Burning It Down Tour 2015

Jason Aldean "burned it down" last night in Nashville. 

See what I did there? 

Jason Aldean with Tyler Farr and Cole Swindell stopped at Bridgestone last night. Lots of lights, lots of pyro techs, and lots of loud music, which sounds like a good night if you ask me. 

Tyler came out and ran around the stage. Being the first act, he sang to half empty arena, but by the time his set finished, Bridgestone was packed. In comparison to his released studio tracks, he didn't sound too hot to me. Pushed and unsure are two words I'd use to describe Tyler. Vocally, he tried to do some runs and hit some notes that he shouldn't have. He also seemed unsure of what to do with the room on the stage, which didn't help his stage presence much. He did set the mood for the show very well though. Overall, Tyler wasn't my favorite, but has potential.

Then Cole Swindell came out and every girl swooned and every guy raised did a 12 ounce curl. Cole was incredible. From the first moment his intro video played, the energy in the arena soared. Cole came out smiling with a huge stage presence. The entire crowd was dancing, and I don't think it was entirely because of the alcohol. He has a great voice that sounded almost exactly like he does on his albums. Since Cole is a songwriter turned singer, he sang some of his writes like "This is How We Roll" and "Roller Coaster." Besides singing "Roller Coaster," He also has some Luke like dance moves that were adorable. I was genuinely impressed by how much talent he had. Cole is definitely one of my new favs. 

And then came Jason...I have listened to Jason for as long as I can remember. Dirt Road Anthem is one of the first songs I remember bragging about having it memorized.

  It was crazy cool to see him live, and I was not disappointed. Awesome pyro techs and lights only enhanced the true talent Jason has. His albums and his live voice sound exactly the same, which always impresses me in this day and age. Though his voice was the same, many of his songs seemed "amped" up with higher tempos and heavier drum beats. It wasn't bad, but it was almost like it was a remix on certain tracks. 

Jason didn't talk much between songs, which is up to you if it's bad or good. With a 22 song set and encore, you definitely get your moneys worth. If for no other reason, the concert was well worth it's cost because Randy Owen of Alabama came out and sang a few songs. Jason has always liked the band Alabama, so seeing him on stage with Randy was a really cool and special sight. 

As the night went on, the artists got more and more talented and only confirmed that concerts with loud music and lots of lights are my happy place. 

~lauren

Valentines Day Opry

If I can't be with a boyfriend on Valentines' Day, to me, being at the Opry is the second best thing. 

You're supposed to be where you love on Valentines' Day and that's exactly where I was. Emma and I braced the cold and the Valentines' Day traffic and made our way over to Opry Mills  (which was crazy!! do not recommend!!) for dinner and the show. 

We stopped at Santa Fe Cattle Co. and it was phenomenal. I got the fajita quesadilla and it was delish. 10/10. I would most definitely go back. Not only is their steak amazing, they have honey butter and rolls, which are always a selling point to me.

After almost 45 minutes in traffic for the short drive, we made it to the Opry House. 

The reason we went specifically was because Kelsea was making her Opry debut, which is HUGE! 

She was asked back during an award show by her friends of Lady Antebellum (The video is here and is absolutely adorable!) As soon as we found out, Emma and I had to go. There was no way we were going to miss this.

So we took our seats and the legendary Opry curtain rose and the music began. Before we knew it, Kelsea was taking the stage!

She sang an acoustic version of her current single, "Love Me Like You Mean It" from her first E.P, with her cowriters, Josh Kerr and Forest Glen Whitehead at her side.

 After singing that song, Kelsea took a little bit of a break and talked about how big of a dream it is of hers to play the Opry as she got situated with her guitar for her next song. 

And in this transition and introduction to the next song, Kelsea announced details about her debut album! It's called the First Time and hits stores on May 19, 2015!! The album is named after her song, "The First Time" which according to her is "about learning the lesson that sometimes the past should stay in the past."
I believe her exact words regarding the song and the album were "“I never thought I'd be so thankful for that experience and that I'd be playing it at the Grand Ole Opry! My album The First Time is named after this song and it's coming out on May 19! I've been dying to tell people this!"
"The First Time" is exact proof that even bad situations can be good in the long run.

Big, big stuff is coming from Miss Kelsea and I'm so excited to see where her journey takes her!

Also at the Opry was Chuck Wicks, who really impressed me. I've listened to him on America's Morning Show with Terri Clark and Blair Garner for a while, but had never seen him live.

Chuck Wicks is now being tracked on my BandsInTown account and I'm really hoping he comes to Nashville soon for some kind of show. I would highly recommend seeing him live.

Charles "Chip" Esten, more commonly known as Deacon from Nashville was there as well. He is just as talented in person as he is on TV.

An up and commer, who I was unfamiliar with was also there. Mo Pitney. Never heard of him before? Yeah, me neither. He sang a cute song called "Clean Up on Aisle 5" and won the hearts of many girls in the audience. He knew his range so well  and is a top notch song writer. I can see a big future for him in country music, so keep an eye out for him!

Always a pleasure, Opry.

xo,

lauren