Under the Covers - "Friends In Low Places"

"Friends In Low Places." If you aren't familiar with it, you should probably turn in your country music fan card and pick up the latest Jeezy record. It might be Garth Brooks' best known song, and that's saying something for a guy who seems to have a hit song for every state in the country.
So, who did the most famous cover of the song? Hint: The answer isn't someone at every karaoke night, ever (close second). Nope, the answer is actually Garth himself. While Garth made the song the classic that it is, Mark Chesnutt originally cut the song on his album "Too Cold At Home."
I wonder if Mark is still kicking himself for not releasing that song.

Concert Review: Brad Paisley H2O II Wetter and Wilder World Tour

Brad Paisley's carnival/concert recently swung through the area, with stops in Darien Lake, Scranton, Pa. and Mansfield, Ma. With acts like Sunny Sweeney, Brett Eldredge, Thompson Square (special guest in Mansfield only), Edens Edge, Jerrod Niemann and Blake Shelton touring with Paisley, it would be easy to make the show all about the music. However, this wouldn't be enough for Brad, who also provides fans with a carnival prior to the main event. 

Just one of Brad's trailers.

The Water World Plaza offers a Slip 'n Slide, bean bag toss (with prizes), Captain America and Brad Paisley photo stations, Corvette and Chevy FLW boat simulators and a dunking booth. Also, if you're feeling generous, there is a Water = Hope booth and boxes to donate cell phones to soldiers. Oh yeah, and opening acts Edens Edge, Brett Eldredge and Sunny Sweeney rock the stage. All three have unique styles, Sweeney with the classic country twang, Eldredge brings a party to the stage and Edens Edge's country-bluegrass mix is outstanding (expect more on them in a later post). Opening acts are also available for meet and greets after their sets conclude.

Edens Edge

Once inside, Jerrod Niemann is the first to take the main stage, playing hits "Lover, Lover," "What Do You Want" and his latest single "One More Drinkin' Song." He also plays other songs from his excellent debut album "Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury," as well as Garth Brooks hit "Good Ride, Cowboy," which Niemann co-wrote. Niemann's sense of humor sets the stage for two of the funniest guys in country music.

Judge Jerrod

After Judge Jerrod's court adjourned, Blake Shelton enters to roars of approval from the crowd. Blake plays old ("Austin," "Ol' Red") and new ("Honey Bee") hits, along with a medley of pop songs explaining why he is so "screwed up." Blake's shares the humor that made him a star on "The Voice," and gets the crowd all fired up for the main event. There's no doubt in my mind Blake should be headlining his own tour in 2012.

Blake drawing his biggest cheer of the night, by drinking.

After his outstanding array of opening acts, headliner Brad Paisley finally takes the stage (kind of). Brad comes out singing "Mud On The Tires" (my personal favorite Paisley song) and the hits just roll from there. If you get a chance to attend the show, be sure to count how many guitars Brad goes through (I got 11).

Does Brad play guitar better, or sing better? We may never know...

While the crowd is clearly there to hear Brad sing, he certainly provides more than just music through his giant HD video boards. Animations, music videos and crowd shots are just a few things to watch for. Brad also provides a few surprises throughout the show, from his tricky intro to his secondary stage in the "cheap seats."

Hey, what are you doing way up here?

Brad's signature wit and charm are on display throughout the night, and of course he sings and slings guitar with the best of them. And you know Brad provides a big splash at the end of the night. 

If you have a chance to make it to a H2O II date this summer, I would absolutely recommend it. The Water World Plaza, witty performers, excellent animations and... um... oh yeah, outstanding country music show why Brad deserves to be the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year.

Welcome y'all!

Hello there, how are you doing? Thanks for checking out my blog. I'm going to try to keep you up to date on what's happening in country music, specifically in the Central New York area. I'll be reviewing new music, giving my thoughts on concerts I attend in the area, providing you with playlists and anything else I think you'll enjoy. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment here, or on Facebook and Twitter. That's it for the intro, let's have some fun.