Tag Archives: New England Country Music

Brett Eldredge Brings the Beat of the Music to the Melody Tent

Deafening. Wild. Fun. Hot.

Those are just a few words to sum up the show Brett Eldredge put on at the Cape Cod Melody Tent last Friday. This venue is always such a treat to see concerts at, and seeing one of country music’s heartthrobs do his thing there was unbelievable. 

The night started out electric – with a sold out capacity crowd waiting for Brett to take the rotating stage. He entered the tent to his 2015 #1 song on Billboard charts ‘Lose My Mind.’ The tent was filled with loudening cheers. “Oh man, back to the Melody Tent y’all! And it feels so good!” Brett kept the pace rolling with his 2017 song ‘Something I’m Good At’ and 2012 #1 hit ‘Don’t Ya.’ He took the time to thank the crowd for their attendance: “thank you for selling this place out tonight, this place feels alive!”

To slow things down just a hair, Brett and company played ‘Love Someone.’ Eldredge had to take another pause to embrace his audience because of their intensity: “we played here about a year ago and y’all showed up and now y’all damn showed up AGAIN. This is crazy!” The fans that filled the Melody Tent were so happy Brett was there. The applause and cheers were nothing shy of loud, and every word to Eldredge’s music was sung along with him. ‘The Reason’ with a transition into ‘I Got Sunshine’ was a great way to break the energy. At this time, his band exited the stage, and Brett and his pianist were the only ones left.

By this time, Brett is dripping sweat from his performance and the humidity that was under the tent. For being on a rotating stage, he knew how to work every side of it – visiting the fans that his back was to. Brett took the time to get personal with the crowd and sing his song ‘Raymond’ which is about his grandmother who had Alzheimer’s Disease. He explained that this song helped him cope with her illness. 

After intently listening to this song that pulled the heart-strings, an acoustic version of ‘The Long Way’ came around to lighten the mood. The band re-entered the stage and Brett’s cover of ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ filled the air. ‘Heartbreaker,’ ‘Drunk On Your Love,’ and ‘Time Well Spent’ played into one another right after. 

‘Mean To Me’ accompanied by phone lights, or “fireflies” as Brett calls them gripped the audience. Eldredge’s upbeat rocker song ‘Fire’ picked the pace right back up, followed by his 2016 single ‘Wanna Be That Song.’ At this time of night, Brett and his band left the stage, leaving the fans desperately wanting more. The cheers were deafening, pleading for Brett to come back. 

He fulfilled their wishes and hopped back on stage. Brett took a few minutes to sit there and take in the insane cheering, while continuously mouthing “Man! Wow!” in awe of their noise. He and his pianist played ‘One Mississippi’ and then welcomed the rest of the band. ‘Beat of the Music’ – his number one single closed out the show. Brett had to do one last thing for his fans, so he jumped off the stage and ran through the aisles, finishing his set out there.

Brett Eldredge put on an amazing show from start to finish. He knows how to work the crowd and he is truly appreciative of the energy his fans bring to every show. Brett never stopped during the two hour performance. If you haven’t seen him yet, we highly recommend seeing him soon!

Thomas Rhett Brings The Heat with a Sold Out Show in Mansfield!

It’s been a hot summer and it got any hotter with one of the most anticipated shows of the summer, Thomas Rhett’s Very Hot Summer Tour, when it came to the Xfinity Center in Manfield last Friday night! The tour also featured Dustin Lynch, Russell Dickerson and Rhett Akins- yes, TR’s father!

If you didn’t know, Rhett has had a great career writing songs for some of your favorite stars such Blake Shelton, Jon Pardi, Jason Aldean oh and his son, Thomas Rhett. But Rhett also has had a solo artist career of his own. His set would feature a mix of his original songs and songs he’s written for other artists. Rhett kicked it off with Jon Pardi’s ‘Dirt On My Boots,’ saying after, “What’s happening y; all. My name is Rhett Akins. I’vespent the last 10 years in Nashville writing songs for my buddy. I wrote this one for Jason Aldean” – the song, ‘When She Says Baby,’ had the crowd singing and dancing along. He again addressed the crowd by saying “The first time I played here was 1995 with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith...” Talk about a throwback! He would continue his set with ‘Just Getting Started,’ ‘Boys Round Here,’ and finishing with his original and an absolute jam if you don’t know it, ‘That Ain’t My Truck.’

