Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2009 > July > 12 > Entry
Vassar sassy, Atkins heartfelt at concert’s last day
Well, well, let’s start with this: I had no idea Phil Vassar had that much energy.
I think of the former-song-writer-turned-singer Vassar as the guy who writes those sweet little songs about relationships. His performance Sunday, July 12 at Country Concert changed that impression.
Well, first, he’s pretty sassy.
“Look at all those bikinis,” he said to the audience. “Me like-y.”
And in ‘Six-Pack Summer’ he had 10 girls with beers come on stage.
My, my.
People loved it and his performances of songs he wrote for other artists like ‘Little Red Rodeo,’ ‘Bye-Bye,’ and ‘I’m Alright.’
They tolerated his song of family life, ‘Another Day in Paradise’ but protested when he cued up ‘Last Day of My Life’.
“Don’t sing a sad song,” shouted one young man.
Rodney Atkins closed the four-day concert with a 6 p.m. Sunday performance. He sung his hit, ‘These are My People,’ a song that includes one of my all-time favorite lyrics: “I got some discount knowledge at the junior college.”
He also performed ‘Best Things’ and ‘Love About the South.’
But it was his recollection of his first time singing at Country Concert a few years ago that stood out. He said he had performed in Illinois, drove all night to Ohio, arrived at 7 a.m. to perform in the Saloon, a pretty intimate setting at the campground. At that point, Atkins had no hit records.
“I will never forget playing in the beer tent here,” he said. “That’s classic. That’s legendary right there. Holy mackerel,what a party broke out. Y’all treated us like we had the biggest record in the world.”
Earlier in the day, it was hard for Dancing with the Stars performer Julianne Hough to not dance during her performance.
Hough, who recently was named the Academy of Country Music’s best newcomer, bounced across the stage, played air guitar and giggled after every song as is if DWTS host Tom Bergeron was saying something ridiculous.
Hough did Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crow and Eagles’ cover along with her own ‘My Hallelujah Song.’
Before singing, ‘Love Yourself’ she asked the audience if they’d seen Dancing with the Stars. After a hearty ‘yes’ from the crowd, she said Marie Osmond gave her some advice before Hough started her singing career. Osmond told her to ‘love herself first.’
“So I took that and ran with it,” Hough said.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Music - Country
Comments