Carrie Underwood wows fans in her first Las Vegas Residency show, and Country Swag was there to witness it. Check out our recap below.
Photo Credit: Denise Truscello
From an Oklahoma farm, to the American Idol stage, and now, the bright lights of Vegas, Carrie Underwood is proving the impossible: that she can continue to raise the bar almost two decades into a phenomenal career.
Underwood closed the first leg of the REFLECTION residency earlier this month; not just her first stint in Sin City but also the first ever at the new Resorts World Theater in Las Vegas, after Celine Dion delayed her own performance dates due to health complications earlier this year. Underwood also paves the way for other country superstars to be in residence at the brand new venue; Luke Bryan moves into the 5,000 seat theater early next year.
Fans who have seen Underwood in concert or on tour have never seen her like this. REFLECTION is a spectacle from start to finish with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a Vegas show. But even the dazzling set, stunning visual effects, show-stopping costumes, and exceptional dancers and aerialists pale in comparison to the impeccable vocals Underwood delivers for 90 minutes straight.
Photo Credit: Denise Truscello
Performing hit after hit from her impressive discography, Underwood appears to be having the time of her life as she struts the stage; setting fire to a truck during the iconic final chorus of her 2005 smash, “Before He Cheats”, playing off the energy of the dancers, band, and crowd, and pausing to soak in the audience’s adoration after a gospel mashup of “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “How Great Thou Art”. The show ends with a drenched Underwood belting the finale, “Something in the Water” from beneath an active waterfall built into the two-story stage.
Originally announced as a two-week Las Vegas residency, additional shows have now been added in March, April and May 2022 due to popular demand. Get your tickets today at axs.com/carrieinvegas.
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/carrie-underwood-las-vegas-residency-show.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Abby Kaye-Phillipshttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngAbby Kaye-Phillips2021-12-28 16:00:532021-12-28 16:01:55Carrie Underwood Delivers in First Las Vegas Residency
Jameson Rodgers finally got to have his New York City headlining show that he’s been waiting nearly two years for.
Bowery Ballroom was buzzing with excitement as patrons flooded the downstairs lobby bar, in anticipation of one of the first country concerts back in Manhattan since March of 2020. The old behaviors of having a drink at the bar with friends before heading in just seems to mean a little bit more this time around.
Rising singer-songwriter, Hunter Phelps opened the show with an acoustic set providing the much-needed ambiance to gather his fans after a long time apart. He played songs likes “Throwin’ Parties” and “Breakup Sex”, which got the crowd really warmed up and in the mood to vibe along to their love of country music.
After a 45-minute set, the room was ready for Jameson Rodgers to take the stage. He came out rocking with his full band to “I Love This Town”, a tribute to all the small towns every country fan knows about. Rodgers recently dropped his debut full-length album, Bet You’re From a Small Town, on September 17th and New York fans seemed to already know all of the words. “Girl With a Broken Heart” was a standout track of the night, mesmerizing concert-goers with lyrics like, “I know goodbye ain’t no fun // keep telling yourself he ain’t the one.”
His number one, “Cold Beer Calling My Name” brought the party to life and everyone seemed to forget about not having been at a concert in a year. Rodgers mixed in some classics like “Take It Easy”, “Life in the Fast Lane”, and “Heartache Tonight”.
Right after a fan gave the entertainer a shot to take, Rodgers said he’d been waiting two years to play New York City, as he was sick for his originally scheduled 2019 show, and he was due for a second attempt in March of 2020. “There was a time not too long ago, when I didn’t think I’d be back in New York City playing country music;” a stark reminder of everything we’ve all been through the past 18 months.
He introduced his amazing band and they each got to sing a song, ranging from full on rock to a wonderful “Tennessee Whiskey”.
Rodgers also took a moment to bring his opening act, Hunter Phelps back out for a special performance of the number one song they co-wrote together along with HARDY and Ashley Gorley, for Chris Lane, “I Don’t Know About You”. Check out a clip from the special moment below.