If you showed up to Mansfield tired after a long week of work or just a look day, Russell Dickerson got you out of that funk with one hell of a set. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone with more energy on stage. Talk about stage presence. His night started with ‘Billions’ before moving into a crowd favorite ‘Every Little Thing’ and then ‘Float.’ He’d address the fans by saying, “Country music fans are the best in the entire world!” You got that right, RD.

Russell would slow it down with ‘Yours’ followed by ‘Blue Tacoma.’ But the RD Party was just getting started. No Russell Dickerson show his complete without the infectious ‘My Girls Night Out.’ This song had the whole crowd going and it seemed that RD had drawn in all the fans from the parking lots and concessions as the venue was packed by the end of the set. Russell wanted to show his appreciation so decided to take a lap around the venue before returning to the stage to show off his dance moves and finish his song. Watch out, Luke Bryan. Russell Dickerson is coming for your dancing crown! I was uberly impressed with Russell’s set. This was my first time seeing him live and I will definitely be seeing him again when he comes through the area.

Next up was a New England favorite, Dustin Lynch. We go back with Dustin as he was one of the first artists who worked with us so seeing a capacity crowd in their seats when Dustin took the stage was awesome. He started with ‘Seein’ Red’ before moving into ‘One Hell Of A Night,’ a new song called ‘Red Dirt’ and ‘Yep Yep’ before addressing the crowd for the first time saying, “This energy is unbelievable. You guys always bring it at this venue! I wanna get weird tonight.” Dustin continued with ‘Mind Reader,’ ‘I’d Be Jealous Too,’ and his classic hit ‘Cowboys and Angels.’

Blown away by the crowd reaction, Dustin again took his mic to communicate his feelings to the fans. “This is incredible. I can’t even hear myself up here. You guys have been the most supportive place for us since we started doing this!” Lightening up the mood, he told the crowd that his bassist is a ‘Masshole.’ “We got the whole family here tonight. Here’s how redneck he is… his family drove a whole school bus into the tailgate tonight,” Dustin said laughingly. He continued with a medley of songs that influenced him from his first country song by George Strait to where he is today with different artists who have taken him on the road. The medley included songs like Alan Jackson’s ‘Chattahoochee,’ Tim McGraw’s ‘Something Like That,’ Dierks Bentley’s ‘What Was I Thinking,’ and Keith Urban’s ‘Someone Like You.’

Dustin would conclude his night with ‘Ridin’ Roads,’ ‘Good Girl,’ with Dustin telling the crowd,”You changed our lives with that one,” and finally ‘Small Town Boy.’ With a bow with his band and a wave to the crowd, Dustin retreated backstage and the stage crew began the transformation of the stage for the man of the night, Thomas Rhett.

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As the lights went down, the crowd was buzzing as they awaited the arrival of Thomas Rhett. And with a bang, TR was sprung multiple feet in the air from his riser in the center of the stage. He got the party going with ‘Look What God Gave Her,’ and continuing with ‘Crash and Burn, ‘ Something Like That,’ and ‘Craving You,’ saying in between that (Boston) was his favorite city to play in!

The night continued with ‘Sixteen,’ and ‘It Goes Like.’ Before playing ‘Remember You Young,’ TR told the fans, “My wife is having another baby. The song relates more and more to me.” Next up was ‘Make Me Wanna’ which smoothly transitioned into Justin Timberlake’s ‘Suit and Tie.’ After ‘Life Changes,’ Thomas exclaimed, “You’re hands down the best crowd we’ve played for all year!” Fresh off his recent album was ‘That Old Truck’ before ‘Star Of The Show,’ which Thomas explained, “I wrote this song about my wife, Lauren, who is back in Nashville. She would freakin’ love you guys!“

