Tempe, Arizona

March1-2, 2024

By Mary Andrews – photo and words

Photos of Larkin Poe by  C. Elliott

This was the inaugural edition of the Extra Innings Festival occurring the weekend after the Innings Festival. It’s no surprise that another weekend was added since the last six years have been so successful for the festival in Arizona. The weather has been perfect for the last two weeks.  And don’t forget to check out week one coverage..

Extra Innings had opportunities to see MLB legends Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, Tim Raines, Rollie Fingers and more. There was also a live talk show, “Off the Mound With Ryan Dempster,” in which the World Series champion hosted interviews and performances from surprise guests.

The fans have been very receptive to the festival with its close proximity to Arizona State University. Here are some of the special moments of the Extra Innings Festival.

Chris Stapleton headlined Friday night. He began his set with “White Horse” playing his electric guitar as he stood at the front of the stage. He followed with “Parachute” and “Second One to Know.” He addressed the crowd, “Hello Arizona. Welcome, thank you for being here with us tonight.”  Stapleton is usually a man of few words and this seemed like the longest speech that he has ever delivered. 

He performed “Starting Over,” “Millionaire,” and “Hard Livin.” The fans were mesmerized by the country crooner throughout the set as he delivered many brilliant guitar solos along with 20 favorite Stapelton tunes. And let’s not forget his performance of “Tenneessee Whiskey.”

 For a complete set list:

Charley Crockertt brought his classic country sound to his set to the delight of the country fans. Strange to think the singer has released 12 albums in eight years with his latest album being The Man From Waco in 2022. His set included covers of Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally” and Ernest Tubb’s “Just a Drink Away.” Both songs blended seamlessly with Crockett’s original tunes. He packed many songs into his short set that seemed to be timeless and ageless. 

Setlist: 

Elle King brought her country and pop vocals to a scorching mid-day set. She dressed in a red skirt outfit that mused of a flirtiness to the large crowd. She pulled out her popular “Ex’s & Oh’s” in the middle of the set along with Stevie Nicks’ “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” and “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” were offerings from her 13 song set. Evidently country music is not a new genre for King, but she has evolved into it since her big single “Ex’s & Oh’s” in 2015, as evidenced by her latest release Come Get Your Wife. Even though she is more country now, she still has her ‘rock ’n roll’ edge fans have come to love from the singer.King is a strong woman in the country genre breaking down the doors of bro-country. 

Setlist: 

Ryan Bingham had fans craving for his brand of country rock. The field was packed to capacity as Bingham took the stage. His grins throughout the set garnered the crowd’s attention and added to their mood. His songs are personal and politically charged. The audience sang along and were fully engaged throughout the show. Bingham encouraged as much audience participation as possible, and one couldn’t help but oblige.  He kicked off the set with “Nothin’ Holds Me Back.” “The Weary Kind” and “Hallelujah” were included in the offerings of the night. Setlist

Dave Matthews Band was in the headlining spot of the Extra Innings Festival on the second Saturday. One thing that fans can depend on is that no DMB show is ever the same. If you saw their previous Innings Festival show in 2020, there was very little repetition.  

DMB performed hit songs as well as some covers. Who would have thought Matthews would cover David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” or Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles?” That they did and much more. The band performed multi-genre of music. Matthew’s music crosses many generations of fans as seen in the crowd. 

Their special guest, Jennifer Hartswick ,trumpeter and vocalist from Trey Anastasio Band, made the evening very special, even by DMB’s standards. Hartswick joined the band for “Jimi Thing” marking her first ever collaboration with the band. She completed the threesome of the band’s other brass including trumpeter Rashawn Ross and saxophonist Jeff Coffin. They transitioned into a cover of ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses” and after continuing on with “You & Me,” Matthews stopped to acknowledge Hartswick and thank her for sitting in with the band. 

The band tours throughout the summer and it’s well worth catching their show! Setlist

The Innings Festival and the Extra Innings Festival were very special this year and left the fans craving for next year’s festivities.

