Had you asked me at any point in my life if I would ever have the opportunity to meet my country music hero, Brad Paisley, I would have probably looked at you like you were crazy and laughed it off. I mean how likely would it really be to meet my favorite musician of all time? Well, for those of you who read my blog on a regular basis or listen to my random outbursts of entertainment news in mid-conversation: you know that I had quite an exciting time on the week of March 6th, 2010. I attended the American Saturday Night tour in Charleston, South Carolina to see Brad Paisley.
The show was awesome! That is a given for anyone that has ever been to one of Brad’s shows. I decided to record the last song, Alcohol, because I wanted to have the video to keep and watch in the future. That is the exact moment when the show took an unexpected turn. As Paisley was reaching the top of the ramp, he turned to descend and lost his footing. He took a nasty spill in front of everyone. I was absolutely shocked by the fall. My friend that was sitting by me during the show could see it all over my face. Brad was such a good sport and got right back up. He thanked the audience, told them all “God Bless You” and exited the stage. Fortunately, this was the last song of the night. Brad went to the hospital to get checked.
I talked to my brother and sister-in-law and told them that there was no way that I was posting the video. I was actually upset because I thought that other people might post it. I would never want to post anything that would purposely embarrass Brad. At this point, things got really interesting. Brad, being the great sport that he is, posted on Twitter: “Alright, whoever posts the Youtube footage of it gets a meet and greet. I have got to see it. I hit hard. And I mean freaking hard.”
He had actually asked for the video and the rest is history! If you want to read more about the actual process and how I was contacted, etc., you can read my original blog post HERE.
I finally reached the weekend that I had looked forward to since March 6th. I went to Raleigh, NC this Saturday and had the best time that I have ever had at a music event. This particular tour was the H2O tour. Brad went above and beyond for this tour. It was an entire event that far surpassed just being a concert. It went beyond the stage and became a full experience. There was a huge waterslide, a boat simulator and racing simulators. Steel Magnolia, Easton Corbin and Josh Thompson performed on a stage near the ampitheatre starting around 4:00.
The show in Raleigh was at the Time Warner Cable Pavilion. The ampitheatre holds around 7,000 people and it seemed to be packed. The two acts touring with Brad were Justin Moore and Darius Rucker. I was given three tickets and three meet and greet passes. What a special gift that was! The seats were incredible! I have never been that close to the stage at one of Brad’s shows. I saw him in 2006, 2007 and March of this year. My fourth show was epic! My brother and his wife, Jason and Keitha, went with me to the show.
Justin Moore opened the show. I really do not know a lot about his music but I was familiar with a few songs that I heard on the American Saturday Night tour when he was with Brad Paisley earlier this year. He seems to have increased his stage presence since then. Darius Rucker took the stage next. It was really cool to see Darius because he is originally from the state of South Carolina. He performed some of his new songs from his country album and he played some of his classic Hootie and the Blowfish songs. I am very pleased to see that he is being supported so well in country music.
After Darius performed, it was time for Brad Paisley. He sang a variety of his songs from his different albums. Some of the set list included: Whiskey Lullaby, Online, Celebrity, Wrapped Around, Then, Time Warp, Letter To Me, I’m Still A Guy, She’s Everything, American Saturday Night, Waiting On A Woman, Welcome to the Future, Alcohol and Water. He even threw in a little clip of Single Ladies.
It was so cool to see Brad perform while being close to the stage. His guitar skills are mind-blowing. I was very happy that my brother was able to be there with me so he could see Brad’s skill. He already knew how talented Brad was but I think we all could develop even more respect after seeing it up close and personal. Brad is definitely one of the best live performers that I have ever seen. Vocally and musically, he hits it out of the park every time.
When the show ended, it was time to find the area where I would meet Brad. When we walked up I met his tour manager, Brent. Brent was extremely welcoming. We got in line to meet Brad. I was standing at the corner of where they were taking photos and I made sure that I got my stuff ready that I brought to give him. One of the items was a local newspaper with the story of what happened back in March. The other item was a DVD that I had made with the fall video and all of the interviews (radio and television) that I had been a part of after his concert in March. Brent allowed me to turn the corner to meet him first and then brought my brother and his wife behind me.