Next up would be a song he co-wrote for a duo that headlined the venues just a few weeks before, Florida George Line. The song? ‘Round Here’ – singer, songwriter; TR does it all. He followed that song with another song off his new album, ‘Beer Can’t Fix,’ which Dustin Lynch and Russell Dickerson joined in on before Rhett came back out with a cooler full of… beer, of course! During ‘Vacation,’ Thomas would introduce the members of his band and would also put on a show of his own when he took a seat at his very own drumset at the top of his riser. But the night was far from over as he wrapped it up with ‘Marry Me,’ ‘Die A Happy Man,’ ‘Unforgettable,’ and ‘T-Shirt’ – all of which had fans singing so loud that you could hear it loud and clearly from the parking lot!

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It was an incredible night of country music at the Xfinity Center with one of the genre’s biggest stars. It was already a hot summer but Thomas and his buddies made it even hotter with this show.

If you missed this show, don’t worry! Thomas is coming back to New England next month when he plays the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT! Tickets for that show can be purchased here.

You Don’t Want To Miss Out On Lewis Brice This Weekend!

Whether you are headed to a concert this weekend or not, Lewis Brice is an up and coming country star worth your attention. Garnering recognition as one of Rolling Stone Country’s New Country Artists You Need to Know and as one of Billboard’s Country Artists to Watch in 2018, Brice’s momentum is only expected to speed up as he releases new music. We were more than happy to get the chance to talk to him this week in anticipation of his local performances this weekend.

Lewis only expressed excitement as he discussed his upcoming stretch of shows is New England. Performing for four nights this weekend, Lewis will open for his older brother, Lee Brice on Thursday, July 18 at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, NH; Friday, July 19 at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, MA; Saturday, July 20 at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA; and Sunday, July 21 at Bold Point Park in East Providence, R.I. During his free time here he looks forward to getting some clam chowder and spending time with his brother. He revealed to us that he sees Lee more on the road than at home due to their touring schedules and definitely hinted that we could expect the pair to appear on stage together, as we have seen in years past.

Lewis Brice performing with Lee Brice at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in 2017

Lewis had nothing but positive things to say about our New England venues and crowds. Speaking of the spinning stages at the Melody Tent and Music Circus, Lewis told us, “You can lose your orientation a little bit, but its always a good experience and the crowd there, in the past, has just been real energetic, packed out, and very lively. It’s so much fun; you get to see the different faces as you’re going around.” Lewis also mentioned the Casino Ballroom as one of his favorite venues telling us, “That place, man, every time its electric, so I really look forward to it.“

Anyone who has seen Lewis perform at these venues over the past few years knows he was telling the truth when he described his performance style as “a little rowdy” while explaining that he likes to run around the stage and be animated. He told us that he likes to let his voice be his instrument rather than focusing on his guitar and gave credit to his home state of South Carolina for the “soul swampy feel” in his voice. Lewis pegged his music as a country southern rock style, but still admitted to his pop and R&B influences.

‘Summertime Vibes’ is the Lewis’ latest single with a video set to release on Monday. The song embodies what summer feels like, bringing Lewis’s trademark soulful sound. Co-written during the winter in Texas, with Nick Norman and Ben Simmonetti, Lewis said he got the idea for the song from “When I was a kid and was always told ‘When it’s cold, think warm thoughts.'” We asked what warm thoughts personally meant to him and Lewis mentioned memories of riding the lake with cousins at home and hanging out on the beach in Mexico with a little shot of tequila. This explained to us why some of his favorite lyrics from the song include the mention of Nashville Craig flipping over waves and Shootin’ Mezcal down in Mexico, Jumping jet skis up and down the coast.

Lewis talked a lot about how much fun filming the upcoming video for the song was. It seems to us that it will fit perfectly with the feel you get while listening because they truly spent time relaxing and having a good time on the lake. Lewis told us how one of his friends featured in the video is the 4th ranked wake boarder in the world and what a treat it was to watch the professional wake boarders do what they do best. Make sure to check out the video when it is released on Monday and for now you can listen to Lewis’s single ‘Summertime Vibes’ on all platforms here and keep up with all things Lewis Brice on his Facebook, Instagram, Website , and Twitter.