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February 23, 2024

KFC Yum! Center

Louisville, KY

By Shrithik Karthik

Sam Hunt came to Louisville on February 23, 2024, for his Outskirts tour to rock the arena with a sold-out show.

Starting off with the opener Lily Rose, knew how to get the crowd warmed up. This wasn’t her first time in Louisville as she’s opened up a few times before for a few other bands and she looked so comfortable on stage. She was the first opener so she thanked the crowd for showing up early and the crowd returned the favor and erupted in enthusiastic applause. Lily Rose was such a great performer, she knew how to get the crowd to move and dance and her music covered so many different vibes. She started off slow but then picked up the pace turning into more hype and eventually slowed down. She closed her set with a perfect ending thanking the crowd, laughing with everyone, and telling everyone that she was getting drunk tonight. 

The lights dimmed, the stage lit up, and the curtains dropped. It was showtime. The crowd roared with anticipation and excitement. They’d been waiting all night for Sam to come out and it was finally time. The band made their way to the stage and the cheers became louder and louder until Sam finally came out and the frenzy began. Non-stop fun for what felt like forever, Sam Hunt delivered a fantastic performance that we will remember for many years to come. The entire performance he kept his energy up singing his heart out. His microphone was absolutely ON an entire night, no words missed, no mess ups, just perfection all the way through. The crowd did him so much justice singing every word right alongside him and giving him the energy that he absolutely deserved. Sam has made a few albums over many years, but he made sure to play some songs from all his albums, especially his first one. What made this performance feel so memorable was how he made everything feel so personable. His story about his song dedicated to his now wife about their first date leading them to almost get arrested was so sweet and funny. It felt like we were all sitting together and just having one big party. The intimacy increased when he stepped off the main stage walking down the aisles to the soundboard where he performed a few more songs. Sitting on his stool with his guitar he slowed the pace down tremendously playing a much slower sadder song. A few fans broke into tears showing just how much power that Sam Hunt had over the crowd. It was just so memorable hearing how much effort he put into his music and his performance and just how much he cared about the crowd. During the performance, he brought out Lily Rose and they performed a song together which the crowd all knew. The energy just kept getting better and better as the night went on and Sam never let off the gas. His band even performed a cover of Get Lucky by Daft Punk which was done so well. The drummer and the guitarists absolutely killed it and were all extremely talented. Their riffs, the chords, the harmonies, everything was just an absolute masterclass. Sam thanked the crowd for such an amazing show as he left the stage. I’m still thinking about that performance and what a job he did. He worked the crowd like magic and put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. This was only his second stop on tour and I can’t wait to see how the rest of it goes!

Lily Rose   Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | TikTok | Instagram |

Sam Hunt  Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | TikTok | Instagram |

Mary Andrews

February 23-24, 2024

Spring training has ensued once again in Arizona. C 3 Presents has continued to offer music and baseball in the sixth annual Innings Music Festival with big name entertainers and baseball stars in Tempe. The weather was perfectly temperate and the musical acts were scorching.The attendence on Friday was packed, while Saturday left room to move around with ease. 

The festival happened to open at the same time as Arizona’s Cactus League Spring training. Fans were able to see MLB legends Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Luis Gonzalez practicing. Ultimately, it was a win-win for players and fans alike.

Here is some of the best of the best musical acts of the first weekend.

Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined opening day with a crowd pleasing finish to the first day. Drummer Chad Smith set the tone for the set as he banged a gong to get  started. The set was filled with hits as returning lead guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flee, and lead singer Anthony Kiedis graced the stage. Frusciante fulfilled his reputation as on of the best guitarists in the business as he played electifying instrumental jams throughout the set. “Snow( Hey Oh)” was a fine example.

Flea leaped through the air in his purple shirt with musical chops that added to the intensity of the band’s performance.

