The moon hung low in the star-scattered, East Tennessee sky as the scent of smoke and corn husks drifted through the cool fall air. In a matter of hours, the rolling hills adorned with rows of corn will soon house rows of cars.
Some 15,000 country music fans didn’t congregate in the middle of an open field for the scenery and clear view of the stars—they came for one star in particular.
Shining country star Luke Bryan, kicked off his sixth annual Farm Tour at Maple Lane Farms on Wednesday night with a sold-out crowd—one which he did not disappoint.
To ignite the excitement of the rowdy, beer-filled crowd, Bryan kicked the night off with an impressive array of lights which were perfectly synced to a pulsating beat. As the anticipation escalated, Bryan hit the stage with his catchy, catfish-loving, dynamite hit, “That’s My Kind of Night” followed by his current single, the Panama City Beach-themed, summer love song, “Roller Coaster.”
The show ranged from party anthems to country-branded love songs to a few scattered heartbreak themed ballads, (with just a touch of the country heartthrob shakin’ it for his Knoxville fans).
Bryan is often associated with the term “bro country,” which refers to a newer brand of country music with just a touch of hip-hop and pop melodies and themes. But there is still a strong sense of country twang that truly blurs the lines between raw country music and the hybrid, rap-inspired country genre.
No matter what genre his songs are categorized under, it’s these mega-hits rolling through Bryan’s set list that kept the excitement burning late into the night.
The country hit-maker’s discography has acquired a lofty number of country-branded hits. Songs such as “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” “Someone Else Calling You Baby” and “Country Girl (Shake it for Me)” added to the excitement that competed with Bryan’s country boy charm and dance moves, which certainly got the attention of the female members of the audience.
Bryan further livened the show by inviting one of the opening acts, Cole Swindell, back onto the stage to assist him with the Florida-Georgia Line hit “This Is How We Roll,” which features Bryan and was co-written by Swindell.
But the show didn’t just consist of twangy, spring break, party anthems and up-tempo drinking songs. Bryan brought a bit more depth to his show with songs such as the vocally-driven, pre-break up song, “Do I” and the grief-stricken dedication song for his late siblings, “Drink a Beer.” The makeshift pier Bryan used during “Drink a Beer” set the perfect scene for the sad, farewell ballad.
The slower sections of Bryan’s show brought vocal and emotional depth with songs like the farm-themed love song, “Shut it Down.” Even in the more up-tempo, summer hit, “Drunk on You,” Bryan displayed his ability to entertain, stripping down the song to raw acoustics before bringing in his band. Bryan also showcased even more talent with his piano skills throughout the slower numbers, bringing a breath of fresh air into the show.
However, Bryan failed to include some of his earlier, farm-appropriate, country-heavy tunes like “Welcome to the Farm,” “Harvest Time” and “We Rode In Trucks.”
And he did have a moment of confusion when he referred to Knoxville as Nashville by mistake, but the two minuscule mistakes are easily forgotten when the overall concert experience is considered.
But it wouldn’t have been a Luke Bryan concert without the songs for which he is best known such as “Drunk on You” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”—which he used to bring the show on home.
The fact such a big name in the music industry can bring an enormous, stadium-sized show and place it in the heart of a local farm truly made the show one unlike any other and once again proves Luke Bryan knows how to bring in a crowd.
