It’s A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood

Memorial Weekend 2023 … Kenny Chesney is doing a double header at Orange Beach, Brad Paisley is playing Indy, and NASCAR has The Doobie Brothers playing pre-race in Charlotte. Taylor Swift playing for New York City folks three nights at MetLife Stadium in North Jersey. Garth Brooks in Vegas is sold out, with Katy Perry and Ringo Starr playing at other casinos.

The concert business is alive and well post-COVID. Hallelujah. All is right in the world.

In 2017, Nashville Public Television did a documentary on Music Row. Once upon a time, most of the Country labels, studios and music publishers were based there. The show ran on Alabama Public Television and made for good hotel chill viewing.

Ever sit back and shake your head at how much has changed since Chet Atkins and the Bradleys “owned” the Row? The labels are mostly gone. Some studios remain, some publishers, and those happy #1 signs still on 16th and 17th.

In downtown, wait until the Eric Church, Garth Brooks and Wildhorse/Luke Combs buildings are ready. That will shift things from fourth to fifth gear!

Garth in Vegas is getting great reviews as expected. Did he surprise you when he lifted the curtain and revealed the whole band? His acoustic show is excellent, but that huge stage might have been a bit much for a single spotlight act. Garth playing to 4,000 is like a club show, and those 4,000 are very lucky. Caesars’ Colosseum is a great room for audience comfort and listening.

As predicted, this is a Luke Combs’ year again. Folks are traveling from distant states to see him in these stadiums. Morgan Wallen’s stadium shows might have grabbed the concert crown, but his vocal health setback has that race off the book (until maybe a late summer/fall momentum).

Morgan still owns the charts! His Billboard chart action is close to going into the very rare air for weeks at #1 in the album category.

Even though she is no longer talked about in Country music circles, the Taylor Swift shows are about the biggest shows ever. What is even close to what she is doing with staging and audience? Pink Floyd? The Stones? Nope. I think Taylor has won, and it’s not even close.

I once saw Michael Jackson at Wembley Stadium, with maybe more people than Taylor, but not nearly the spectacle. How does anyone try to top that?

Country music seems very spread out right now. The obvious political split is one thing, but the style differences are another. From Jelly Roll to George Strait, they both work on the radio somehow.

As we wrap the first five months of 2023, I continue to be amazed at the talents of Brandi Carlile … Can’t someone find her a radio hit?