Old Dominion Comes to Playstation Theater, So You Go.

And you love every single second of it. 

I don't need to ramble on about how much I love Old Dominion, or how unbelievable their show was, because you've already had your fair share of that (here, here, here, here, here, aaand here - but who's counting?). What I will share with you though, are some of the important highlights from last night's show in New York.

1) Album number two is in the works, and last night they played two new songs that'll be a part of it -- Be With Me and So You Go. These songs fall nothing short of the witty, catchy tunes you're used to hearing from them (yet never tire of). Crossing my fingers that Can't Get You, Still Writing Songs About You, and Brad Tursi's Almost September will also make the cut. Now we just, wait...

2) A lively version of Pink Houses by John Mellencamp was a nice surprise, and also led to a "USA!" chant immediately following (ya gotta love country music, folks). Though I knew Song For Another Time was full of song references, this prompted me to look a little deeper and was I blown away. In case you also want to be in the know, check out the Spotify playlist I made. 

3) We Got It Right. They got it right. And everything was more than alright. I fell in love with this song from the first moment I heard it, and somehow witnessing it live (for the first time) made me love it even more. Thanks for giving me my moment. 

4) Sold Out. What a year these guys have had! As I was looking back to reference just how many times I'd written about Old Dominion, I stumbled across this line (circa May 2015), "Old Dominion is definitely going SOMEWHERE fast." It was true then, and it's still true now. Hats off to you, fellas!

It wouldn't be right to end this piece without applauding the phenomenal opener, Steve Moakler. Though the crowd may have only known Love Drunk, Suitcase and Riser, I don't expect that to be the case next time around. There's more where that came from... here are a few of my personal Moakler faves -- All The Faint Lights; Damn, Do I Think About You; Steel Town.

Why night's like this go by so quickly, I will never understand. But on the bright side, they're touring so. much. Which means plenty of opportunities to fall even harder for this incredible band (if that's possible).

Yeah, we got the looks

We got the lights

We got the days

We got the nights

Even though it ended

We got it right

#NYCountrified

Let Those Summertime Blues Melt Away

With the end of summertime just around the corner (sigh), this is the perfect time for a little pick-me-up. And anyone who tries to tell you that country music doesn't exist in New York City obviously doesn't know what they're talking about. There's so much to look forward to. And the best part? They're all right. here.

September 14: Willie Nelson & Family with Aaron Lewis @ Coney Island Amphitheater
September 23: Cody Jinks, Whitey Morgan @ Gramercy Theatre
September 23: David Nail, Kelsea Ballerini @ Irving Plaza
September 30: Trace Adkins @ The Cutting Room
September 30: Parmalee @ Gramercy Theatre

October 7, 8: Blake Shelton, RaeLynn @ Barclays Center
October 21: Phil Vassar @ City Winery
October 22: Old Dominion, Steve Moakler @ Playstation Theater
October 25: Carrie Underwood, Easton Corbin, The Swon Brothers @ Madison Square Garden

November 4: Brother's Osborne @ Irving Plaza
November 9: Cole Swindell with Jon Langston @ Terminal 5
November 19: Keith Urban, Brett Eldredge, Maren Morris @ Barclays Center

December 1: Kip Moore, Jon Pardi @ Terminal 5
December 2: Kelsea Ballerini @ Irving Plaza
December 3: Kane Brown @ Irving Plaza
December 16: Dan + Shay with Walker Hayes @ Playstation Theater

We know there ain't no cure for the summertime blues, but that's quite a lineup. What shows are you headed to? Share below!

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do
Cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

#NYCountrified

Nights Like This

It probably goes without saying that I have been to more shows than I can count. I have seen some phenomenal artists put on some amazing concerts. I have felt all of the feelings and incurred many (many) days of the post-concert blues, but not one of those shows has ever made me feel the way I do tonight. 

I am inspired. I'm moved. I'm happy. I'm on a high. And I have a fire in me that cannot be put out.

Tonight I got to sit in a bookstore with six of the best songwriters in country music and listen to them play their songs. Walker Hayes, Drake White, Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Shane McAnally. You might recognize a few of those names if you're into the band, Old Dominion (or maybe you just read my countless blog posts about them), but even if you think you're not familiar with the others, you've most definitely heard their words on the radio.

The writer's round at the Housing Works bookstore tonight allowed each artist to sing four songs, but that just skimmed the surface of all the music they've written. These guys are killing it in Nashville and they gave us some of the stories behind their hits. We heard: Back To Free, Song For Another Time, Follow Your Arrow, Sangria, A Guy Walks Into a Bar, and Lela's Stars (and some really, really, really great new ones), just to name a few. Life, love, memories, dreams, broken hearts, feelings, children, lovers, haters. These guys were not just singing songs they've written, they were singing songs they've lived. And that's what makes all six of them so unbelievably special. 

The chemistry in the room was off-the-charts - you could tell how much they all appreciated each other's music. But man, the back-and-forth banter. I've never laughed and also wanted to cry so much in one night. My face still hurts from how much I was smiling (now I guess I know how Brad feels). Ah guys, it would take a much longer post to truly convey how special this night was - I mean I could go on for days about how incredible Drake White's voice is (just wow). I would take a show like this ANY day over a big concert hall or stadium. This is where memories are made. This is where fans and artists alike all get the chills. This is where writers like Matt Ramsey say "That was my favorite time I've ever played that song." Isn't that what it's all about?

