First annual Hometown Rising; a success all the way!
September 7-8, 2019, Louisville, Kentucky
by Marie Christine Quirion
This year, Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) set a new challenge; not only add a country music festival to open their newly created “Trifecta” series which includes “Bourbon and Beyond” and “Louder Than Life” but move it to a brand-new site. Risqué, but well calculated.
With some of the largest names in country music today, such as Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Bret Michaels, Brett Young, Keith Urban, and Luke Bryan, it was hard to imagine that this first year for Hometown Rising in Louisville, Kentucky would not succeed. Following the floods that hit Louisville last year, Danny Wimmer and his team not only had to relocate their usual events to the Kentucky Exposition Center, but get everything in place for the arrival of their new country festival, Hometown Rising.
The event:
Like you would expect to find in any large scale musical event; VIP sections, Monster energy drink tents, merchandise kiosks and various auctions, Hometown Rising had it all and more. Merchants sold cowboy boots and hats, local BBQ food, crafts, bourbon, whiskey, and craft beers. Line dancing lessons ran hourly, to teach new-comers the right moves. All this helped make Hometown Rising stand out at this first edition… and probably do some good business!
Concerts:
Saturday
Two main stages, placed side by side, and a third smaller at the opposing end of the site, most performances were viewed from under a radiant sun and in perfect synchronization. No delays or downtime were observed during today’s lineup. Newer stars like Lindsay Ell and Jimmie Allen opened the day, with distinguished singers like Trace Adkins and Dwight Yoakam performing throughout. Everyone today helped set the stage for the explosion of energy and ‘party’ with the last performances of the day by direct support Little Big Town and headliner, Tim McGraw. Revisiting their greatest hits the crown sang along, and even got up close and personal when the performers stepped off the stage into the crowd. Overall, every artist was very generous with their time and stage presence, making the most of this opening day.
Sunday
Despite extremely hot weather, Sunday was certainly my favorite day. Beginning the afternoon were these guys in LoCash, who raised the crowd with their party anthems. Although they performed on the right stage, they made their way to far left and interacted with the crowd there. Following this energetic performance, Bret Michaels and his band jumped on stage, threw their country playlist out the window, and spent over an hour revisiting former hits of his band Poison and other greats of the country world. Since he was in the south, “Sweet Home Alabama” was a favorite, which was like an energy bomb to the crowd.
Jake Owen, true to his habits, took the stage barefoot, donning an aqua costume with beach and ocean motifs. Not staying in place for more than a few seconds and involving the crowd, we were treated to his most recent hits and a few covers. Slowing us down, was the gentleman and much calmer Brett Young. Using a riser, Brett moved about the whole stage and even made a few round trips in the first row of the audience. Special mention to his cover of Justin Bieber’s hit ”Love Yourself” which made the whole audience sing. Fan-favorite of the event, Keith Urban was able to bring us all together having us sing with him, and even engaged with the ASL interpreter during the performance of the song ” Fighter” usually a duet with Carrie Underwood.
After two full days, as the clock struck 8:20 pm, the crowd was finally able to see and hear the favorite of the festival, Luke Bryan. Hit after hit, mixing in-jokes, heavy interaction with the crowd and even a duet with his new protégé Gabby Barrett during the performance of ‘Most People Are Good’, the crowd experienced a whole range of emotions. Passing from tears to laughter to slow dances in the moonlight, Luke was able to please men, women, young and old.
For a first all country festival from DWP, with more than 70,000 people every day (Sold Out), with an extraordinary line up, and on a new site, I have no doubt that the 2019 edition of Hometown Rising was only the first step for Danny Wimmer and his team into the world of country music.
In the meantime, I strongly invite you to go for a walk at the Bourbon and Beyond festival and “Louder Than Life” which will take place in the coming weeks on the same site in Louisville and are also produced by DWP. For more information and upcoming editions, please visit the website www.hometownrising.com
Line ups:
Saturday
IMAJ
ALICE WALLACE
RAELYN NELSON BAND
THE SISTERHOOD BAND
J.D. SHELBURNE
NOAH GUTHRIE
CLARE DUNN
THE STEEL WOODS
LINDSAY ELL
JIMMIE ALLEN
THE CADILLAC THREE
FRANKIE BALLARD
ADKINS TRACE
DWIGHT YOAKAM
LITTLE BIG TOWN
TIM MCGRAW
Sunday
KENDALL SHAFFER
HANNAH ELLIS
JEFFREY EAST
LARRY FLEET
EVERETTE
DILLON CARMICHAEL
GABBY BARRETT
MASON RAMSEY
THE WILD FEATHERS
LOCASH
BRET MICHAELS
JAKE OWEN
BRETT YOUNG
KEITH URBAN
LUKE BRYAN
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