Another standout moment was Rodgers’ performance of his track, “One Day” hit close to home for so many to remember what’s really important, and “Bet You’re From a Small Town” rounded it out, bringing it back to his small town roots. No matter what it took to bring him back to New York, everyone was glad he came.
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Jameson Rodgers releases.
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/jameson-rodgers-show-nyc.jpg?fit=1284%2C849&ssl=18491284Julia Grubbshttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngJulia Grubbs2021-10-19 22:08:442021-10-19 22:14:07Jameson Rodgers Gets the New York City Show He’s Been Waiting For
Country break-out superstar, Morgan Wallen released his highly anticipated sophomore double album, Dangerous last Friday. Within three days, it pulled in over 100 million streams, which is the most single-week on-demand audio streams for a country album in history. He celebrated this tremendous feat with a live show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in front of real, non-cardboard, socially-distanced fans. Viewers at home could stream it live on Facebook and YouTube.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JANUARY 12: Morgan Wallen performs onstage at the Ryman Auditorium on January 12, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Ryman Auditorium)
The crowd of only a few hundred sounded like a few thousand when the curtains drew and Wallen was alone on stage with his piano. The heart-wrenching “Sand in My Boots” may be a slow song and an odd choice for a show opener to get the crowd into it, but the fans did not seem to mind, as a sense of magic gloomed over the excited crowd – just happy to finally be seeing a live show again featuring their favorite artist. When that song was over, the full band took the stage and gave the audience a more traditional opening as Wallen sang the more rocking “Somethin’ Country.” The long break from touring did not seem to affect Wallen’s vocal stamina as he rapped the chorus effortlessly.
The singer-songwriter stopped for a moment to take in the whole scene as if already knowing he was living through a very special part of his own history. Wallen told the crowd, which included his family, members of his team, and members of his fan club that this was a special night, not only because it was his first show since March, but it was his first time headlining the legendary Ryman Auditorium. He also informed the crowd that he will be playing all new songs and “if you came to hear our old stuff, you’re in the wrong place.” He followed the speech with a performance of “Dangerous”, the title track off the double album.
Wallen kept the party going with more songs from the fun, second half of the album including “Still Goin Down” and “Beer Don’t” but also sprinkled in a lot of songs from his more emotional first half such as “Wasted on You” and “Neon Eyes.” He admitted that “Wasted on You” was one of his favorites and most personal songs on the record, and was humbled to see it is one of the most-streamed songs so far.
“My first album, it kind of got rushed out a little bit just because I was out on the road touring and I had to go back and forth trying to get it done. But with this one I got to be home, I got to be more a part of it, so this one feels more like my baby,” Wallen confessed. “I’m a little bit closer to this album than I was the first and I hope you guys end up closer to it as well.” Next, he performed a song that admittedly wasn’t exactly something he had experienced, but a beautiful story nonetheless called “Silverado for Sale.”
Throughout the album, Wallen is very sentimental towards his hometowns of Sneedville and Knoxville, Tennessee. This is apparent on many songs such as “Rednecks, Red Letters, Red Dirt” and “865,” both of which he performed during the show. The latter is already a fan-favorite, as many audience members made it apparent that they already had the phone number memorized.
After a fiery performance of “Warning,” Ben Burgess came on stage to sing “Outlaw” with Wallen. Burgess was rocking a Tennessee Orange western shirt, matching Wallen’s Tennessee Orange long sleeve and signature cut-sleeve flannel.
Wallen performed his first number-one song off the album “More Than My Hometown” before exiting the stage for the first time since the start of his nearly hour and a half set. He came back out several minutes later for the encore and sang “Cover Me Up,” marking the official final performance of what was an incredible night for Wallen and his fans.
Wallen fit 19 songs total into his hour and fifteen-minute set, giving the fans in attendance and even the viewers at home the feeling of a real, live show– a feeling that we have all missed so dearly during the pandemic. It is comforting to know that there is now a vaccine out there and we are getting closer to having concerts back because there is no feeling that can match the rush of seeing your favorite artist take the stage in-person. In case you missed it, catch the entire show here:
Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Morgan Wallen announcements and releases.