Not many people get to attend as many concerts as I do, and for that I already feel so grateful. I am so lucky. I am so fortunate. But mostly, I am so inspired. Thank God for country music, and for the people who are bold enough to chase their dreams and spend their lives writing it. To whomever takes the time to read this - never, ever, ever stop following your dreams. These guys didn't, and I'm not going to either. Nashville, I'm coming for you.

And if that doesn't inspire you, please read Walker Hayes' story. 

Lots of reason just to give it on up

Leave your soul on the shelf collecting dust

Live in a world of broken promises and empty tanks

Aw, but look at us

#NYCountrified

**All of the profits from the evening go to Housing Works and its efforts to fight AIDS and homelessness.

I Like The Sound Of That

I've been frequently asked by coworkers to make a country playlist for them. They're not familiar with the genre and want a taste of what it's like. I love introducing people to my music, but I always have such a hard time keeping the playlist at a reasonable length (I can listen to it for 7 hours and 54 minutes, but can they? Probably not.) This is when I had a revelation. I'm already making and updating playlists daily for myself, why not share them? So, I've added a new page to the site - What I'm Listening To - which features a NYCountrified Curated playlist built from the ground up by yours truly. This set of tracks will be constantly evolving, serving as a taste of what's been playing in my headphones all week and will hopefully keep you going when you've exhausted that New Boots.

Disclaimer: this playlist contains mostly new music so if you're looking for the classics, this is not for you (thought I’d be happy to help you out with that). Be sure to click "follow" so you can keep up with all of the freshest tunes!

What are you listening to?

Is it headphones on a downtown train?

Or a window seat on an outbound plane?

Is it LA sunny and Memphis blue?

I wish I knew I wish I knew

#NYCountrified

Yeah, It's A New York Summer

Right now I'm sitting on a plane to San Francisco (yay Outside Lands!) - it's cold, a baby is crying, the guy behind me keeps kicking my chair and I've still got about 4 hours left. There's nothing I want more than to be back at Madison Square Park, dancing, singing and vibin' with Jake Owen.

Blankets, beer, and bodies filled the lawn at Madison Square Park last night, making New York feel just a little bit more like home. There were die hard Jake Owen fans (like the father son duo I met that had flown all the way from Florida just to attend). There were country music aficionados. And other people were there just hoping to have a good time. It was a beautiful night, and the palm trees, flamingos and sunglasses that covered the stage made it feel exactly like summertime should. 

Because the concert was free and in a very public setting, many people had just stopped by to see what all of the hype was about, asking "Do you know what band this is?" One man even had the nerve to tell me I don't know what country music is. I politely avoided that argument. Why is everyone always trying to put country music in a box? But I digress, and that's a post for a different day. No worries Jake, if they ain't gonna love you then I sure will.

Other than a wonky sound system (which you could tell JO was struggling with), the concert was pretty great. There was a nice mix of both old and new songs, but my personal favorites were Alone With You, The One That Got Away, Beachin' and Anywhere With You. His recently released American Love album has a beach-funk feel to it, and is beautifully named (because we could all use a little more love). One of the tracks, LAX is about an LA-X that apparently broke his heart (come on, who in their right mind would break up with that guy?) and it's all kinds of feelings. Covers by Drake, Beyoncé, and Joe Cocker made the outsiders not feel so outside, and a U-S-A chant made the country fans feel right where they belonged (is it really a country concert without that inevitable cameo?). 

Jake Owen's even more handsome and kind than I imagined, and I'd highly recommend attending a show of his if you haven't yet. Shout out to the Madison Square Park Conservancy and Sony Music, because even though I think they've got some logistics to work out, this event was pretty cool. And who doesn't love a free concert?

Good times

Good vibes

And a damn good memory

#NYCountrified

Jake Owen, & Other Things You Notice When You're Paying Attention

When I woke up today I had one goal in mind -- to be fully present. I listened to a guided meditation specifically dedicated to the topic and even posted an inspirational photo on Instagram. Why? I realized that we (myself included) spend so much time burying our heads in our phones or thinking about tomorrow, or our next meal, or an upcoming vacation - that we sometimes forget to truly live in the moment. Moments like walking to and from the subway - as mundane as they sound - are actually times when some of the most amazing things happen. And today I wanted to open myself up to those experiences. 

Here's what happened...

While taking a walk through Madison Square Park to get some lunch, I decided this was one of those moments where I needed to be fully present. So, I was. I paid attention to the people, the cars, and all of the other sights, sounds and feelings around me. What I noticed was: angry car horns, silly phone conversations, master plans and ideas, a couple breaking up, a kid about to lose his ice cream cone while hopping in a cab, a man singing for money, ambulance sirens, how amazing flowers in the park smell, and... Jake Owen. Yes, you read that right. Okay so maybe it wasn't JO in the flesh, but it was a sign (literally & figuratively) advertising a free performance by Jake Owen for tomorrow night. I quickly envisioned my calendar realizing I was free - I couldn't believe it.  Had it been a normal day, I may have never even noticed that sign. I guess that was some good timing. 

