up was LeAnn Rimes. This girl has an amazing voice (and body to match – note to self, no more excuses for not going to the gym!) She was very friendly to the crowd, signing hats, shirts, and even a couple of beach balls that bounced her way. Cheers erupted in the stadium when she donned a Ravens Jersey with the number one on the front.   She sang many of her greatest hits along with her newest release, “Good Friends and a Glass of Wine.”

Big and Rich exploded onto the stage in their customary fashion ready to get the party started. They sang a variety of their songs including “The 8th of November” saying it was one of the most important songs they have ever written. It’s a story about a Vietnam Vet and his experience in one of the toughest airborne battles in Vietnam.   During their set they were joined by Cowboy Troy who sang, “I Played Chicken with the Train" and Two Foot Fred who also made an appearance.

Brooks & Dunn were next on the docket and it was obvious many fans were there to see this dynamic duo. The crowd roared its welcome as they opened with “Cowboy Town.” Kix demonstrated his harmonica skills on several numbers while Ronnie’s tenor voice soared.   With a screen backdrop of American flags they sang, “Only in America,” while a group of military soldiers in dress uniform came marching onto the stage followed by a burst of red, white and blue streamers that settled onto the folks on the field.
It was now 9 p.m. and the crowd was prepped and ready for the crown jewel of the evening - Kenny Chesney. Many had come from miles around, tail-gated and partied and waited all day for this very moment. Just the mention of his name evoked squeals of delight and anticipation from the crowd.    I was so busy watching the stage that I almost missed his entrance; I had to be tapped on the shoulder and my view redirected! He finally emerged from the middle of the catwalk (no mishap of a trapped boot at this venue, thank goodness). He was wearing his traditional cowboy hat, a sleeveless blue Bruce Springsteen Live 1975-85 T-shirt, faded, worn blue jeans and boots. He shook hands with fans and seemed happy to be singing the songs he loves.   Among them were “Never Wanted Nothin’ More,” “How Forever Feels,” “Wild Ride,” “Don’t Blink,” “Shift Work,” “Young,” “Beer In Mexico,” Keg in the Closet,” “When the Sun Goes Down,” “Big Star,” “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem,” “Living in Fast Forward,” “Back Where I Come From,” “She’s Got It All,” and “Better As A Memory.”

I confess we skipped out on the encore to get a head start on traffic exiting the parking lots. Judging by the amount of alcohol consumed at the stadium we figured it was a good idea to get ahead of all those folks. All in all, it was a great day with plenty of good music and best of all no rain!!