Flea and Frusciante were head to head several times during the set seemingly challenging each other with each’s groove. Kiedis had his own swagger with his commanding vocals as the crowds joined in singing their familiar songs.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/red-hot-chili-peppers/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6badceb6.html

Even though Greta Van Fleet has matured as the years have past, they still have that young boy aesthetic, facial hair and all. Josh Kiszka’s vocals seem to favor Robert Plant’s voice. That said, his vocals are impressive. The band totally performs to impress their young crowd especially seen with brother Jake on lead guitar. 

311 had the fans singing their faces off as they danced in place when lead singer Nick Hexum hit the stage with “Beautiful Disaster.” The set was hot in more ways than one.

Setlsit: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/311/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6badceae.html

The Beaches’ all girl alternative rock band was a pleasant surprise in the afternoon set. Bassist Jordan Miller had a perfect voice to expose their music to the crowd with harmonies presented by the rest of the band. Highlights included “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid” and”Everything Is Boring.” They are presently on their ‘Blame My Ex’ tour. 

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-beaches/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-7bad228c.html

Phantogram gave fans a splendid set in the afternoon. The band is listed as a duo, but the show is definitely led by Sarah Barthel doing vocals, guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers. Barthel takes command of the stage from start to finish. Electronic rock never had so much energy. The red-haired singer dances, spins and throws her hair about as she sang the songs “Don’t Move,” “Mouthfull of Diamonds,” and “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.” The set left the crowd wanting more. 

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/phantogram/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-1badc94c.html

Macklemore was the highlight of Saturday’s fare. His present tour is dubbed the ‘Ben’ tour. That happens to be the title of his latest album. Five minutes late, the rapper ran on the stage singing “Chant” from his latest album with a cavacade of support performers including background singers, dancers and musicians. 

His energy was infectious and the crowd was thrilled to experience Macklemore. “Thrift Shop,” “No Bad Days” and “White Walls” followed. Fans were eager to sing along. Maclemore informed the crowd he and his family had been in the Phoenix area for the entire week and took in some of the local sights. He also discussed struggling with addition in the past and mentioning that the fans with addition problems were not alone. There seemed to be an intimacy Maclemore had with such a huge crowd.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/macklemore/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-63ad3e77.html

This was the second appearance for Young the Giant at the Innings Festival and again they were a welcome sight. The first song of the set was “Wake Up” and was a crowd pleaser. Sameer Gadhia, the band’s lead singer. guided the band through songs from their latest album “American Bollywood.” Fan favorites like “Cough Syryp” were also performed.

Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/young-the-giant/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-6bad3e76.html

Hozier was Saturday’s headlining act. He is on his ‘Unreal,Unearth’ World Tour promoting his new album of the same name. He stepped out on a blue darkened stage and started performing “DeSelby (Part 1) and (Part 2). Then he slid into the more familiar “Jackie and Wilson.” Hozier has a commanding stage presence. Other songs included tracks from his three studio albums. “Cherry Wine” and “Take Me to Church” were among the songs included in the set. Hozier is adorned with incredible vocals, stage presence, and musical talent. Well worth attending.

Setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/hozier/2024/tempe-beach-park-tempe-az-7bad3e70.html 

It was a great weekend of great vibes and rock music during this two day weekend. New this year: Innings Festival will continue next weekend with an Extra Innings Festival with Chris Stableton and Dave Matthews Band headlining. We will report on this next week.

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September 1, 2023

Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL

Photos and Review by Anita Maree

Carrie Underwood, the queen of country music, graced Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL, and she did not disappoint. With a voice that can move mountains and a stage presence that’s second to none, Underwood delivered a performance that left the audience spellbound.

The night began with Carrie taking stage with her band and guitar in hand performing Church Bells, and that set the stage for an incredible night of country favorites. Looking around, Ravinia’s gift shops must have sold the most cowboy hats that lit up than ever before. It was great to see the hats and the sea of cowboy boots on thousands of her fans.