Kip Moore Expresses His Love for New England Fans at Cape Cod Melody Tent

Kip Moore put on a high energy show only matched by the high temperature at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis MA on June 29th. Feeding off the intense energy of the surrounding 360 degree crowd, Kip played a diverse set featuring tracks from his 3 full albums and his latest EP. His love and appreciation for his fans was present throughout the entire show and even after as he stayed to sign something for and talk with every fan who was willing to wait in line.

Jordan Fletcher opened the show with a 30 minute set, starting off with his original, ‘Cover Song.’ He quickly admitted that this was his first time in Massachusetts and that it was great to see the ocean view. He jokingly asked the crowd, “You think there are fish in there?” as he disclosed that he hadn’t had fresh fish in months. After connecting to the crowd, he delivered another original then treated the audience to an amazing cover of Josh Turner’s ‘Your Man.’  Continuing with the cover songs, Jordan supplied us with his version of Riley Green’s ‘When She Comes Home Tonight,’ a song that Jordan co-wrote with Riley and Ryan Nelson. Once the crowd heard something they were familiar and with, everyone warmed up to Jordan’s southern drawl and easy listening love songs. He then gave us a passionate performance of ‘Me On’ before rounding things out with ‘Miles To The Moon.’ Released just four months prior, the single brought out something special in Jordan, as he danced around the stage and played so hard he broke a guitar string.

The mood was set with the smell of incense in the air and a tent full of fans. When Kip Moore finally made his appearance, he immediately delivered a high energy rendition of ‘Wild Ones‘ for a ready and eager crowd. Quickly following it up with ‘Plead the Fifth,’ his energy along with the audience’s did not falter.

It quickly became clear that this show was going to be something special as the crowd roared louder and louder for each song performed. An early warning from Kip let us know, “[I] Got a long set tonight. Y’all are in for a wild time.” Radio hits and album cuts were sung back to Moore all the same. Kip beamed as we watched him do what he does best through a set of TWENTY songs. As the stage turned to face every fan in the tent it created a very intimate show. Interactions with the crowd were special and often. Just to mention a few Kip accepted and drank a beer with a generous fan, stole a woman’s phone, and danced up and down aisles.

Barely half way through, Moore expressed,”This is part of the country that always gets what we do. It’s always been nice to come to the northeast and experience the love. There is a few places I always talk about on stage and this part of the country is always one. Let’s find out what kind of rock and roll you got in your blood around here.” Next he gave us a cover of ‘Baba O’Riley’ by the Who and it was clear that rock ran deep in the veins of this crowd of country fans.

Before Kip closed the show out with an acoustic encore of ‘Guitar Man,’ he took a few minutes to create a special moment. Moore reflected on each of his band members’ personal stories before any success. Then he told his own story of not being able to afford the heating bill in his Nashville apartment and seeing his breathe while laying in his bed as a result. He explained to us, “To be here right now and see the smiles on your faces. Tonight, I can see you all enjoying it. I wrote these songs in the dark when no one knew who we were and all I cared about was these songs. I wasn’t going to play this song tonight, but I see this is a real fan base in here tonight so I’m going to play it.” He then divulged that he has a new record coming out really soon. The ‘Guitar Man’ performance immediately cued the appearance of a sea of cell phone flashlights for the second time of the night. When the song was over the band stood together to thank the roaring crowd before everyone lined up to meet Kip at the merchandise booth for a signing.

If you’d like to experience the magic of the Cape Cod Melody Tent with its turning stage and circular audience upcoming country shows include Lee Brice on July 19th, Aaron Lewis on July 29th, Brett Eldredge on August 9th, Brothers Osborne on August 22nd, and Midland on August 25th. You can get your tickets here.

