CMA Fest

You can't live in Nashville and not know about CMA fest. But at the same time, you can't live in Nashville and want to go downtown filled with tourists.

But I do love country music enough to brave it, and let me tell you, it was SO worth it. 100%.

Side note: Kelsea had her own
Snapchat filter for the show,

I started off with seeing Kels at the Cannery Ballroom, and that was a blast. Being that the Cannery Ballroom is a 21+ venue, I had to be "X"ed and those sharpie Xs did not come off for 3 days...I got some weird looks at church for those. 

Seeing her live her dream, and be surrounded with a room full of her supporters was amazing. Not to mention, she had Hunter Hayes and Hillary Scott come out as guests, which was insane. My middle school me DIED inside when Hunt came out. I straight d i e d. I tell people that I don't like him anymore, but when he came out, my heart blew up into 1000 pieces. I would post my videos I took, but my singing is so bad that I'm actually saving you if I don't share them. You can see it here though!

Before Kelsea came out, newbie Levi Hummon and veteran Jon Pardi took the stage.

Levi was so cute. He wasn't always there vocally, but where he lacked vocals, he made up for in adorableness. I'm interested in what he'll bring in the next few years!

Jon Pardi on the other hand brought straight party. He got the crowd alive with his hits like Up All Night and Head Over Boots, but also with new songs from his latest album, California Sunrise. I saw him once before at the 2015 N.R.A. Convention and was not impressed in the least, but Jon rocked this baby venue. His guitarist looked like a poorly kept version of Billy Ray Cyrus and was so entertaining. While not strong in large venues, Jon is great in small ones, and most importantly, he stays true to country's roots. No pop remixes but steel guitars and fiddles. I loved it.

I also loved meeting Sadie Robertson on our way to Ascend Amphitheater. Like nbd. I just almost idolize you. It's casual.

At Ascend, we saw Chris Young and Old Dominion. Chris Young "kicked off CMA Fest" and conducted the ceremonial duties before singing. As always, Chris was phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. He could sing the phone book for his entire set and I'd be so content.

Old Dominion though....(I'm getting excited even just thinking about Old Dominion) Old Dominion was the real show stopper. I've been a fan of OD since my middle school days, and I have been digging Meat & Candy ever since it came out. I just had never had a chance to see them live, and they met and exceeded all expectations. They sounded good, they looked good, they were just so good. They also got their award for Meat & Candy going platinum, which was really cool to see their reactions to their records. I just love Old Dominion. Love. Love. Love.

Also during CMA Fest, I got a chance to be an extra for the CMT Awards.

It was an absolute BLAST. I saw all the big names in country up front and personal. Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Cam, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, the list goes on. It was absolutely incredible. I really hope I get to do it again next year. Not only for the "be on TV" thing but more for the "free concert!" thing.

 I've put some of the pictures I took below for you to see just how close I was. (Update: I published some others on my VSCO from the homepage.) It was an absolutely awesome experience.

 Sometimes, it's worth braving the tourists...at least I think so.

xoxo,

Lauren

Blake Shelton presented by Gildan

I bought tickets to see Blake Shelton presented by Gildan in November, and the show was last Sunday so I've basically had these tickets for 6 months.

photo from: blakeshelton.com

I actually bought the tickets for Blake's opener, Chris Janson, rather than Blake...

but even with that, I was very happy with the show.

"135 pounds of skinny Williamson County white boy" opened the show and blew everyone away. This kid can play harmonica like nobody's business, and he makes it cool, too.

Chris' presence is one of a kind. Sorta quirky (awkward motions and dance moves) but every bit charismatic and adorable. He probably has my favorite stage presence out of everyone, to be honest. I could see him being the same off stage as he is on stage.

Not only is his presence great, but his voice is absolutely great, too. He can belt like no other. He hits those high notes and everyone cheers.

(fav picture from the night)

He sang his hits: Buy Me A Boat, Power of Positive Drinkin', Holdin' Her, etc. as well as some covers by the greats.

Chris delivered. 100%. No doubt.

He thrives off the energy of the audience yet spoon feeds it to them and plays to the rafters. Props to Blake for getting such a high quality opener, but not props to Blake for taking 48 minutes to take the stage :))

Literally. 48 minutes of waiting. It didn't even take the crew that long to set things up. My father, who used to tour, explained to me that the crew was done after about 20 minutes, when they sat down and chatted with those around them.

Once Mr. Ego took the stage, all became well again. He had to create his own energy, since everything Chris had brought up had simmered back down, but Blake did it.

He sang his hits and his classics (Baby, Austin, Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin, etc.) as well as his newer stuff (Mine Would Be You, Neon Light, etc.)

Blake's voice in person is niiiiiiice. I've always thought his voice was charismatic but in person, oh my goodness, it's like milk and honey.

The. Best.

Austin is personally one of my favorite country songs of all time. I LOVE that song. As Blake started into his "classics" portion of his show, I annoyed the stuffing out of my dad by not really whispering "Austin! Sing Austin! Come on!! Sing Austin!" and when he did, I was on cloud 9. 