Dangerous: The Double Albumis now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/morgan-wallen-show.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Dylan Bestlerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2021-01-13 22:22:032021-01-14 09:48:55Morgan Wallen LIVE From The Ryman – A Full Recap
Having seen Ray Fulcher in this same venue opening for Josh Abbott a few months ago, we were excited to see what he brought this time around. We were instantly reminded again of his Eric Church vibe, both in look and sound. He told a story of going to see Church in 2006 in Athens, Georgia, and knowing it was a moment that changed his life. He knew then and there that he had to write songs that made people feel the way Eric Church made him feel. Fulcher co-wrote “Doe to Me” performed by Eric Church, and played his version of it, hoping to do his legend justice. He told the story of writing his “Somebody Like Me” hit, which resulted from kind of but not really dating someone, then her moving away to Austin, Texas on short notice, realizing he was never really dating her anyway. Fulcher finished with the classic, catchy “When It Rains It Pours” which he wrote for Luke Combs.
Photo Credit: Kaiser Cunningham
Chris Bandi was up next, and he was so excited to play his first show in NYC. His almost raspy voice was incredibly addicting, and with the beard and sound, he was giving us Sam Hunt vibes. A definitely more pop-country vibe than the classic country of Fulcher, he’s got a fun edge to draw some non-traditional country fans. He sang a new song “Free” as well as covers of “Gives You Hell” by The All-American Rejects, and a few more rockin’ country songs he hasn’t released yet.
His brand new EP comes out this summer, but until then he is promoting his current country radio single “Man Enough Now”. Bandi moved to Nashville 7 years ago, with the idea of writing a song that can take you back to a memory in 3 minutes, saying, “Nothing else can do that.”
Matt Stell was ready to rock the night, with his full band jamming as he opened with “Sex, Drugs, and Country Music”. You can hear the country influence, but the crowd definitely felt like they were at a rock concert with his show. He kept thanking everyone in the audience and expressing how happy he was to be playing a show in New York City, and that none of this is possible without his fans. He played a cover of Rhett Akins’ “That Ain’t My Truck” which definitely has an old school country vibe, but contrasted it with his version of Ariana Grande’s “God is A Woman”. Stell played a few new songs, “Chase it Down” and “Love You Too”, that definitely got everyone excited for his new music. A cover of Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire” was in the mix, with another contrasting of John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)”, an awesome display of his ability to slide between pop/rock and country so seamlessly. His last song was what he explained changed his life last year, “Prayed For You”, his single that went number one, and expresses his true emotions.
What an awesome night for male country artists in New York City, and the fans were there for it all.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
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and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/matt-stell-chris-bandi.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Julia Grubbshttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngJulia Grubbs2020-03-12 12:41:082020-03-13 10:13:17Matt Stell, Chris Bandi & Ray Fulcher Perform in NYC
Last night country music fans in New York City were in for a real treat. Singer-songwriter and rising artist, Ryan Hurd brought his ‘Platonic Tour’ to Manhattan’s Gramercy Theatre featuring special guest, Niko Moon as the opener.
Tasked with warming up the crowd, Niko Moon took the stage first. The songwriter turned solo-artist is one to look out for in country music. We chatted with him before the show about the feel of his music and his excitement for playing for New York fans. Check out our Swag Session below. Moon sang several songs, giving fans a taste of his own music, as well as, songs he has written for other artists, namely Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band.
The singer sang his own songs like “GOOD AT LOVING YOU” and “PARADISE TO ME.” Highlights of his set included the medley of songs he wrote for Zac Brown Band, including “Keep Me In Mind,” as well as the song he wrote with Shay Mooney from Dan + Shay for Rascal Flatts, “Back To Life.” According to Moon though, getting to sing “Homegrown,” a song he wrote for ZBB was one of his favorites to share with the crowd.