Carrie performed other songs including “Blown Away,” “Undo It,” “Southbound,” and “See You Again”. Other crowd favorites included, “All-American Girl”, “Cowboy Casanova,” “Good Girl,” and “Two Black Cadillacs.”  Her vocals were flawless, effortlessly hitting high notes and her impressive range and control were on full display throughout the evening, reminding us why she’s one of the most celebrated voices in the industry.

What truly sets Carrie Underwood apart is her ability to connect with her audience. She shared personal stories and anecdotes between songs, making it feel like an intimate gathering of friends.  Her genuine and warm personality shone through as she interacted with fans, making everyone feel like they were a part of something special.

The set list was a perfect blend of her classic hits and songs from her latest album, ensuring that both long-time fans and newcomers had something to cherish. Highlights of the evening included soul-stirring renditions of “Before He Cheats,” “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” and “Something in the Water.” Her emotional performance of “Cry Pretty” left not a dry eye in the house, showcasing her incredible ability to convey raw emotion through her music.

The production values were nothing short of spectacular. The lighting, visuals, and choreography were all top-notch and added an extra layer of excitement to the already incredible show. The backing band and vocalists were incredibly talented, creating a seamless musical experience that left no room for disappointment.

In a world where live music has the power to heal, inspire, and unite, Carrie Underwood’s concert at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL was a shining example of the magic that happens when a gifted artist takes the stage. Her powerful voice, charismatic presence, and genuine connection with her fans left all with a sense of gratitude for being a part of this musical journey. Carrie Underwood truly is a superstar, and her performance last night will be etched in our memories for years to come. Huge thank you to Carrie Underwood for letting Unrated Magazine attend and provide photos with this exclusive concert review.  Another huge thanks to the beautiful outdoor venue Ravinia Festival for the wonderful hospitality.

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Ruoff Music Center 

Noblesville, Indiana

September 23, 2023

by Mary Andrews

The 37^th annual Farm Aid all day concert once again will go down in history as one of the best to date. It has been a year long celebration of Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday and today’s festivities have been an extention of that celebration. The festival had a cavalcade of musical legends. The press conference started the day’s festivities with the Farm Aid board, local farmers, members of the bands, and other Farm Aid officials. The purpose every year is  to deliver vital information on the progress of Farm Aid’s efforts to help family farmers. The local farmers spoke of challenges in the state and educating the local population on eating organic foods and the effects on human health.

Neil Young always has vital comments on concerns of the day regarding family natural farming.  Here’s what he had to day:”How important it is that the family farmers do what they do by sustaining organic food. They bring back the earrh from the ground up. There are all great things, but they all pale in comparison to one thing, the people who go to the stores. People who are out there right now. We are all together in this. The climate change crisis is out there. If we go to our media, we don’t hear about it. We hear about rediculous stuff that doesn’t mean anything. We hear about the pontificating about political views. All of this meaningless in today’s world. We as the people all around this world can do something about it. We can work together and try to do natural things. Things that help you make decisions about what foods to gather, where to go to buy it. Don’t go the the wrong place to buy the right food. Research, read a little bit to find out what they are doing. It would be great if we could stop using fossil fuel but, things could come to a crashing halt anyway. We need to forget about those kind of things and think about natural things we could do.”