The lesson? Good things happen when you're willing and able to see them. Maybe it's Jake Owen, or maybe it's just feeling more in tune with the universe and all it's happenings. Let this be a reminder to all of us to be fully present, wherever you are, whatever you're doing.

Oh, and I didn't bring my phone so here's a photo I took the next morning when I went back. ;)

No, I don’t think it’s coincidence

Running into you here like this

Sparks flying, see you smiling

Baby ain’t it crazy? We got… good timing

#NYCountrified

Bonnaroo: A Weekend of Discovery

When asked what Bonnaroo is all about, Grace Potter will tell you that it's "discovering." And a quick internet search will tell you that to discover is to find (something or someone) unexpectedly or in the course of a search. While I may not have been in search, I found many somethings and someones this weekend at Bonnaroo. Grace, you are right... Bonnaroo is in fact an entire weekend of discovering, and that word took on a whole new meaning for me.

At my first Bonnaroo, I met new friends, tried new things, fell in love, let loose, got hardly any sleep, danced in the middle of a field at a tiny art car, saw a completely naked man walking alone, used a porta-potty more times than ever before in my life, sweat a lot, found myself a Bonnaboo, ate 3am pizza, learned how to properly recycle and compost, bonded with coworkers, waited out a lightning storm in a trailer, ate amish donuts, let my hair down, got a tan, chilled out hard to Kalliope (EDM say whaaaat), lost track of time, lost my credit card, lost my mind, met Maren Morris, forgot to take pictures, talked to the lead singer of a band and had no idea, got lost, found myself, got really dirty, lost my voice, laughed, cried, sang, danced, drank more Summer Shandy's than I should admit, walked over 40 miles (in flip flops), and felt a lot of feelings (which right now is the Bonnablues).

Musical Paradise

It's pretty amazing that with just a short walk you can hop around from stage to stage and hear some of the best music that exists today. Bonnaroo not only allows you to jam out with your favorites, it also gives you the chance to see artists and bands live that you may not have paid to see before. And when you love them, it's freaking amazing. That's exactly what happened with X Ambassadors. I'd only known one song, Renegades, but wanted to check them out and I'm SO glad I did. I was blown away by their energy and I'm so in love with their music (I haven't been able to stop playing Gorgeous since I left).

Chris Stapleton was even more unbelievable than I could have imagined, so that I almost cried during Fire Away because it was just so. damn. good. Maren Morris is tiny but boy is she mighty. This girl has a unique and powerful voice and I'll admit it's hard not to get a little caught up in your feelings while listening to her sing her heart out (while also being drenched in sweat). 

Then there was Sam Hunt aka my headliner. I danced, I jumped up and down, I lost my breath, I sweat my butt off, and I'm pretty sure I've never been more captivated than I was in that moment. I've seen Sam Hunt a few times but this was the absolute happiest I've ever seen him and his band. They all seemed so psyched to be there, their smiles could light up an entire town. The vibes were so contagious I have chills right now thinking about it. But by far, one of the best feelings in the world is introducing your friends to your favorite artist or music and having them not just like it, but love it. "I get it. I get why you love him so much" they said. FINALLY.  That's the good stuff.

I can think of no better way to conclude my musical experience at Bonnaroo than to get back in touch with my childhood. I was reminded of exactly why I used to love them so much and I wasn't alone - the entire place was filled with energy and excitement. Third Eye Blind, you killed it. Jumper, Never Let You Go, Semi-Charmed Life. Yes please.

X Ambassadors, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris, Sam Hunt, Third Eye Blind, Aubrie Sellers, Chvrches, Halsey, St. Lucia, Ellie Goulding, Miguel, J.Cole, and Haim - ahhh. All of the music. And even though I missed some really great ones (cough, Anderson East, Jason Isbell, Nathaniel Rateliff), at least it will give me an excuse to go back! If you also love my rad lineup, check out my Bonnaroo playlist but beware: there is A LOT of Sam Hunt.

Feeling Feelings

"Radiate Positivity" is one of the main messages at Bonnaroo. Step one foot on The Farm and you will feel just that. You can see it on the faces of every single person you walk by, every vendor, every artist, every fan. Everyone truly does radiate positivity and the kindness factor is off the charts. Bonnaroo is the happiest place in the world.

Something about being in Tennessee and at Bonnaroo also made me feel very zen. From the food, to the people, to the feelings. And even though I've been back in New York for a few days now, I'm not ready to lose that just yet. It was life changing. 

My four days on The Farm led to a discovery of new music, new love for old music, new friends, new joys, new appreciations, but most importantly, a discovery of myself. I discovered what it feels like to truly be free and happy. And I finally understand what all the hype is about. Bonnaroo, I love you and I will never forget this (even if most of my clothes and shoes are Bonna-ruined).

Videos & photos on Insta: @itsmesummerr & @nycountrified.

We are young, we are free
Like renegades, like James Dean
Beat the drum, sing off-key
You set me free, you set me free

#NYCountrified