Of course, Moon had to end his set with his first song going to country radio in two weeks, entitled “GOOD TIME.” The singer got the crowd pumped to groove along to the soon to be smash. “It’s a simple song guys, life is short you feel me, life is short,” adding, “Let’s get this shit going! Good time!” It’s safe to say that he garnered many NYC fans, during his incredible opening set.
The man of the night, Ryan Hurd took the stage next, immediately singing three of his groovy and vibe-filled songs to the crowd, including “Platonic,” “Her Name Was Summer,” and “City Girl.” Before singing his love song, written for wife, Maren Morris, “Diamonds Or Twine,” the singer-songwriter thanks fans for showing up tonight and shared some personal details with fans.
“New York City, night one, how we feeling?! Well, my name is Ryan if we never met before. Thank you so much for coming to our show tonight […] Seeing you all tonight is making me really happy.” In the wake of the tornado in Nashville, Hurd admitted to feeling really tired, but once again, thanked fans and his city for their unwavering support. “I’m really proud of my town for coming together, Nashville Tennessee. Sometimes it’s hard to be away from home when something bad happens, but you guys are giving me life tonight,” he said, as fans erupted into cheers.
Hurd went on to sing a cover of Taylor Swift’s “False God,” as well as some of his other songs, including, “Florida With a Girl” and “Panorama.” Of course, when he got to the middle of his set and sang “Hold You Back,” fans surprised Hurd by singing back all the words to the song as loud as they could. Hurd called the praise, “a really special moment in time,” and thanked fans again for their support.
Continuing the momentum, Hurd reminded fans that he started as a songwriter, writing songs for other artists across different genres. Fans went crazy as Hurd and his band gave their rendition of “Heartless,” cut by Diplo and Morgan Wallen and Lady Antebellum’s number one single, “What If I Never Get Over You,” another song penned by the singer.
“I love living in Nashville. I love writing country music. I wrote this song and I never thought anyone would really hear it and believe it was special,” adding, “I think country music is cool because we write universal feelings that each one of us has felt before,” he declared, just before mesmerizing fans with the Lady A single.
Hurd ended his eclectic and fascinating set with arguably some of his most successful songs, including “To a T, “Michigan for the Winter,” and a number one song he penned for Luke Bryan, “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset.” The singer returned to the stage for one final encore song, but first had to address the fans one last time. “I’m really thankful to be here with you tonight,” he said, “Please be nice to each other. This is my prayer for you tonight as you leave.” Hurd ended the night with his beautiful song, “Wish for the World.”
Hurd and Moon will return to New York City tonight to play for another sold-out crowd. We are excited to see what’s next for both artists, as we know big things are on the horizon for both talents!
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ryan-hurd-platonic-tour.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Erica Zismanhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2020-03-05 13:27:122020-03-05 13:27:12Ryan Hurd & Niko Moon Bring the Platonic Tour to NYC
Saturday night (Feb 29.) country music fans came out in droves to catch the first night of Kane Brown’s ‘The Worldwide Beautiful’ Tour. Joining the multi-platinum selling artist for the sold-out show were Russell Dickerson and Chris Lane (who will rotate on the direct support slot throughout the tour) and country music’s hottest new trio, Restless Road.
Zach Beeken, Colton Pack and Garrett Nichols, the three band members who make up Restless Road, took the stage first, tasked with warming up the eager crowd. Earlier this week, news broke that Kane Brown had signed the trio as the flagship artist to his yet to be named record label. The announcement comes as a full-circle moment for Brown and the band as Brown initially met Beeken and Pack back in 2013 while competing on The X Factor, Brown’s first claim to fame.
Performing a mash-up of 90’s country hits including Toby Keith’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” and George Strait’s “Check Yes Or No”, Restless Road instantly captivated the already packed venue. In addition to the flawless medley, the group used their time on stage to introduce tracks from their brand new self-titled debut EP including “All the Girls” and “It Ain’t Easy”. Showcasing their impeccable harmonies and charm, the group quickly earned their spot on the tour.