Young continued, “What’s the best way to get a mile and a half down the road? Probably the best way to do that is to walk. It’s the natural thing to do. It makes you stronger and it makes you hungry for good food. In the world you make the right decisions, the natural decisions. The natural way of life. Try to do things the way they used to be. Before we got so smart and so greedy. When I first came here with Willie and John, and Dave, we had a lot of these red shirts around that said stop factory farms. This was in the first and second year of Farm Aid. There’s a couple of them out there in the crowd. This is a serious business. This factory farm thing doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for us. It doesn’t work for humanity. It doesn’t work for the planet. It doesn’t work for the animals. It doesn’t work for the humans. It doesn’t work for anything that grows naturally. Everything that we do, we need to think about natural ways. What were the ways that our forefathers used? Because their ways worked. What we’ve done has gotten so greedy. i’m not going to decent to corporated farming gustalt. But I would like to say that we have a choice and its really the people on the street who are going to make the difference. The farmers are doing everything they can do. Without the people behind the farmers, it’s not going to work. The people need to support the farmers. That’s not just a phrase. We need to think about the world and what we are doing, the natural way. Where is this food coming from and what can I do to get to it? How can I get there without hurting the planet? What things can I do today that will help? What things can I leave off my list that are going to hurt something? If we research this, we will find that it’s not b that hard to figure out. So it’s all in our hands. It’s in the hands of the people of the world to support the farmers. Support everyone who is working for a better tomorrow. A better tomorrow is based in natural ways, mother nature. Mother nature will take care of the earth. We know that. We’ll all be gone. . . .Mother earth has mother nature to protect her. We need to follow those rules. We need to follow the natural ways of living. That’s all I know to say about this. It’s so simple. People have to support the world. 

The festival is always headlined by board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price. This year’s surprise guest was Bob Dylan. It was one of the most packed lineup of entertainers  seen in recent years. 

Immediately following the press conference, the entertainment started with the Wisdom Indian Dancers, Clayton Anderson, and the Black Opry. The Wisdom Indian Dancers are a permanent act at Farm Aid and their colorful set is very short. 

Clayton Anderson, originally from Bedford, Indiana, is inspired by board-member, John Mellencamp. Local fans seemed to be very familiar with Anderson and gave him a warm welcome during his uplifting set. 

The Black Opry featured Lori Rayne, Tylar Bryant, and Kyshona. The band was concieved to support black artists in country music. All of the members in attendence were superb singers. Their set demonstrated the reason Allison Russell introduced Kyshona as one of the best singers in show business. The set seemed far too short.

Particle Kid is Willie’s son Micah Nelson. The young Nelson is following in his father’s footsteps as a songwriter. The multi-instrumentalist always delivers an innovative set with new music offered. He often performs with The Flaming Lips and Neil Young. Nothing like singing “Everything is Bullsh*t” to a country crowd. His hard driving guitars easily pumped up fans.

The String Cheese Incident has been celebrating 30 years as a band. They are celebrating their forcoming album Lend Me a Hand featuring their blues-inspired new music. Fans were on their feet dancing to their loosely structured jam music.

This is the third year for multi-instrumentalist, Allison Russell, to appear at Farm Aid. Doesn’t matter if she is playing clarenet, banjo or guitar, her performance is stellar. Her vocals are compelling and emotional. It’s a great sight to see her at Farm Aid.

Nathaniel Rateliff and the NightSweats delivered another outstanding folk and Americana set prior to Lukas Nelson and The Promise of the Real. Nelson has come a long way since his appearances opening for BB King in 2009. “Sticks and Stones” and “Finding Yourself” were some of the performer’s offerings. The set was amazing as usual.

Bobby Weir and the Wolf Brothers bandmates included bassist Don Was, drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Climenti and pedal steel guitarist Barry Siess. The band was aygmented by Sturgill Simpson on guitar, Margo Price on vocals and Lukas Nelson on guitar. It was a three song set that started with an extended version of “Truckin’”

The Jim Irsey Band featuring Ann Wilson and Kenny Wayne Sheperd were up next with Wilson and Sheperd performing the bulk of the set, thankfully. Both entertainers are the best at what they do. Also session guitarist, Tom Bukovac, thrilled the crowd. Margo Price followed with Sturgill Simpson sitting in during her set as well. They covered Simpson’s “Life of Sin.” “Paper Cowboy” and “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” were extra treats performed.

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds gave another spectacular acoustic set, prior to homeboy, John Mellencamp, gave the fans a run of his hit songs. Once “Jack and Diane” was started, Mellencamp stopped the song to chastise the fans for not singing it properly. It was all in fun and I must say the fans knew the lyrics to all of his songs. It was definitely a Mellencamp crowd.