Stephanie Quayle is Bringing the Cowboy State of Mind to Foxboro

We may only be halfway through 2019 but we’re already dubbing it Stephanie Quayle’s year. So far, she has been inducted into CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2019, she made her Grand Ole Opry debut, and Quayle’s latest single ‘If I Was a Cowboy’ was a Top 10 Most Added song at Country radio (Mediabase) in its first week – not a bad start. The aforementioned single gives fans a first taste of what’s to come on Quayle’s forthcoming EP, set to be released this fall. We can bet that her new project will catapult Quayle’s career to new heights. 

‘If I Was a Cowboy’ was written by Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, and Ross Copperman, but when Quayle first heard the song she thought it could have been written about her life. It was the perfect fit, “like putting on the perfect pair of jeans, you never want to take them off,” she described. The title alone, Stephanie said, is what first drew her to the song, “I grew up in Montana with the cowboy state of mind.” Beneath the surface, the lyrics describe raw, real emotions with vibrant imagery. It’s top-notch writing, but we would expect nothing less from a group of writers who are no strangers to the GRAMMY awards. “They are three of the top songwriters of our time,” Stephanie gushed, adding how incredible it feels to be trusted to bring their words to life. 

Stephanie has also given life to this song through the music video, which recently premiered on CMT. The video gave Quayle an opportunity to strengthen her personal connection to the song as it was shot on her ranch in Montana. “It was really cool to be able to bring it home and be able to share where I grew up,” Stephanie said, but went on to explain that it wasn’t the original plan. She had worked with producer Jeff Johnson on multiple projects and they had always talked about shooting a music video in Quayle’s hometown. “Jeff is a busy guy, and the weather in Montana is tricky,” she said. So the shoot was planned for Las Vegas instead. “Two weeks prior I was in the area for a show and Montana just put on the most incredible performance… beautiful sunrises and sunsets,” Stephanie described. With a gut feeling that her home wouldn’t let them down, she called Jeff and insisted they relocate the shoot. However, the original cast resided in Nevada, so Stephanie was quick to make some calls. “My husband is in the video, my cousins, family friends…” the list goes on. The folks in Quayle’s community pulled through making this video even more special.  

‘If I Was a Cowboy’ has “set the sonic stage” for the rest of the EP. Quayle can best describe her sound as a mixture of western country meets modern traditional. “I came alive in the studio when recording ‘If I Was a Cowboy.’ The baritone guitar sound, when I hear it, I feel like I’m in Montana,” she said. That feeling is what fueled the direction for the rest of the project. Her EP shares a name with the lead single and will feature five tracks, three of which were cowritten by Quayle. In choosing what made the cut, Stephanie consistently returned to the thought, “if you take all the bells and whistles away, does the song matter? Will I still want to sing it in 30 years?”  While her sound has been an evolution, fans can expect 100% authenticity on this project. 

If you’re anxious to hear more from Quayle, your best bet is to catch a show as she will “absolutely” be playing her new music for fans this summer. “I work for the fans. My job is to make sure I create music that makes them feel good, feel something, where they can escape,” Stephanie said. It’s fun for her to “test out” the songs and see which ones listeners gravitate towards. So you can definitely plan on hearing some new music at her upcoming show at Six String Grill & Stage in Foxboro, MA this Thursday, July 11th. Stephanie is looking forward to returning to the area to play the new venue. “I’m excited to see what they’ve done to the place!” she said, adding that she can’t wait to see her incredible fans from the Boston area. We also have three chances for you to meet Stephanie at the pre-show VIP meet and greet and acoustic performance – head to our social media pages to enter! 

Tickets for Thursday’s show are available online here:
Also, make sure to follow Stephanie on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Luke Bryan Repeats Success with Sold-Out Gillette Concert

Four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan, touted as the ‘consummate showman’ by the Boston Globe, repeated his stadium success story as he performed before a sold-out crowd at Gillette Stadium on Friday night. The Sunset Repeat Tour concert was Luke’s fourth appearance in the home of the six-time Super Bowl Champions the New England Patriots is also his most-played stadium. His career headlined stadium concerts now tally at 35.

Special moments during the show included Luke’s 2019 touring mates Cole Swindell and Jon Langston joining him onstage to perform the 1995 hit ‘Dust On the Bottle’ and the evening’s special guest Brett Young appeared with Luke to perform ‘Sweet Caroline.’ One of the night’s high points came when Patriots favorite Rob Gronkowski strolled on stage playing catch with Luke sending the stadium crowd into fever pitch cheers.