ACM New Male Artist of the Year nominee and NYCountry Swag OG, Russell Dickerson took the stage next. The singer-songwriter opened his set with a brand new, unreleased song “Never Get Old” before diving right into his third number-one single, “Every Little Thing”. Fans erupted with screams and applause immediately as they recognized those first few familiar notes of the hit song. As Dickerson ran from one side of the stage to the other, the entire venue screamed back every single word.
After releasing his latest single, “Love You Like I Used To”, just about three weeks ago, Dickerson impressed as fans sang along to the brand new song, proving that the track is sure to have success as it makes it’s way to radio.
Dickerson kept the energy high performing crowd-favorites like “Billions” and “Blue Tacoma.” Just when you thought the set could not get any better, the future Entertainer of the Year revealed his mash-up of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”, Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and his own track from his debut album, “MGNO.” The epic performance has become a staple in Dickerson’s set. As he belted out the iconic vocals, while dancing on stage, the audience fed right off of his contagious energy jumping up and down and waving their arms, making the special moment perhaps the most energetic medley in country music shows today.
“…This is my first song that I ever put out. Thank you country radio, but first & foremost, thank you country music fans, the best fans in the entire world….” Dickerson emotionally thanked the crowd just before closing his set with a spectacular performance of his breakthrough smash hit, “Yours”.
Next to the stage was platinum artist, Chris Lane. Kicking off his set with his debut number one song, “Fix”, Lane immediately connected with the audience while showing off his undeniable swagger. Whether it was his version of Mario’s “Let Me Love You” or a special moment in the set when he hand-picked a young fan in the audience to join him on-stage as he performed “For Her”, Lane won the hearts of every fan in the room.
What’s most interesting about Lane is his versatility as an artist, not only in the tracks he chooses to cover but in his own songs as well. Lane can transition to performing songs from his catalog of music including fan favorites like “I Don’t Know About You” and “Big, Big Plans” to his mash-up of wide-ranging covers including everything from Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” to Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me”. The way that the fans immersed in each of the tracks throughout the very dynamic set is what was most impressive. Unphased by the rollercoaster of the genres being blended, fans didn’t miss a beat of the exciting performance. For those newcomers in the audience expecting to catch a typical traditional country show, Lane pretty much set the tone for what was to be expected for the remainder of the night.
Kicking off night one of his headlining tour, Kane Brown surprised the crowd by dropping in from high above the stage, instantly creating screams and applause from his beloved fans. Keeping up with the momentum that his opening acts had set, Brown kept the crowd going opening with his upbeat third number-one single, “Lose It”.
Brown continued to impress song after song through his 75-minute set, playing crowd favorites like “What Ifs” and “Used to Love You Sober”. A highlight of the night came when a rare downtempo moment happened as Brown took a stool centerstage accompanied by two bandmates for an acoustic set. Brown displayed his emotional side and stunned the crowd as he sang “For My Daughter.” The budding country superstar wrote the tear-jerking song for his 4-month-baby girl as a promise to be the best dad he can be, unlike his own father.
Throughout the night Brown debuted not one, but two unreleased songs: “Vodka Cranberry” and “Be Like That“. The latter of which, he teased a possible collaboration and noted that the song would not only be released sometime in March, but it would also be his next single to radio. Judging from his performance and the crowd’s reaction, the song sounds like it will be an instant smash. Check out a sneak peek of both tracks in our exclusive videos.
When it came time for some covers, like Chris Lane, Brown showed off his ability to sing to a multitude of fans. Stunning the crowd with his flawless vocals as he sang “Drift Away” originally recorded by Dobie Gray, the 26-year-old then explained to the crowd how excited he was to take everyone back to middle school before singing, Soulja Boy’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” Ending his medley with Blackbear’s Top 40 hit, “Hot Girl Bummer”, Brown had every fan in the room out of their seats and jamming along to the unexpected mix of tunes.
Later in the show, Brown brought Restless Road back out to perform their collaborative soon-to-be smash hit, “Take Me Home”. Check it out in the video below.
The energy throughout Brown’s set was absolutely electric and with each song it only got higher. As Brown proceeded to sing “Pull It Off”, a track from his 2016 self-titled major-label debut album, he invited back Russell Dickerson and Chris Lane to the stage causing the entire arena to erupt.