Favorite song of the night. 

Blake's voice was just as excellent as his transitions. Sure, he does the same set, give or take a song or two, every night, but the transitions were wholeheartedly him. With a little profanity and effect of alcohol, Blake seemed right at home. He mocked a couple in the front row and just was a fun, crowd pleasing personality. 

Since it was a Saturday night, Daddio and I headed out after Austin, since we had to rise early for church on Sunday.

Blake really didn't fail to please during his set; it was before his set that was the most disappointing.

If Blake would fix his transition timing, I would totally see him again.

In the end, I got to spend time with my dad and see one of my favorite artists, so can I really complain?

Girls Just Wanna Have Friends

Concert tickets are good, but free concert tickets are even better, especially when you forget you entered to win them.

When I opened my email last Wednesday and saw I won tickets to see Kelsea Ballerini, Ingrid Michaelson, and Cyndi Lauper, I was only naturally ecstatic. Kelsea and Cyndi, my fav and a legend, were bound to make for a great night, and they definitely did.

Skyville is actually a really awesome venue. It’s an old warehouse converted with some pretty lights and cool fixtures. It probably seats 200 when its tables, chairs, and bleachers in the rear are absolutely packed. Super intimate. I loved it.

Skyville as a venue is different, and so is Skyville as a company. Skyville is an online based company that provides online streams of their concerts. Skyville brings together artists of all different ages and genres: Kris Kristofferson, Brenda Lee, Greg Allman, Tracy Lawrence, Lady Antebellum, Gladys Knight, Martina McBride, the list goes on.

This specific show I attended was Cyndi Lauper, Ingrid Michaelson, and Kelsea Ballerini. Kelsea, Ingrid, and Cyndi aren’t quite a normal pairing though. For Thursday, they were brought together for a Skyville production called “Girls Just Wanna Have Friends.” It was a celebration for all the ages.

The night began with crazy haired Cyndi singing “Time After Time” and dancing her way through several new songs off her country album “Detour”.  Then young Kelsea joined her and then it was Ingrid’s turn to sing with the legend. Each sang her respective hits, and came together for a finale of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, complete with balloons and all.

 

The night began with crazy haired Cyndi singing “Time After Time” and dancing her way through several new songs off her country album “Detour”.  Then young Kelsea joined her and then it was Ingrid’s turn to sing with the legend. Each sang her respective hits, and came together for a finale of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, complete with balloons and all.

Above photo by Rick Diamond/ Getty Images for Skyville

If "Detour" is anything like Cyndi's perfomance at Skyville, "Detour" is going to potentially be the best album of 2016. Cyndi KILLED her cover of "Walking After Midnight", and I can not wait for "Detour" to drop in May.

Album cover for "Detour" by Cyndi Lauper.
 "Detour" is expected to drop May 2, 2016.

All, Cyndi, Kelsea, and Ingrid, had their own stage presence that blended for the perfect vibe. Cyndi’s years of experience gave her the obvious upper hand. Every word she said got applause and every joke she told got a laugh. Kelsea’s sweet and humble approach made her “Skyville’s Sweetheart”, leaving Ingrid as the awkward and loveable fan favorite.

I couldn’t have asked for a better lineup. The blend of the three styles and personalities made for a perfect night to celebrate the unity of women in the music business.

You could tell these girls had a whole lot of fun, but they also showed music business is more fun, and ultimately better when you are friends with your peers.

Let's have some fun, girls. Life's not all competition,

Lauren

Kels made time for me after the show, and I can't begin
to tell you how happy my heart was after a long over due hug from
this one.

Tuesday Treasures

June 30, 2015

Pageant Material has been on repeat all week long. With witty song writing and a new perspective on the world, I'm surprised she didn't do as well on any charts besides iTunes. It makes sense with her awesome "I am who I am" attitude and how some may be turned off by that. Purely on her talent alone, Kacey has the upper hand in the industry considering that she co-wrote every song on the album, too.

Much like "Follow Your Arrow" on her first album, "Cup of Tea" has such an accepting tone and was definitely a strong reminder to be who you are and to accept that not everybody is going to like you. To me, "This Town" was much like a follow up story on "Merry Go Round" in the way that they're both wittily written about a small town that has word travel fast.  On the deeper side, "Fine" and "Somebody to Love" show her serious songwriting about heartbreak and the longing of love that most experience. Just give the album a listen and decide for yourself.

 I am utterly obsessed with this cute do. When I first found it on Pinterest, I didn't realized it had a link attached to it for directions, so I spent about 10 minutes to test out some potential options of how she did it. All credit to the girl in the picture, and here's the tutorial she made for full instructions!
This past week, I watched a 3 year old and a 1 year old, and I did this when we went to the pool. It took about 3 minutes and stayed in throughout the dunks and jumps in the pool. While it didn't look near as cool because I don't have ombre, it's cuteness and practicality are totally there.