Neil Young’s set was a solo set with Young playing harmonica and guitar as he walked around the stage and sang. It has been three years since Young has made a live appearance at Farm Aid. He was very apologetic regarding his absence. Young at one point shouted,”What’s your favorite planet?” and everyone roared back: “Earth!” The answer was written on the tee shirt he was wearing. The set seemed to be far too short with only four songs, granted they were long versions of the songs. One has to wonder if the set was cut short because of Bob Dylan being added to the list of performers.

Dylan’s surprise set was also short with only three songs including :Maggie’s Farm,” “Positively 4th Street,” and “Ballad of a Thin Man.” Dylan was accompanied by the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty’s band, making his Farm Aid reunion with that band very special. He took the stage without uttering a word to the crowd. Dylan has been touring and has dates lined up for the fall.

Willie Nelson and Family had the final set of the day and it was one of the best this reviewer has seen in many years. Nelson delivered exceptional guitar solos. He was flanked by sons Lukas and Micah as well as Waylon Payne. Some songs performed were “Always on My Mind,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Be Cowboys,” and “Texas Flood.” Nelson’s energy level could not have been higher. And Farm Aid could not have had a better day of music.

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Community College

Kirtland Ohio

Michelle Waters

As summer rolled through the campus of Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio the average festival goer might at first be confused by the music they heard coming from the multi-stage setup at Wonderstruck Festival.

Through a conscious decision, the once more pop and rock-focused fest has begun to morph into a wider variety of performances, including hip-hop and country music. In an effort to reach a wider audience, this is truly set to become the event for people who say they “Love all kinds of music”. After the sheets or rain let up halfway through day 1 of Wonderstruck, music lovers began to peel off their ponchos and trade in those protective layers for sunscreen. Yes, one of the coolest little discoveries I found at Wonderstruck this year was a crew walking around and spraying people with an airbrush gun loaded with sunscreen.

Paris Jackson

No matter your musical interests, you were sure to find something new to enjoy. Local artists were featured-mainly on the smaller Radd Stage, off to the side of festival grounds. Artists like Maybe, Mac Saturn, local favorites Wavrunner and The Vindys, Michael (Jackson)’s daughter, Paris, and true performers like Siena Liggins and Leah Kate all lit up the smallest stage of the three.

Echosmith

Looking for something eclectic? Indie artists, rock artists and hip-hop artists all rotated performances on the middle, White Claw stage. Here’s you could find artists such as Tall Tall Trees, Echosmith, The Struts, and Flo Rida on Saturday of the two-day festival. On day 2, this stage’s performance schedule included The Beaches, Tai Verdes and Nelly.

Walker Hayes

The largest stage, while at first listening seemed to feature mainly country artists, also included crowd favorites Coin, Khalid and Hembree. Folks who stuck around to the end of country star Walker Hayes’ performance on Saturday (night 1) got to see a rare live duo performance of he and Flo Rida performing their famous song, High Heels. How often do you get to attend an event where country and hip hop are so equally represented that this was possible?

Also under question was the possibility of The Struts joining forces with Paris Jackson for a duo of Low Key in Love, but that didn’t pan out. It could have been because the set schedule got a bit jumbled. But you can often only do so much with live performances. I didn’t hear anyone complaining, and really only heard how cool it was to check out such a diverse rotation of music in one place.

Check out a galley of bands Michelle photographed during the weekend.

I’ll definitely be checking out this festival again, next year. The “Wonder Series” also includes several other stops with Wonderbus (Columbus), Wonderroad (Indianapolis) and Wonderworks (Pittsburgh), and all events feature a completely different lineup.

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AVA Amphitheatre

Tucson, AZ

June 29,2023

by Mary Andrews

The band, Alabama, has been churning out country hits for over 50 years. The band originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, in the late 1970s. By 1980 they had a recording contract with RCA records. Since that time, they have released 21 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums, 42 singles that topped the charts at number one, and sold over 75 million records in total. They have a lot of material to draw from for a 90 minute concert.