Ending with “Heaven” and “One Thing Right” the Sony Nashville recording artist returned on a B stage at the back of the arena in an encore to sing “Good As You” before returning centerstage to close out the epic show.
The journey Brown takes fans on throughout his show proves his authenticity to his artistry. Taking moments to thank his fans, share stories of his upbringing and influences, and even sharing an emotional and vulnerable moment by admitting to being really nervous about this tour. The fans’ devotion to Brown remained clear throughout the entire night as fans stayed out of their seats and matched Brown’s energy, dancing and singing along to every song, and listening to every word.
In a December 2016 review of one of Brown’s very first NYC shows at Irving Plaza, we wrote of Brown “This promising talent possesses perhaps one of the most unique new voices in country music today and shows true potential for a skyrocketing career.” It seems we may have hit that nail on the head as Brown’s career continues to explode.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tour-kane-brown.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Stephanie Wagnerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngStephanie Wagner2020-03-02 07:14:342020-10-16 00:36:22Kane Brown Kicks Off The Worldwide Beautiful Tour with Sold Out Show
In the heart of the Lower East Side, Rockwood Music Hall provides intimate stages for your up close and personal music experiences. This rang true when Jessi Alexander graced the stage for the full house of only about 40 people. She opened with “Down Home”, which she wrote with and for Brothers Osborne. She expressed how incredibly happy she was to be there, a Tennessee girl in New York City, trying to slow down time to make it last.
She has a new record coming out on March 27th, called Decatur County Red, which she played the title song. Her hometown country spirit rings through all of the songs she’s written and sang, and every single one had the audience captured in her grasp. She played her cheating song, “I Should Probably Go Now”, and “Mama Drank”, both off of the new album as well. Her husband, Jon Randall, sang backup and sang his own song that he wrote “Whiskey Lullaby”, cut by Brad Paisley and won 2005 CMA Song of the Year.
Alexander told stories about writing for Blake Shelton, and how if it had a cuss word in it, it was sure to be a song for him. She sang “Drink On It”, written for Shelton, and her first number one cut, “The Climb”, recorded by Miley Cyrus. Each song she has also recorded, and while no one’s is better, Alexander’s version is just as compelling. She closed with “Country Music Made Me Do It”, of which she told the story of going into write with Brothers Osborne whilst hungover, saying her husband played George Jones, and that’s what got them drinking, and came up with this song. She’ll be returning to the city in April, opening for Sheryl Crow, and will perform at the Grand Ole Opry on the night of her album release.
Check back later this week to catch our Live Swag Session with the incredibly talented singer-songwriter.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/jessi-alexander-rockwood.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Julia Grubbshttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngJulia Grubbs2020-03-01 20:21:462020-03-01 20:21:46Jessi Alexander Brings Her Biggest Hits & New Music to NYC
Singer-songwriter Lee Brice doesn’t have a residency at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury, but you would’ve thought so the way the Long Island fans responded to his performance Friday night. Whether he was singing an old song, a new song or just talking to the crowd, the audience shared their love for the Grammy-nominated country-star and he gave it right back.
He came out onto the rotating center stage to “Drinking Class.” He walked over to all sides of the stage, holding the mic up to the audience, turning it into a sing-a-long. He performed his number one song “Hard To Love” next, followed by a remix of another top-ten song, “That Don’t Sound Like You.”
Brice then debuted a new song for us called “One of Them Girls” that he said will head to radio sometime in the next few weeks. It has a modern feel with a rock and roll twist and will be the lead single off his upcoming album.
Throughout the night, fans from all sections would run-up to, or even onto the stage to high-five, hug or get an autograph from Brice. Brice welcomed everyone with open arms; he even let one woman kiss him on the cheek. During his performance of “A Woman Like You,” a young boy ran up to the stage to get an autograph. Brice proceeded to give the boy a lesson on women. “Girls like it when you whisper to them; don’t ever get too loud,” he told the boy. He continued and sang the final chorus of his first-ever number one song.