Brent said “Brad, this is the guy that caught the video of you falling.” Brad’s eyes got wide and he immediately started smiling. He told me that it was so cool that I caught that and gave me a handshake. I gave him the gifts that I had brought for him. He said, “Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m sure we can make good use of this video one day.”
He told me that he really appreciated the way that I handled the situation and that I did not post the video without thinking about if he would want it posted. I met some more of his staff while I was back there. They were all so friendly!
My brother asked him how much he practices playing guitar because my brother plays guitar as well. He said that he does not practice too much anymore. However, if you really think about it, he practices every single night because he plays an awesome show somewhere in the world! He told my brother, “I hope you get to where you want to be.” A comment like that means so much coming from someone who has made this journey to success.
We talked a little more about how the video posting came about and how I was contacted. I told him that it was really cool of his wife to send me a message on Twitter to confirm that they had seen the video. He told us about how bruised he was after the fall.
We took a group picture in the middle of talking back and forth. I do want to kick myself though, because in the middle of my talking and being so excited to meet Brad, I forgot to ask for a picture of just the two of us. What was I thinking? Maybe next time! *Crosses Fingers*
Brad told me, “I was really hoping that you would make it out to one of these shows.” I told him, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!”
I’m sure that we probably talked about some other things but to be completely honest, my mind was running in a thousand directions. There was so much I wanted to say and I cannot remember how many of those things I actually did say.
I told him that I know he does not usually sign at Meet and Greets but I had a favor to ask. He started nodding his head before I even finished the statement. I said, “I brought the camera that I used to video the fall. Would you sign it?” He smiled really big and said “Absolutely!” He joked around, referring to my camera, and said “It’s probably out-of-date now, huh?” Sadly, since the concert was in March, that’s probably the truth. But it does not matter because it will now be retired and put in a showcase for all to see! I would not dare risk smudging his autograph.
The fact that he took time to sign my camera was so awesome! My camera now reads on the front: “Great Shot! -Brad Paisley” How cool is that?
We thanked him for a wonderful night and then made our exit. They gave us a signed 8×10 as we left.
My months of waiting for this experience had finally arrived and I had a blast the entire time! I finally met my favorite country musician. I still cannot believe it!
I hope to have the opportunity to meet him again in the future. After all, I was told on the phone in March: “You are always welcome!” I am not exactly sure what that means but it gives me reason to always be optimistic! However, if I never get the chance again, I can truly say that I will never forget my experience at the H20 tour in Raleigh, NC. I finally met Brad Paisley and it is all because I was blessed enough to “catch a falling star.”
I had the awesome opportunity to meet David Archuleta again this weekend in Greenville, SC. This was my third time meeting him since American Idol. The first was on the American Idol Summer Tour and the second time was last summer. David performed at the Zoo-A-Palooza on August 21st. The event was held to raise money for an Animal Clinic at that zoo location. (Once again… David is always willing to help a great cause!)
Photo Courtesy of B93.7
I met David before the show started. B93.7 based out of Greenville, SC hosted the event. It was really cool to get to talk to him again although it was really quick. The line was kind of long so we rushed through so he could have time for the show. I was still able to talk to him briefly which was great! I told him about my favorite chapter of his book, Chords of Strength. For those of you that have not read his book, I definitely recommend it. Chords of Strength is great for anyone who loves music and wants to think about the affect that music can have on those that come into contact with it daily! I gave him a letter that I had written. He was extremely friendly as usual! He told me thank you and we took a picture before I left. He gave the familiar Archie thumbs up!
After the Meet and Greet, we went back to the stage area and watched the opening act perform. The group is Runner Runner. I had never heard their music before but I really liked it. They are very talented guys. I will definitely check into more of their stuff.
After Runner Runner completed their set, it was time for David to take the stage. He opened the show by telling us all that he had been “hanging out with the primates backstage” in the zoo.
Photo Courtesy of B93.7
The first song that he performed was his newest single Something ‘Bout Love. This was his first live performance of the song. Everyone really got into the song and we were all really excited to hear it for the first time live.
The next song on his list was a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy. This was the second time that I have heard David sing this song in person and he never disappoints. He adds so much to that song and makes it very unique. He accompanied himself on the keyboard.
David introduced a new song called Elevator that he co-wrote with Mike Krompass. It was definitely a fun tune with a catchy melody. This was the first time that he had performed this song anywhere. Was that an awesome opportunity for us as fans or what? He talked about his new release that is coming out on October 5th called The Other Side of Down. He said that he had been having a blast in the studio but that he really missed performing for everyone. This was one of his chances to do just that!
