Got up early to catch my flight to Nashville. I made it as far a Chicago, but then was delayed for 90 minutes while they searched for a replacement plane since the original was leaking oil. When I finally arrived it was obvious that Music City was HOT and hopping and there was music everywhere. I passed a couple performing groups in the airport and another in my hotel lobby before I even made it downtown. And each morning we have even had live music in the breakfast room of my not-fancy Best Western Hotel!
Nashville was so hot and steamy Thursday - like a bathroom after a hot shower. Everyone was sweating and fanning themselves, clothes sticking to bodies as soon as one left the air-conditioned buildings. I walked downtown to the Bridgestone Center (when did it stop being the Sommet?) and watched a little music on the outdooor plaza, then grabbed some dinner before catching the shuttle out to LP Field. I lucked out and climbed right onboard outside the Hilton, but then our full-to-capacity bus passed many long lines of others waiting for the shuttle on our way to the stadium (Note to myself: Catch early shuttle in the evening).
My seat in the 21st row of the lower bowl towards the stage end of the stadium was good compared to the rows and rows of seats in the 2nd and 3rd levels above me, but it was still too far away to really see the performers. So I relied on the video screens (which my camera often did not like - CMA Fest has what they call a “photo line”. Fans line up out in the lobby sometimes an hour before a performer comes on, then that line is led down the stadium stairs, right in front of the stage, and up the opposite side of the stadium. The line keeps moving, so those folks only have time to snap a photo or 2 of the artist before they are herded along. But those constant flashes means the lightling on the performers is constantly changing, making my camera unhappy).
The evening began with the Marines presenting the flag and the Oakridge Boys singing the national anthem. They followed the presenting of the colors with a rousing round of “Elvira” to get the audience going (very successfully!). Then we heard the sound of somebody switching country song to country song on a radio (like the music that preceded Keith Urban’s Til Summer Comes Around in concert) and out came Danny Gokey, looking much hotter than I recall from American Idol. He look slim and toned (with a build not unlike Keith’s) and was brave enough to wear what looked like a woven or detailed fitted leather jacket throughout his performance despite the sweltering heat!! (see clip) He modeled Keith in other ways - a swinging wallet chain a big belt buckle and a scruffy beard, but had kind of a longish flat-top hair cut. He has learned to be a more animated singer, moving much more than he had in the past, but those moves do not yet always look fluid and natural. I haven’t kept up with his new music, so was not familiar with his songs, but did like “My Best Days are Ahead of Me” and “I Will Not Say Goodbye”. As the newbie on the night’s roster, Danny only sang 4 songs.
Then we were treated to Alan Jackson. in his American flag teeshirt, whom I had never seen perform live before. Definitely a slow talkin’, down home country guy whom I enjoyed very much. He began his set with “Good Time”. After that he had a little story or a little something to say about almost every other song. He prefaced his playing of his very first hit with ("Its really an honor to still be playin' at this thing - hard to believe it has been 20 years" with words of thanks to fans and to country music. He also made us laugh by telling us that it was actually his second release - the first release "died a terrible death on hte charts."! I enjoyed listening to his southern drawl and learning a little about the origin of some of his hit songs: Small Town Southern Man, Cowboys Don’t Cry, Daddy Won a Radio (his daddy won the family's first radio at the pepsi plant where he worked), I’m a Country Boy, Chattahoochee. Alan stood for the first and last few songs, and sat down with his band for several songs. A great set and I was so glad to finally get to see him live! I can't say the Fest cameraman is the best - they don't seem to know how to switch focus so when one of Alan's band would play an extended bit of fiddle or guitar, the camera stayed fixed on Alan just standing there! That also happened with some of the other performers.
Next up was Tim McGraw! As many of you probably saw on the CMT Awards show, Tim is looking hotter than a pistol. He has slimmed down from his last movie role weight and looks to have the physique of a guy half his age! Yum! And he knows he looks great and picked a white v-neck shirt that just brushed the top of his belt buckle when he was standing normally, but inched up to reveal 3 inches of tanned, hard flat belly with the least little move that he made. It drove us ladies crazy! (BTW - the next night as the audience was texting in messages to the big screens between acts, we all appreciated the text message: Keith - please wear a shirt like Tim McGraw’s last night!” hee hee). Tim did a longer than average terrific set and moved around more than any other performer at CMA fest - making his way over the obstacles to the stage edges and even coming down onto the wall immediately in front of the moving photo line, slapping many hands from out there. He did all of the hits we were hoping for and did stop to chat with the audience a little as well. I’m so glad that this was the year that he returned to the Fest after a decade’s absence (maybe that is why he seemed to have more time than other artists, even Reba and Keith?) Later in the evening they brought Tim out into the middle of the floor seats to film him introducing Carrie Underwood specifically for the upcoming CMA Fest special on ABC. He hammed it up out there between takes (I think they did 3 takes to get it right!). I’m sure the fans surrounding him were delighted to have him out in their midst.
Lady Antebellum was up next and did their usual fine job. I think they only did about 4-5 songs though, so position in the CMA Fest program does not necessarily indicate set length, especially when they are doing a little extra television filming.
Last up was Carrie Underwood. She too must work hard with a personal trainer because she is totally toned and showed it off in her short shorts. She performed all her big hits, but again I don’t think her set was as long as Tim McGraw’s. Nevertheless it was a very late night, with the concet ending at 1:00 am. When a stadium of 41,000 empties it is total traffic and bus chaos, however, so I decided to hike back to my hotel. And a hike it was!! The bridge over the Cumberland was the first ‘mountain” to scale, and then the sad realization that, since my hotel was on 7th Street, that means seven long blocks uphill from the river - a second ‘mountain’ that I almost thought I wouldn’t make it up after my long day. I was so soaked with sweat, hair matted to my head in the heat, that I had to shower, but then collapsed into bed at 2:30 am! (Should have gone through a conditioning program before attending the Fest!!!) Videoclips coming.......
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