Opening Act: John and Jacob
February 27, 2015
Tennessee Theater
Knoxville, Tennessee
Photo by Randy Patterson |
Boomerocity loves country music. In fact, for three years in a row, we’ve been asked to participate in Nashville Scene’s annual country music critic’s survey. Boomerocity asked you, the reader, to give us YOUR feedback.
During the last survey, Boomerocity readers served up Kacey Musgraves as a top, strong favorite. So, it was a distinct thrill to be able to attend and cover for you, the Boomerocity reader, Kacey’s first appearance in Knoxville since her appearance with Little Big Town two years ago.
The edgy opening act, John and Jacob, got the sold out crowd amped up for the main attraction. And what an attraction she was!
As strains of the theme from “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly” played, the band came out on a stage full of neon cacti, in jackets lit up with tiny lights as the crowd rose to their feet and began to scream. Once in position, Kacey launched in with the soft and subtle, “Silver Lining,” with the crowd on their feet and hanging on every word – and often signing right along.
Musgraves gave up her guitar to please the audience with “Blowin’ Smoke,” “I Miss You,” and “High Time,” before performing covers of Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again,” and, eventually, Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart,” TLC’s “No Scrubs,” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” Of course, Kacey served up the rest of her tunes from her hit album, “Same Trailer, Different Park,” much to everybody’s delight.
At one point during the show, she called a couple of women out of the audience who also had lights on their shirts (cacti). Musgraves mentioned that she had to spend a fortune on her band’s jackets and asked the women how much it cost to make their shirts, When they indicated that it was a mere five bucks, Kacey exclaimed, “Holy s***!”
Musgraves and the band left Knoxville pleasantly and exuberantly exhausted by the end of the show. Clearly, this is a talent that Knoxville and the rest of the country hope to hear more from for many more years to come.