Well guys, day two of Twin Cities Summer Jam was just a bit hotter than the first day both temperature wise and energy wise. Sadly, due to work, I was unable to make it in time for opener Chris Kroeze but I did make it just in time to catch Ian Munsick kick off his set.
Ian’s set was a very straight up country influenced set that, although a bit too standard for my personal preference, was full of surprises including a flawless and fun cover of Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”. The cover really showcased Ian’s immense vocal talent. Beyond that cover, again, it was a standard country set from Ian but his Wyoming-living cowboy vibe was charming, sincere, and a huge hit with the growing audience.
Following Ian Musnick was Blanco Brown. I had no clue who this guy was before a friend sent a video of his my way this morning and it was love at first watch. Blanco was an absolute stand out due to the fact that his sound was unlike anyone else’s. Blending rap, hip-hop and soul with a classic country vibe, I found myself completely in awe of not only his songwriting power but also his vocal prowess. Joking around that he couldn’t whistle, he opted to go falsetto for certain parts of certain songs and, although for a cheesy reason, I couldn’t help but let my jaw hit the ground as I listened to him. I know Blanco is only the second act of the second day and I still have a full day and a half to go but I’m willing to call it now– Blanco Brown stole the day and this entire festival with his infectious energy and truly fun set today.
Brett Young was a clear favorite of the day. Taking the stage before headliner Carrie Underwood, Brett let his personality shine throughout his pop-infused country set. Congratulations are in order for this amazing man. He just had his second child on Wednesday but still made it to this festival so as to not let his fans down. Still donning his hospital bracelet saying that he was going straight back to the hospital on Friday morning to be with his wife and newborn, Brett’s set had a sensitivity and tenderness to it that could only come from a new father. There was such a sense of beauty in every track and, although the pop edge to his country anthems was not quite my cup of tea, it was impossible to not fall in love with this performer and the way the audience responded to his charm.
Before I move onto the headliner, I’d like to apologize to both Anderson Daniels and The Jake Nelson Band. These two acts performed on the smaller K102 stage across the field but a mixture of catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in forever, exhaustion, and heat left my photographer and I dragging behind a bit and we didn’t make it over to the side stage to grab pictures. I did make my way over there a few times to just take in the sounds and what I heard was amazing. Anderson Daniels is a new name to me but definitely one that I won’t forget and, although I had just recently seen Jake Nelson, catching him again was a great treat.
There was anticipation in the air as the crowd started inching closer and closer to the stage for the headliner of the night, hell, of the festival. Sure, both Lynyrd Skynyrd (who closed out Thursday night) and Zac Brown Band (who will close out Saturday night) are both legendary and great but it seemed to be Carrie Underwood who brought the hype to this festival and, as soon as she took the stage, I understood why.
Although super impressive as far as the lights and performance value goes, I felt Carrie’s set was perfectly understated and it instantly made me a fan. Here was a true superstar who could have any theatrical aspect in her show that she wanted but, instead, she let her powerful voice do the talking and the entire audience was listening. My friends kept telling me that I was going to recognize at least a handful of Carrie’s songs just from hearing them randomly on the radio and whatnot but, the truth is, I didn’t know a single song she performed but there were many I liked. Although a true queen of the country world, Carrie’s rockin’ edge was on full display throughout the set last night and it had me falling for every song she performed. Powerful and beautiful was the name of the game throughout Carrie’s set and it was a perfect way to close out the second day of this wonderful festival.
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I was disappointed in Carrie Underwood at Summer Jam. I felt it was listening to the radio with no show. However, Zac Brown Band was the real thing!!!