Bright Lights & Country Music: My 2017 Live Shows
I’m a firm believer that as long as an artist is giving his or her all during a live show, than that’s the most we can ask for as fans. Anything else is just an added bonus. I was lucky enough to see several fantastic shows in 2017, and I can truly say that none of the artists I saw live let me down. What follows is a brief recap of every artist I saw live in 2017. It is by no means extensive in terms of a setlist or a review of the show. Rather I just wanted to say a few positive words about each of the artists I was fortunate enough to see play live over the course of the year.
Whiskey Myers
Jergels Rhythm Grille. Warrendale, PA.
January 26, 2017.
Whiskey Myers kicked off 2017 in an incredible way. They just didn’t seem to want to stop playing. Cody Cannon and the band were in full force. They melted Western Pennsylvania faces.
Carrie Underwood, John Conlee, & Many More
Grand Ole Opry. Nashville, TN.
March 25, 2017.
I was lucky enough to be in Nashville for Carrie Underwood’s 100th Opry appearance. What a singer. What a performer. Carrie has so much talent. Then being able to see John Conlee live was fantastic. I wrote about Conlee earlier in the year and how his contributions to country music should not be understated.
Eric Church
PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh, PA.
April 21, 2017.
The show of the year. The tour of a lifetime. Chief proved why he’s the greatest entertainer in country music, despite what the awards may say. Many fans who had attended more than one show remarked how his appearance in Pittsburgh was one of the best of the entire tour. I can’t describe how fortunate I felt to have been there for another one of his shows in Pittsburgh
Jon Pardi, Cole Swindell, Dierks Bentley
KeyBank Pavilion. Burgettstown, PA.
June 21, 2017.
My friends and I kicked off summer in the best way possible. Jon Pardi brought traditional country music to Western Pennsylvania. Cole Swindell, for the faults he does possess, made a fantastic connection with the audience. And Dierks Bentley showed why he deserves to be playing larger venues after slowing building a following throughout his career.
The Cadillac Three
Heinz Field. Pittsburgh, PA.
July 4, 2017.
No, The Cadillac Three weren’t headlining inside the stadium. But they certainly have the potential to. Much like Whiskey Myers, The Cadillac Three melted faces. TC3 are an incredible band to see live.
Midland & Drake White
Heinz Field Rib Fest. Pittsburgh, PA.
September 3, 2017.
Seeing Midland live was like stepping back in time to 1978. Everything about the performance was vintage. Then what can I even say about Drake White? It was a spiritual, revival-like performance full of soul. I liked Drake White before seeing him live. I like him even more now.
Steve Moakler, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh, PA.
October 12, 2017.
Steve Moakler opened for Tim and Faith. I’ve spoken highly of Steve in the past, and the Pittsburgh kid didn’t disappoint live. Tim and Faith were great together with Faith showing she hasn’t missed a beat. Two country music icons at work.
Jordan Davis, Drake White, Kip Moore
Stage AE. Pittsburgh, PA.
October 26, 2017.
Jordan Davis can certainly entertain. I knew next to nothing about him before seeing him live, but he was a fun act. Drake White, again, did not fail to disappoint and exceeded my high expectations I had after seeing him earlier in the fall. Then we come to Kip Moore. I’d been waiting forever to see Kip. In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined how unreal his show would be. He connected with the audience, shared stories, and rocked Pittsburgh. Ending my run of shows for 2017 in the best way possible.
There you have it! Like I said, I was blessed to see a tremendous group of artists in 2017. Here’s to the shows coming in 2018. Remember, support the artists. Buy a ticket, buy a t-shirt, buy a koozie, buy an album. They’ve earned it.
