Josh Turner is no stranger to the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom and this July, he was back. Joined by British Columbia native, Raquel Cole, the two took on the picture-perfect summer night. With fans lining the boardwalk eager to get inside, anticipation rose as the 8pm show time drew in closer. A venue filled with small tables, high tops and barstools, it was the perfect place to soak up an intimate concert.
Starting her songwriting at 12 years old, Cole owned the staged and captured the early-arriving crowd. Currently touring around with Diamond Rio, the 21-year-old took time to sing at a new venue. The pair also sang on Cape Cod earlier in the week before heading to The Granite State, a show that was deservedly raved about. Raquel played arguably her most popular tune, ‘It’s For Real This Time,’ and received a warm welcoming. “I wish Hampton was closer to home,” she laughed, who now resides in Nashville when not on tour. The singer posted a picture of herself on the beach from earlier in the day on her Facebook, stating that Hampton is “the cutest beach town ever!” Up next, she slowed the tempo with her song ‘Moving Home.’ “I was writing with a friend talking about home and how it makes you who you are in life,” Cole shared, a notion that many in the crowd could relate to. But it was her version of Little Big Town’s ‘Girl Crush’ that had everyone singing along, a popular song for singers to cover. Dubbed the ‘Canadian Cutie’ by counterpart, Turner, Raquel opened up the evening for a night full of country on the coast.
With as many hits as Josh Turner has, it was bound to be a fun evening. Starting off with his flirty, ‘Why Don’t We Just Dance,’ the 37-year-old had his fans singing to every word. It’s been over ten years since Turner released his single, ‘Long Black Train,’ which he eventually played towards the end of the show. That means over a decade of singles that people embraced throughout the years. Among those popular tunes, the upbeat ‘Firecracker’ and calming ‘Everything Is Fine,’ were next up on the set list. He then took a minute to talk to the New Hampshire crowd and had the fans laughing in their seats. The Hampton boardwalk, a prime people-watching location, as Josh knows, was the topic of conversation. “It’s good to be back up here in Hampton,” he said in his deep, sultry voice. “You always see something new when you’re at Hampton Beach. I personally saw a guy wearing a thong up here earlier.”
Fans were treated to his latest single, ‘Lay Low,’ and got a preview of songs coming off Turner’s next album with tracks like ‘Deep South’ and ‘Beach Bums.’ It was time for a break in the music as Josh plugged his book for sale at the merchandise table, called Man Stuff. The crowd could sense how proud he was about this masterpiece, filled with stories about his journey in life. The double-Platinum-selling singer took time to introduce his band behind him, The Talkin’ Honkies. Following the introduction, it was ‘Time is Love’ and ‘Haywire’ getting the show back on track. The lights went dark as a black and white train came chugging along the big screen and it was evident which song was next in line. The lyrics to ‘Long Black Train’ echoed through Josh’s microphone, as one of the most recognized voices in country music sang his ballad. To follow up that popular song was no easy task, but Turner was up for it as he belted out ‘Will You Go With Me,’ as the fans rose out of their seats to sing and dance along.
As Josh’s time on stage wound down, fans hoped for an encore, ensuing that the night would continue. The platform drew the darkness and the time for one more song grew closer. It only seem fit to end with one of the most well-known country songs around, the sexy tune, ‘Your Man.’ With the big screen projecting a video compilation of fans, YouTube videos and audition clips singing Turner’s song, a familiar face showed up. Who other than Scotty McCreery trying out for American Idol with yep, you guessed it, ‘Your Man.’ The crowd went wild as they helped sing the closing song and sent the southern gentleman on his way. It was another treat for New England fans, as the summer packed with country concerts continued.
This was written by Lauren Rose, contributing writer for New England Country Music. You can follow me on Twitter here.
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