Brice took a lot of time to speak to the audience. He told us multiple times that this venue was one of his favorite places to perform. A lot of artists just say those things to get a reaction from the crowd, but this time, between the sincerity in his voice and the loyalty of these fans, you truly believed him. Before playing his debut single, “She Ain’t Right,” he explained that he was shocked by how high it charted, stating it almost made the top 25. One fan then shouted “You’re number one in our hearts, Lee,” for the whole crowd to hear.
The next song he performed, “Beer,” was a fan favorite. There was a whole section of people wearing matching t-shirts with the word BEER on the front and the lyric “Canadian, Mexican, Heineken, American, they’re all real good friends of mine” on the back. They all flocked to the stage when he began playing it.
“If you don’t like old-school country music, I guarantee you will in the next 20 minutes,” Brice said before performing a string of covers that included “Be My Baby Tonight” by John Michael Montgomery and “Crazy Girl,” a song he wrote for Eli Young Band. His band then exited the stage so he could perform an acoustic version of his song, “Boy.” His band joined him back on stage for “Love Like Crazy.”
He said this next song, “Hope You’re Happy Now” was special for Valentine’s Day. He explained how hard it was to break-up with someone that you like a lot but you don’t see a future with and described a humorous fictional situation. “Well yeah, but it’s two weeks before Christmas so I can’t do it then. Then Christmas comes around you realize that it’s New Year’s and you have to wait ‘til after that. Then, next thing you know it’s Valentine’s Day and you can’t do it there either.” He expressed how grateful he was that Carly Pearce asked him to join her on this break-up song and asked the crowd to help him sing her part.
“I Drive Your Truck” is based on the true story of a father who lost his son in Afghanistan. Brice dedicated this song to the families of veterans and first responders who lost their lives on the front lines of combat. Lights surrounded the Nashville-native as he performed this heart-wrenching ballad. One member of the audience threw an FDNY shirt onto the stage which was met by cheers when Brice held it up for the lit-up theatre. Brice quickly transitioned to a more feel-good song in “Parking Lot Party” before exiting the stage.
After greeting fans and signing some autographs, he came back on stage singing his wedding track, “I Don’t Dance.” He announced his band members during his extended version of his most recent number one song, “Rumor” to close the night out. It’s safe to say, this will not be Brice’s last time performing at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury.
Brice’s tour heads to the west coast next weekend and has international tour dates starting in June. For tickets, head to his website.
The Hero Collectionby NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
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and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lee-brice-westbury-ny.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Dylan Bestlerhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngDylan Bestler2020-02-16 21:31:082020-02-16 21:31:08Lee Brice Shares the Love on Valentine’s Day with New York Fans
New Yorkers headed out in droves to the downtown venue, Bowery Ballroom last night (2/12) to support a country-rock band that has been playing together for over a decade. The Cadillac Three brought their unique sound, infectious spirit, and killer guitar skills to the stage, singlehandedly entertaining the crowd on a Tuesday night.
At approximately a quarter past eight, the energy in the room intensified as the trio, made up of Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray, and Neil Mason finally took to the stage, immediately getting concertgoers to join in on their first song of the night “Hard Out Here.” The men kept it going with two more high-energy songs off their latest record Country Fuzz, “Blue El Camino” and “Slow Rollin.” Although the new album has only been out for a few days, country fans already knew the words to both of the tracks, proving how diehard the band’s fans truly are.
Throughout the night The Cadillac Three played a mix of songs off the new record, as well as, hits from their previous albums, including songs like “Peace Love & Dixie,” “I’m Rockin’,” and “Tennessee Mojo.” Of course, “Crackin’ Cold Ones With The Boys” and “Bury Me in My Boots” were also included in their killer set. It wasn’t until later in the night that the lead singer Jaren finally addressed the fans in the room.
“Big week for us man. Country Fuzz is out on the streets baby! Worldwide man! So we’re going to play some of that for you tonight, we’ve already played some of that, we’re gonna play some old shit, we’re gonna play some new shit.” Jaren went on to show his appreciation for The Cadillac Three fans adding, “We’re so thankful that y’all came out to support us tonight. Cheers!”