I came across this quote on tumblr this week, and I fell in love.  A.W. Tozer  said
"How completely satisfying is it to turn from our own limitations to a God who has none?"
I just sat there for a few minutes after reading that and was in total awe. One of the limitations of being human is not knowing the future. For me, it can be so frustrating to not know what is in store, but to turn it over and trust God, who knows everything is so completely satisfying. Tozer is so right.


Baseball isn't near as big as a thing as football here in Tennessee, but it is a great social gathering. Sunday night we went to a Sounds game, Nashville's minor league baseball team.
This season is their first season in the new First Tennessee Park, which is  so nice. They have a guitar scoreboard and a nice hang out area by the right outfield, which made it much more bearable for someone who doesn't particularly enjoy baseball. (me)
Though I'm not a baseball person, it was a very nice night. We went with my parents' Sunday school class, and the weather was so good. The atmosphere was very kid friendly and would be fun family trip if you're ever looking for something fun to do in Nashville.

Make the most of the little things and find the joys in everything!
xoxo,
Lauren    

NRA Country Stage

As part of the N.R.A. Convention this past weekend, live music was a must, and it was in Nashville after all so country was the obvious choice. (Not to mention what genre majority of the members of the N.R.A. favor)

Outside the doors of the Music City Center, there was Freedom Festival on 5th Avenue. At Freedom Festival, there were food trucks and more vendors lining the street, along with a stage. 

The earlier it was in the convention, the smaller the acts were, but Sunday afternoon, "Redneck Crazy" singer, Tyler Farr made an appearance. 

In my visits down there, I got to hear several of those acts and was impressed with the voices and song writing skills of all of the artists. 

Aaron Goodvin

On Friday, as my dad and I navigated through Freedom Festival, I got to hear Aaron Goodvin. I have to admit- I was familliar with his songwriting but not with him. Aaron wrote "Carolina Eyes," that was recorded by Scotty McCreery, "Dozen Roses & A 6 Pack," which Cole Swindell cut (my personal fav), "Out Like That," which was recorded by Luke Bryan and so many more.

Aaron's voice was great and his songwriting won me over. Keep an eye out for "A. Goodvin" in your album booklets because there's a chance one of your favorite songs comes from him.

Check out his website and Soundcloud to listen to his demos! "Woman In Love" is my favorite.

Also be sure to follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and like him on Facebook so you can stay in the loop!

Levi Riggs

I set out Sunday afternoon with the intentions of eating at Demos' and seeing Tyler Farr. Demos' almost always has a wait so my friend, Ann Catherine, and I booked it from church to downtown. We ate in about an hour (I recommend the soup) and then walked down to the convention center. Tyler didn't come on till 1, but this guy named Levi Riggs came on at 12:15, so AC and I got to listen to him. Ann Catherine recgonized his song "My Best Friend's a Girl," but in all honesty I was clueless. 

Levi has a smooth voice and just seems so comfortable on stage. 

His Soundcloud is only full of previews of his songs, but his iTunes page is loaded. I loooove "My Best Friend's a Girl." I just think it's adorable and I most definitely added it to my love songs playlist.

Hit him up on Twitter, Instagram, and like him on Facebook for more!

Tyler Farr

As my dad says, "sometimes the smaller show is the better show," and I think that is the case for Tyler Farr.

I saw him back in February on the Burning It Down Tour with Jason Aldean and wasn't too impressed. Though I was not an crazed fan then and I'm not a crazed fan now, I found myself dancing around in my room to "Hot Mess" and tearing up to "Hello Goodbye" quite often. 

When I saw him in Feburary, he didn't impress me vocally or with his stage presence, but today, I saw a whole new man. 

On the smaller stage on 5th, he seemed much more in control and at ease than on the catwalk in Bridgestone. He simply just sounded better and was much more enjoyable. Ann Catherine and I were up close and personal within 3 feet of the stage and could see behind his sunglasses to see him looking out into the crowd. He acknowledged his big fans and chatted with everyone in the crowd between songs, which I know for sure made their concert experience much more memorable. It's the little things like that that help you brownie points in my book.

It was a short acoustic set, so he sang "Whiskey in my Water," "Redneck Crazy," and "A Guy Walks Into A Bar." He also debuted a song off his new album (which hits April 28, 2015!! It's called "Suffer in Peace"). This song was called "Why We Live Here" and a classic song about America and those who defend it. If the rest of "Suffer in Peace" is anything like "Why We Live Here," it will be a good album. 

In a smaller setting, Tyler flourishes and proves he has real talent. 

The meet and greet line was free so AC and I hopped in it and met Tyler after the show. Nice guy with lots of talent. 

Tyler's first album is available here on iTunes and his sophomore album that I mentioned earlier is available for pre-order here. 

His Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook should have a video up soon recapping this show that I could be in so keep an eye out for me if you watch it :)

Big thanks to N.R.A. Country for a great weekend of music and to the N.R.A. for a really cool convention.

Stand up and fight, y'all.

xo

lauren