They have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were named the Academy of Country Music‘s Artist of the Decade in 1989, and the Recording Industry Association of America‘s Country Group of the Century in 1999. In 2005, the band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Fans showed up in droves at Casino del Sol to see and sing some of their favorite country songs. Alabama’s music is a mix of country, pop, gospel, and bluegrass. Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry are the only original members left of the band. That said, Alabama still is a sizable band.

The band walked out to a patriotic tribute video featuring officers in full dress uniforms, shots of Arlington cemetery and lots of flags. This seemd more appropriate since this is the 4th of July weekend. Their 50th Anniversary Tour delivered a majority of their hits. They dropped crowd pleasers like “Feels So Right” and “Dixieland Delight” without making much effort. The crowd got revved up early on with a lightning-fast version of “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (“You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band).” “High Cotton” was dedicated to Owen’s mother whom he lost approximately a year ago. 

Owen brought up the subject of the night’s temperature several times during the evening with it still being 98 degrees at eight pm. He mentioned that their last gig was in South Dakota and it was 61 degrees. He also mentioned that everyone in the band has had Covid and pulled though without a hitch giving credit to the love in their ‘family.’ The band’s musical precision is equalled only by their stage charisma. The show felt very intimate even though there were 4,000 people present. The group took a final bow and danced off the stage, proving that over 50 years of performing hasn’t slowed them down.

Setlist

Pass It on Down
If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)
The Closer You Get
Sad Lookin’ Moon
Song of the South
Feels So Right
Can’t Keep a Good Man Down
High Cotton
As Long as There’s Love
Dixieland Delight
“You’ve Got” the Touch
Born Country
Angels Among Us
Orange Blossom Special
(Rouse Brothers cover)
Tennessee River
Take Me Down
Mountain Music

Encore:
Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)

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July 9, 2023

Wrigley Field Chicago 

by Keeton Robinson 

Legendary rock group Dead & Company made their way to Wrigley Field to finish their sold-out tour. The 2-day sold-out show was one for the books. People from all over the country and the Midwest area made their way to the historic ballpark. Seeing the artists up close and feeling like it was Woodstock type of vibe. The live band in front of Wrigley Field that’s performing had the attendees in a great mood before entering the stadium. The crowd was mainly older, but it was some young people that knew the songs and were attending as well. Entering the stadium was just a sea full of people everywhere you went, but it was one of those experiences that you had to be there in person to witness. The weather couldn’t be any better to see a live band perform their hits. Sunny day around the low 80s with clear skies throughout the entire performance. People were patiently waiting for the band to come out. When the band members came out, the crowd went wild and were ready for the performance.

Once the band members had their instruments set up and ready to go, the first song they played was “Playing In The Band”. The lead singer Bob Weir was the main person singing the song, and the crowd was singing along with him. The vibe at Wrigley Field was welcoming, and I felt like it was the concertgoers were in their own bubble while the performance was going on. What was unique about this performance to me was that once the song was over, it wasn’t a gap or anything saying we were going to the next song. I thought that was cool, and it kept the performance flowing throughout the whole night.

The next song was called Deal, and that was mainly sung by John Mayer. Overall the concert was great, and it felt like you were going through a time machine I would recommend someone to attend any tour dates in the near future.

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Friday, June 2, 2023

Chicago Soldier Field

by Sommer Thornton

Photos TAS Rights Management 

Friday night under perfect weather, Taylor Swift shut the Bears stadium down, bringing together her adoring Swifties and fans from everywhere for a lovefest, reunion, and trip down memory lane.

Chicago, IL. June 4, 2023: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hit Soldier Field in Chicago, June 2-4 for 3 sold out shows. For her Eras Tour, the first tour Swift has done in five years, she performs nearly 3 ½ hours with over 40 songs. Tay-Tay, as she’s affectionately called, took fans on a journey of where she has been mentally and emotionally all while belting out songs like “The Archer,” and “You Belong with Me” perfectly.