Despite starting with the hard-hitting tracks, the trio decided to slow it down, singing a love song to Johnston’s wife, “White Lightning”, as well as, two other slow-jams entitled “Whiskey and Smoke” and “Drunk Like You”. Later on in the set, the trio made sure to sing the sultry, “Take Me to the Bottom” off their 2017 record Legacy. Although each deserved a spot in the show, “White Lightning” was definitely one of the highlights of the night, as fans showed their appreciation for the softer, more vulnerable side of the electrifying trio.
The Cadillac Three turned it up a notch yet again, playing more crowd favorites like “Hank & Jesus” and “American Slang.” The trio chose to end their performance on a high night, playing arguably one of their most successful songs to date, “The South,” an album cut with Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, and Mike Eli that snagged them an ACM Awards nomination, and gave The Cadillac Three the platform and recognition that they have always deserved.
“We’re going to keep playing until they kick us out of here!” exclaimed Jaren, and boy did they do just that, playing over 20 songs in what was an incredible night of music.
We are sure that the next time The Cadillac Three rolls back into town that they will be playing to an even larger number of New York country fans that truly appreciate their artistry, their talent, and their authenticity. To learn more about the trio and why we love them so much, check out our interview with the band below.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
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and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the-cadillac-three-bowery.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Erica Zismanhttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngErica Zisman2020-02-13 16:59:212020-02-13 16:59:21The Cadillac Three Electrify New York City’s Bowery Ballroom
There are tons of venues in New York City, but Town Hall is one that seems a bit grander than all the others and an appropriate place for the legend herself, Tanya Tucker on the CMT Next Women of Country Tour. Aubrie Sellers opened, on the day of her new record release, Far From Home, gracing the stage wearing a fabulous red blazer and sparkly eyeshadow. She opened with “Light of Day” from her first record, New City Blues. The crowd, slightly mesmerized by the ease she presented, might not have known her before but found a liking for her sound. “Far From Home” was next, and was even more soothing than the first. You could hear a pin drop, everyone in the crowd was so engaged.
Sellers calls her music “garage country” because she likes guitars, evidenced by her guitar player who really used all tones of the instrument and her comment that there are four guitar players on her new record. She played “Just to Be With You”, and “Worried Mind”, about her anxiety throughout her life. “Haven’t Even Kissed Me Yet” offers a raw depiction of the story that’s happening inside one’s head as they’re not sure about the future of a specific relationship. She shares a vulnerable sight into all of the emotions that come with that.
Brandy Clark followed Sellers, with her comedic and catchy “Get High”, about a girl she went to high school with. Her new album Your Life is a Record comes out March 6th, and it is sure to be a hit. “Hold My Hand” was incredibly moving, and the harmonies by guitarist Jeff Malinowski (who she met on Tuesday) were the perfect combination. Cellist Kaitlyn Raitz was also a perfect addition, giving the smooth sound that only strings can. “Daughter” and “Love Can Go To Hell” were other favorites of the night.
Tanya Tucker, a recent GRAMMY winner, has an iconic voice that is easily recognizable. “Bring My Flowers Now” was a soothing tune of the night, while “Ridin’ Out The Heartache” brought the fire and a few dance moves from Tucker. “Blood Red and Going Down” was another hit, with the beautiful back-up vocals and the entire band engaged. What an iconic night in country music, celebrating the amazing women of country.
The Hero Collection by NYCountry Swag is inspired by the men and women of the Fire, Police and Military Departments across the country. A portion of sales from each purchase is donated to different foundations that support our heroes. We are dedicated to honoring their service and remembering their sacrifice.
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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!
Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!
https://i0.wp.com/countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/cmt-next-women-nyc.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=16301200Julia Grubbshttps://countryswag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-new-cs-white.pngJulia Grubbs2020-02-10 10:49:282020-02-10 10:49:28CMT Next Women of Country Tour Hits New York City