Before the concert Luke, Cole, Jon and Brett spent some time with NBC’s TODAY Show for a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to perform in one of America’s most revered stadiums and Luke’s journey to a stadium headliner. Tune in to NBC’s TODAY Show on Tuesday, July 2 to see the story. Later that week, Luke will perform on NBC’s ‘Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks® Spectacular.’

Photos: Ethan Helms

Old Dominion: ‘One Man Band’ Single Review

Much to the delight of fans, Old Dominion recently released their second single off of their highly anticipated upcoming third album. Written by Josh Osborne along with band members Matt Ramsey, Brad Tursi, and Trevor Rosen, ‘One Man Band’ is the group’s first true love song. In an interview with People Ramsey explained, “I can’t wait to hear what people think about this side of us. I don’t think our fans have heard us show the type of emotion that they will hear in ‘One Man Band.’” We must say we’re absolutely loving this romantic side of Old Dominion. We were hooked from the very first notes. The soft melody, predominantly produced by an electric guitar, provides the perfect backdrop for the genuine, heartfelt vocals.

            One of the most special things about ‘One Man Band’ is the lyrics. They’re very creative, and they act as a metaphor that compares playing music alone to being single. Ramsey sings about longing to find a significant other so he’ll have someone to accompany him on his musical journey. This can be seen in the lines, Baby we can take our own show on the road, I’ll lay down the beat, you’ll carry the tune, We’ll get tattoos and we’ll trash hotel rooms, Baby take my hand, I don’t wanna be a one man band. The sense of desperation in the lyrics is a common theme amongst much of their new music say Old Dominion. We can’t wait to hear the rest of the album when it’s released later this year.

            You can catch Old Dominion on their Make It Sweet Tour on Friday November 8th at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, RI.

Favorite Lyrics: I don’t wanna be a rolling stone alone, Putting miles on a run-down van

You can buy ‘One Man Band’ here.

The Unofficial Kick Off to Summer With Chris Young!

Memorial Day may be the unofficial kick-off to summer but Chris Young’s Raised on Country tour with Chris Janson and Dylan Scott just kicked off the summer of country concerts at Xfinity Center in Mansfield this past Friday night. We’re not sure if we could have asked for a better day besides maybe the show being on a Saturday but we’ll let that one go.  The sun was shining, tailgates were down and the country music was blasting!

Dylan Scott started the night with ‘Hooked,’ ‘Ball Cap’ and ‘Nothing to Do Town’ which got the crowd going. He slowed it down a bit with ‘Nobody’ and then honored his 90s country artists with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s ‘Fishin In the Dark,’ ‘I Like it, I love it’ by Tim McGraw, David Lee Murphy’s ‘Dust on the Bottle,’ and George Strait’s infamous ‘Check Yes or No.’  Rounding out with what would soon become the theme song of the night, he played a favorite of his, Keith Whitley’s ‘When You say Nothing At All.’ He wrapped his set with the single that put him on the map and the song that he wrote about his high school sweetheart who is now his wife, ‘My Girl.’

The crowd continued to fill in as Chris Janson took the stage.  Let us just say, if you haven’t seen Chris Janson live before, we highly recommend adding him to your concert lineup!  Janson won our very own NECM Laurel over as a fan when she saw him open for Sam Hunt.

The entertainer he is, opened with ‘Redneck Life’ and ran around the stage showing off his harmonica skills.  Followed by ‘Everybody’ and his second #1, ‘Fix a Drink!’ He followed those up with his new single ‘Good Vibes’ and then slowed it down. He introed ‘Holdin’ Her’ by explaining how he may be portrayed as a wild man on stage but regardless of his image, he is a Christian man who loves the Lord, his wife and his kids.

Referencing his recent Rolling Stone article, Janson proudly claimed the title of the most open minded redneck stating ”I was raised to not care what others think about me.”  And that he doesn’t. Soon after, he was making pterodactyl and bald eagle movements on stage asking the crowd to join him. Janson’s stage presence isn’t something you’ll get every show and we loved every minute of it!

