Concert Review: FGL, Frankie Ballard, and T Rhett

1.15.2015

Huntington Center || Toledo, OH

Night One of the Anything Goes Tour

Frankie Ballard, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line

Frankie Ballard: I just cannot get enough of FB, hence why this was my 6^th show of his. This guy cannot give a bad performance. Watching Frankie perform refreshes my soul because he gives so much of himself to his fans during his set and overall with his music. Whether he’s singin’ one of his #1 songs or killin’ it on his guitar, he does something to me that few other artists have the ability to do. I might be a little biased when I say this, but keep an eye on this guy…this is only the beginning for him. He’s on the fast lane to becoming a superstar, and I’m betting this is gonna be a big year for him. He’s also one of the sweetest guys you could meet, so he’s more than deserving of the success.

Thomas Rhett: I had no expectations when I saw Thomas Rhett’s name on the lineup for this tour, I had never seen him perform prior to this show but I love gettin’ in a jam sess when he comes on my radio. Let me tell ya, he blew me away from the minute he stepped onto the stage. His set list included a few songs from his upcoming album that’s comin’ later in the year. He also mixed it up by closing out his set with a song that’s been playing everywhere, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. He had the hat, glasses, and the dance moves. That boy can dance. Ps. His wife was in attendance looking beautiful as ever.

Florida Georgia Line: Prior to the show I had seen the guys once while they were out on tour with Jason Aldean. Well, they gave him a run for his money. FGL puts on one of the best shows in country music. It wasn’t just a concert; it was a party with thousands of their friends. That’s what they make it feel like. They do not leave that stage until they have given the crowd every ounce of energy inside of their body. Not only can you see the passion they have for what they do, but you can feel it when you’re watching them run around from the farthest corner on one side of the stage to the other so they can engage with as many fans as possible. BK dances around that stage with so much soul that you can’t take your eyes off of him because he captivates you, and Tyler has got some dance moves of his own that captivate you in a different kinda way but he also reaches down into his soul to hit notes that you didn’t even know were comin’. And when they come together on stage to do their so called “bro country” thing, the room is in awe. The chemistry between them while performing is something so special to watch, as they pass each other and bump fists you know you’re seeing two best friends living out their wildest dreams together. The highlight of the set had to be when BK & Tyler went off of stage only to come back on with swim trunks and Jordan’s. It was time to get our Sundaze on. Following that the guys did a mashup of  Eminem’s Forgot About Dre, Wiz Khalifa’s We Dem Boyz, Garth Brook’s Friends in Low Places, and Bruno Mars’ Treasure. They didn’t forget to give their beautiful women a shout out for putting up with the crazy life they live; B.Cole was in the crowd, Hayley was with family in Cali.

The best part of my night was before the show even happened, at the FGL Anything Goes VIP Party. I was able to meet the guys and it was unbelievable. The party also included a short acoustic performance, where they performed four songs.

It only felt right to rep my dope Tribe Kelley threads to the show so I chose to pair my “One Hit” tee with a TK ball cap, some ripped up black skinny jeans, a hooded jean jacket with some plaid patches, and my favorite Timberland boots. BK even digged the choice.

I have nothing but positive vibes and mad love for all of the guys on this tour. I’ve been a fan of each artist since I first heard their songs, but with this show I have only fallen deeper into their music. Their passion for their music and their fans inspires me. It just does something to me when I’m watching an artist do their thing up on stage, and the feeling it gives me is indescribable. I could watch every night of this tour and never get tired of it. 

xox
Christy

CONCERT REVIEW: Stars N' Guitars

 [2/06/2015]

WMZQ // Stars and Guitars

Gloriana, Montgomery Gentry, Maddie & Tae, and Austin Webb

When Gloriana, Maddie & Tae, and Austin Webb get together with Montgomery Gentry, it is bound to be one hell of a night.

Local D.C. radio station, WMZQ, held a benefit concert in order to raise money for the American Heart Association at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD on Friday night [2/6/15].

The host for the evening was Gloriana. For those of you who may not know, Gloriana is made up of Rachel Reinert, and brothers, Tom and Mike Gossin. The trio started the night off right by walking out and getting the crowd hyped for the raw, powerful set they had in store for us.

If you’ve never been to a stars and guitars, girls and guitars, guitars and stars, or any other show that has a similar title, you might not be familiar with the format of the show. Typically, benefit shows are acoustic and all the artists are on the stage at once.

Austin Webb //

First off, ladies, he has a slight resemblance to a young Luke Bryan. I was not sure what to expect from this rising star when he first stepped out on stage, but I soon realized that his talent was not limited to the recording studio. Because he is a new artist, I was impressed with his stage presence and his confidence.

Two of the three songs Webb performed were All Country on You and Brings Him Back. Both of these songs showcase his witty lyricism and raw emotion, respectively.

Maddie & Tae //

When these two firecrackers introduced themselves, they explained how they sit opposite of their names on stage, so instead of Maddie & Tae, maybe it should be Tae & Maddie. Something I’ve noticed over the years is that with newer artists, especially females, there is a shake in their voice when they perform live. If you have ever seen Maddie & Tae, you know that is not the case for these ladies.

Also, if you think these ladies bring the sass with Girl in a Country Song, you should take a listen to Sierra [think Regina George from Mean Girls].

It is incredible to finally see females represented in the country duo category, or even country music in general! These ladies are going places.

Gloriana //

Damn, these three have talent. After seeing them perform a few times at larger shows opening up for big names like Alan Jackson, it was nice to see them stripped down in an acoustic performance.

They started the night off by playing their first hit from 2009, Wild at Heart. They also showcased their new single, Trouble, and a few other tunes from a new record they are releasing.

Montgomery Gentry //

They may not be as relevant as Gloriana or Maddie & Tae are currently, but damn, they should be.

This show provided a lot of firsts for me: Austin Webb, Maddie & Tae, but most importantly, I finally fulfilled a dream of hearing Montgomery Gentry perform live. 

If you traveled back in time fourteen years and told ten-year-old me that I would be feet away from Montgomery Gentry someday, I would have never believed you.

The duo played some of their best hits [Where I Come From, If You Ever Stop Loving Me, and Gone]. They also played their new single, Headlights.

What I Wore //

Those of you who know me, you know that I am all about graphic tanks and muscle tanks. For this show, I paired my “Country Music has my Heart” tank from Free Your Heart Apparel with a denim vest. I have two pairs of go-to jeans for any winter concert, both some varying shade of black. Because I love showing off my boots, I need these jeans to look good tucked in the sides. Speaking of my boots, I wore my LTB [License to Boot] custom cowboy boots.

Interesting Tidbits //

The highlight from this show was seeing these artists perform on stage together in such a raw environment. When the whole stage came together to perform a Waylon song [Luckenbach, Texas], the crowd went crazy. Well, the members of the crowd who were cultured enough to know the song.

If you are of drinking age and you are a fan of beer and whiskey, next time you’re at a concert you should buy yourself a beer and drop in a shot of jack honey.

For those of you who live around the D.C. area and you listen to WMZQ, you already know this rad station. If you have never heard of ‘em, I’d suggest adding them to your iHeartRadio list. WMZQ is versatile and plays the new hits, classic jams, and forever favorites. Oh yeah, and they have this one DJ with the coolest voice [Michael J // @MichaelJonair].

xox
Megan