Kenny Chesney is back on the road again, and this year’s No Shoes Nation tour is sure to knock your socks off. Starting with the Southern states, Kenny and tour mate Eric Church will rock across America this summer with a show packed full of new tunes, old favorites and maybe even a couple surprise duets. But this isn’t your average summer concert series. After attending the concert this past weekend in Columbia, I can assure you that this is an experience you won’t want to miss.
The No Shoes Nation Tour invites concert goers to kick off their shoes and party in true Kenny style. Kenny just wrapped up his performance at Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC, and the festivities started hours before the show. With good old Southern hospitality, fans lined the parking lot to tailgate for the big event at Kenny’s Signature Beach Party. No shoes? No shirt? No problem! Complete with pickup trucks, cowboy hats and skull bearing flags, it was a full-scale pirate party. If you have tickets for another stop on the tour list, take my advice and get there early. You won’t want to miss the pre-performance bash.
On stage, Kenny caters to his loyal longtime fans. Some artists have a tendency to play more of their new music if they are touring after the release of a new album. Not Kenny. You’ll hear old favorites like ‘Keg in the Closet’, ‘Out Last Night’, and of course ‘Summertime’. He did a few new spins on some of the old classics too, playing acoustic intros and adding some Caribbean beats to a chorus here and there.
Plus, he’s playing a good selection of tunes from the new album Life on a Rock. His new hit single Pirate Flag reviewed in an earlier post was a fan favorite at the Columbia show – with several fans sporting some vintage pirate hats and waving pirate flags to the beat. He also played some other new songs from his new album, which features duets with Willie Nelson, and The Wailers. Another collaboration with Tim McGraw earned Kenny one of his three nominations to the upcoming 2013 CMT Awards, set to air in June on the Country Music Television channel available on DirecTVDeal. Kenny’s toured with Tim before, but played the solo version of the new hit at his most recent show.
Overall, Kenny fans won’t want to miss this tour. The island cowboy delivers a unique country music experience that is best served warm – during the summer months. So kickoff your shoes, sit back, relax and enjoy a No Shoes Nation show this summer.
Eddie is a writer and blogger and loves country music. Eddie spends most of his time writing and researching different topics to create great content.
For The Country Record 