Wrapping up his set, he killed another harmonica solo which transitioned into Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ where Janson had a harmonica headset and just a keyboard. It was only right that he played his ACM award winning ‘Drunk Girl,’ as Boston was very first place he played it live.

He joked with the crowd as he stepped up to the drum set, “bet you’d never seen a country boy play the drums like Tommy Lee from his time in Motley Cru.” A jack of all trades, Janson killed the drums and then ended his set with his first #1, ‘Buy Me a Boat.’

As the crowd waited for Chris Young to take the stage, the Chris Young Dance Cam panned over the crowd catching those who were blessed with happy feet. Happy feet quickly turned into finding those with full beers and a chugging contest.

Finally, it was time for the main act. The baritone started the crowd off on a slow set, making the girls swoon with a run of “Hangin’ On,’ ‘Getting You Home,’ ‘Lonely Eyes,’ ‘Losing Sleep,’ and ‘Who I Am With You.’  And just like that, a better man dropped to his knee and we had a front row proposal!! Wishing you the best Brittany and Justin wherever you are! Taking a brief detour from the set list, Young covered the theme song of the night singing Dylan’s Scott’s favorite again, Keith Whitley’s ‘When You Say Nothing At All.’

The stage design and graphics definitely kept the crowd hooked as ‘I Can Take It From There’ and ‘Hold My Beer’ rolled on through.

A video montage of artists including Brad Paisley and Florida Georgia Line came on, all sharing a tid bit of how they were raised on country music ending with Chris explaining his love for country and how he was raised on country music! The montage was a perfect transition into Chris addressing the crowd recognizing this was his first amphitheater tour on his own, he couldn’t thank the crowd enough. “This song did it. It’s almost like a graduation for me to be on this tour.” The crowd began to sing along with ‘I’m Comin’ Over!’

Chris introed his next song by sharing the story of one of the first concerts he attended. His mom had won tickets to a show at the Starwood Amphitheater in Nashville. They sat on the grass, watched Vince Gil and he thought how great it would be to do exactly that.  Little did he know, he would work with Vince himself on one of his very own songs. ‘Sober Saturday Night’ led into ‘Life of the Party’ as Cassadee Pope sang along behind him on the big screen. Fans started slow dancing in aisle as ‘Good Man’ started and the security lit their way with his flashlight.  Country music is something special that’s for sure.

Chris was all smiles from the second he took the stage until he closed out with the exception of playing his new song. He shared how it was about a friend of his who passed away unexpectedly in a car accident.  With just some keys and guitar, the lyrics were relatable to anyone who has lost someone. ‘Today’ was REAL.

As the night started to come to an end, Chris jokingly asked how he was supposed to transition to the next song after that one and decided that he needed to cover Garth Brook’s ‘Papa Loves Mama’ instead. Followed by his own ‘You,’ ‘Save Water, Drink Beer’ and introed his band. The lights dimmed and ‘Tomorrow’ started. A perfect way to close out the night and kick off the weekend, Chris ended with ‘Aw Naw’ singing about buying a shot of patron and how we’ve all gotta be up early.

We are so happy to say that summer of country concerts is back. There’s nothing like the country community, from tailgates to chugging contests and dancing in the aisles at shows, we all share our love for country music!

What shows will you be attending this summer!?

NECM’s WCW: Faith Hill

We, at New England Country Music, are continuing our series spotlighting women in country music. While the acronym WCW, standing for ‘Women Crush Wednesday,’ is often used for physical attraction, that is not the case here. This series will feature talented women who are crushing the country music scene.

