People here in Texas wouldn’t expect for me to be a country music fan because I am from California, but I actually grew up listening to country music. My dad’s country music albums were constantly playing in our house as a kid, so my brother and I basically grew up listening to it. The first concert that I ever went to was just my dad and I, and we watched Pat Green play at the Staples Center when I was eight. Ever since then, going to country concerts has always been something that I do with my dad.
The summer going into my senior year in high school my dad surprised me with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw concert tickets that he had gotten through his work. They were playing at Angel’s baseball stadium and our tickets were sitting right on the field in front of the stage. They weren’t exactly seats, they were just a general area that you could stand it right in front of the stage so it was a little weird being in the mosh pit with a bunch of intoxicated young people while I was with my dad, but it was worth it for how close we were. We only caught the last few songs of Jake Owen (who was the opening act), which I was a little bummed about because I love a few of his songs. But then after that, Tim McGraw came on who is my favorite country music artist by far. He played a perfect mixture between his old and new songs, which was great because I knew pretty much all of them but my dad only knew the older ones so he got to hear the new songs he’s come out with. He was really interactive with the audience, which I thought was exciting and towards the end of his performance the sun was setting over the stage so it was a picture perfect moment for me.
As I am now looking back into my photo albums from the concert I realized that every single picture I took was of Tim, and I didn’t have a single picture from when Kenny Chesney performed. I think that was partially because it was dark by the time Kenny came on, and also maybe a little bit because I am a bigger fan of Tim McGraw. Kenny was an amazing performer however; he entered the stage on a blue chair while singing “Old Blue Chair” that was lowered from above the stage. Kenny explained to the crowd that his favorite thing in the world to do is travel to different beaches around the world, which explains why a majority of his music videos take place on the beach. His whole performance revolved around the paradise that he finds when he goes to exotic beaches so there were videos of gorgeous sunsets and waves constantly playing while he sang.
Overall, this was one of the best concerts that I have ever been to and I am still grateful that I got to go with my dad. I think country music gives off a feel-good vibe to its listeners and even more so for me because whenever I hear it, it reminds me of my childhood and all the concerts that I have gotten to go to with my dad.
I just want to point out that the Zac Brown Band may not be entirely original in their predominantly southern sound but they are fresh and welcoming and their shows certainly are of a high caliber. They have a great knack for moving the crowd and giving the people what they want… One hell of a show! If there was ever any doubt in my mind about the Zac Brown Band before its certainly gone now. They have a “feel good sound for hard times” as Zac Brown says himself. I am grateful I got to see them live and I hope everyone else gets a chance to do so because its truly an incredible show to see.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was the official charity partner of the event, and this altered my impression of country music. We all know the stereotypes: beer chugging, short shorts, and cut off t-shirts. This concert was different. It shifted the spotlight to an important cause, and the crowd loved it. I have never heard of a rap or hip-hop concert that had a charity sponsorship.