In front of her thousands of fans, Taylor Swift was introspective, revealing her woes and her resilience. She talked about the importance of owning her work, and that being the determination to rerecord her Fearless and Red albums. Then Swift performed her new version of “All Too Well,” and she got emotional as the crowd cheered her triumph.

Taylor Swift takes concert-goers exotic places with the beautiful imagery on a large screen blending seamlessly with her set. And with Taylor’s amazing storytelling, the audience is brought to the folklore cabin as Swift plays her guitar and talks about writing the Folklore album during quarantine.

The Eras Tour may become Taylor Swift’s most successful concert to date as fans will enjoy the visuals, the theatrics and Swift’s flawless vocals. That, her loyal fans already expect. But even more, Taylor Swift creates a bond between her and the massive crowd and brings fans into her world while returning all the love she has received.

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Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, New Orleans, LA, USA

April 28-30, 2023

by Mary Andrews

The 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival had for the most part highs and a few lows on the first fest weekend. It’s considered post pandemic now and fans came out in droves to relish many genre of music on 13 stages over three days. It was a glorious start beginning on Friday.

Highs: Opening day had a plethora of big name artist starting with Lizzo..She seems to be an icon in the making and it has been a long road to fame for the star. Depending on your perspective, the  crowds were having a lot of difficulty getting to the stage. She was a little late starting the set, but admitted to being “hung over as shit” from celebrating her birthday yesterday. She was set to headline fest 2020 and 2021, so the fans were there in droves to partake in Lizzo’s performance. She admitted, “I’ve been on tour but, bitch, ain’t nothing like being at Jazz Fest.” 

Her set was a combination of newer material and her hits like “Truth Hurts,” “Good as Hell” and “Juice.” She covered Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop” and part of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” She broke out her flute because “It’s about to get real jazzy in this bitch.” It was everything fans had anticipated and more.

Wu-Tang Clan and The Soul Rebels headlined the Congo Stage. As more and more members joined: U God, RZA and the GZA, the set was what fans hoped for. Raekwon’s voice is as strong as ever, and Ghostface sent chills up the spines of the faithful fans.

Alison Krauss and Robert Plant brought out many of the old-timers in the crowd. The two singers performed together at jazz fest 15 years ago promoting the Grammy winning album, Raising Sand. Now they have a new album, Raise the Roof. It’s a combination of bluegrass, blues and folk music. Led Zeppelin fans were not disappointed when they did a rendition of “When the Levee Breaks.”

Tank and the Bangas and Big Freedia gave outstanding performances prior to Lizzo’s set that seemed to be a prelude to Lizzo. They were certainly as entertaining.

There were some outstanding interviews at the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage including Steve Miller, Allison Russell, and Charlie Musselwhite. All had many stories to tell and were well worth attending.

Ed Sheeran used a system of pedals that allow him to record and “loop” the sounds he makes onstage, thus building full arrangements in real time. He tapped his acoustic guitar to make beats, slash a chord or two, loop it, then sing and play more on top of the parts he’s just recorded. The fans loved him. Recently, Sheeran has gotten publicity regarding a lawsuit with Marvin Gaye enterprises over plagiarism. 

Steve Miller’s set was another fan favorite with many hits from the past predominant.

Fans had a tough decision to make on Sunday on whether to see Tedeschi Trucks Band or Marcus King. Both had stellar sets at the end of the day.

Lows: They were small in number as usual. The rain that started Saturday was out of anyone’s control. Word went out that the Revivalists cancelled due to an illness. Scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on the Festival Stage, their slot was quickly filled by Samantha Fish featuring Jesse Dayton was delayed until 3:30 p.m. In turn, her 3:50 p.m. set on the Shell Gentilly Stage was scheduled to be filled by SOUL Brass Band. Revivalist fans were disappointed. However, lead singer David Shaw is scheduled for the second  weekend on Saturday afternoon. Many people found that the new cashless system to be time-consuming at best. With practice that system will improve.

The second weekend will have stellar entertainment as well

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