This week we are featuring the very talented and extremely successful Faith Hill. Faith was adopted shortly after birth, and given the name Audrey Faith Perry. Her adoptive parents had two biological sons and all three children were raised with strong Christian values in Star, Mississippi. Just before turning nine years old, Faith Hill went to her first concert, Elvis Presley. From then on, she knew what she wanted to do. Throughout her school years, she sang at local churches. As a teenager she formed a band that mainly played at local rodeos. Hill attended a community college for a short time, but decided to leave school when she was nineteen to make the move to Nashville. She soon learned that life in Music City was certainly not all sunshine and roses. Hill auditioned to be a backup singer for Reba McEntire, sold t-shirts, worked as a secretary, and even served burgers and french-fries at McDonalds. Her dreams of becoming a country singer started to take shape after she married Daniel Hill. Though the marriage only lasted six years, it was during this time that she began singing backup vocals for songwriter Gary Burr. While performing at the Bluebird Café one night, Hill was approached by a Warner Bros. Record executive who later signed her to a recording contract.

In 1993, Faith Hill released her debut album, ‘Take Me As I Am.’ It went on to sell three million copies. One of the ten tracks, ‘Wild One,’ held the number one spot on Billboards Country charts for four weeks in a row. This was the first time in thirty years that a female country singer held this number one spot for four consecutive weeks. Two years later, she released her next album, ‘It Matters To Me.’ She created a buzz with singles like, ‘I Can’t Do That Anymore,’ ‘You Can’t Lose Me,’ ‘Someone Else’s Dream,’ and ‘Let’s Go To Vegas,’ Faith Hill released her third studio album, ‘Faith,’ in 1998. It sold more than six million copies. One year later she released ‘Breathe.’ This album won her three Grammy awards: Best Country Album, Best Country Collaboration With Vocals, and Best Country Female Vocal Performance.

In the spring of 1996, Faith Hill played the Spontaneous Combustion Tour with Tim McGraw. The two fell in love and married that fall. They have been blessed with three beautiful daughters. You may ask: what keeps their marriage going strong after almost eighteen years? It may be that they have never been apart for more than three consecutive days! Hill and McGraw dropped their first duet, ‘It’s Your Love,’ in 1997. It stayed at the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for six weeks. The music video won Video of the Year at the 1997 ACM Awards. In 2000, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw joined forces on their first Soul2Soul Tour.

In 2002, she released her fifth album, ‘Cry,’ and in 2005, she released ‘Fireflies.’ She dropped a Christmas Album in 2008 titled ‘Joy to The World.’ Hill and McGraw collaborated on their most recent album, ‘The Rest of Our Life,’ which was released in 2017.

Throughout her musical career, Faith Hill has continued to give back. She created The Faith Hill Family Literacy Project which donated 35,000 children’s books to hospitals, schools, and libraries across the US.

We are excited to see what Faith Hill brings to us in the coming years.

Be sure to download ‘Wild One’ on Apple Music here.

Faith Hill is not currently touring, but you can stay connected by following her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Stay tuned for our next installment of WCW in country music. It is set to hit our page on Wednesday, July 3rd.

Luke Combs: ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ Single Review

Luke Combs has become such a big star that whenever he releases new music it’s now an event. So when Luke announced he was dropping a new single on May 8th, we circled the date and waited patiently for what will almost certainly be his 6th consecutive #1 hit. ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ is a rockin’ drinking anthem that you’ll be hearing blasting in the parking lots during tailgates all summer long. Luke debuted the song back in January 2018 at a show in Wisconsin, and the crowd went crazy. We, too, were hooked right from the opening electric guitar notes.

            ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ features a more up-tempo melody than what we’ve become accustomed to from Combs’ previous singles. The catchy lyrics, written by Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton, and Combs himself, are an ode to beer. Luke sings about all the things that have disappointed him in life from a largemouth bass busting his line to diamond rings and football teams. He says that he can count on one hand the number of things that have never let him down. Of these few things are bars, his guitar, and beer. One of the reasons that makes this such an appealing song is that so many people can easily connect with the lyrics. As a result, ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ is well on its way to reaching the top of the charts. With the success of this latest single and a new EP that was released on June 7th, the next chapter of Luke Combs’ career looks to be very bright.

            Luke is bringing his sold out Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT on November 22nd.

Favorite lyrics: She was a Carolina blue-jean baby, Fire in her eyes that drove me crazy

You can purchase ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ here.