David ended his set with his classic first single… Crush. The crowd was excited when he started performing this song. I cannot believe that so much time has passed since we first heard Crush on the radio. Wow… time flies!
The Zoo-A-Palooza event had over 3,000 people in attendance. I was so proud to see everyone gather in South Carolina to give David a nice, warm welcome! (This was only the second time that he had ever been to South Carolina. He came last summer when he was on tour with Demi Lovato.)
We all felt honored to be the first audience for the live, acoustic version of Something ‘Bout Love and the premiere of Elevator!
I will be looking for a tour schedule later this year and if there is a show in or near South Carolina… you better believe I’ll be there!
If you are interested in pre-ordering David’s newest release, The Other Side of Down, click the graphic below.
Don’t forget that you can leave comments below. I love to hear what all of you have to say!
David Archuleta debuted two new songs at a recent show in Rexburg, Idaho. Listen to them here and let me know what you think! It is unknown whether or not either of these will be on his next album. I really like Parachutes and Airplanes. It’s very catchy and I love the falsetto notes.
For those of you who know me well… you know that when it comes to music there is not a single female singer that I put above Carrie Underwood. As a matter of fact, there is not a single female singer that I would put close to Carrie Underwood’s talent. Therefore, I was absolutely over-the-moon because I was able to attend Carrie’s Play On Tour this past Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina at the Colonial Life Arena! It was a birthday gift from my parents that I will never forget! (Yes, my birthday is in January. They planned ahead! Ha Ha)
Carrie brought Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia along for the ride. Both opening acts did a great job. I was familiar with Craig Morgan so I knew several of his songs. Sons of Sylvia, on the other hand, were completely new to me. The only thing I knew about them was that they were featured on Carrie Underwood’s song, What Can I Say. I have to admit that they were very entertaining and I was sure to download their music when I got home from the concert. If you have never heard their music, check it out HERE.
Carrie Underwood went far beyond anything that I have ever seen for a concert. Of course, her recent Entertainer of the Year award proves it. From the song set… to the lighting… to the staging… to the costume changes… she put on one amazing show!
Carrie Underwood opened her set with the always catchy, Cowboy Casanova! She rose from the center of the stage sitting on what looked like a red vintage couch. The crowd screamed with excitement as she performed her recent hit.
Video posted by Robert Olechnowski.
Next she tackled Quitter from her Play On album. As she performed, the screen in the background acted as a slot machine matching up pictures of hearts, couples and picket fences.
For the performance of Just A Dream, Carrie entered wearing a “Cinderella” dress and sat on a swing that descended from the sky attached to a large tree branch. The props, once again proved that she wanted this to be an experience for everyone watching!
Carrie explained that she grew up listening to Martina McBride. She said that when she became a country singer she wanted to honor her faith the way that Martina has been able to do. That is why she could not pass up Jesus, Take the Wheel when it was offered to her. She performed that song next and the crowd sang along. She went straight into How Great Thou Art. I had chills! It was amazing. Hearing her sing that song live is such a wonderful experience!
One of my favorite performances of the night was Change. Carrie stood in the middle of the stage, with a single spotlight, wearing a fluffy dress that seemed ordinary… until sparkles started flashing all over it. Her dress was in fact a screen that showed swirls, sparkles and flashes of light throughout the entire song. I had never seen this attempted before and it only enhanced a performance that was sure to be moving!
Watch it below starting at 1:30! Thanks to Robert Olechnowski for posting the video.
Carrie introduced her hit Temporary Home by talking about the writing process. She said that most days, she meets with her writers and they decide on the spot what they want to write about. She said it was different for Temporary Home. She went in that day with an exact story that she wanted to tell and this is the story that she was able to share with all of us! She performed the song with so much emotion. It was incredible!
One of the coolest ideas, in my opinion, was when Carrie stood on the back of an old truck and rode around the entire arena descended in the air. She started by singing Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. This allowed her to be “close” to everyone at the show for at least a few minutes. Everyone was able to feel like they stood right in front of her at one point or another. She finished her ride around the arena singing This Time, from her latest album.
While I am a huge fan of Carrie, I learned something new at the show that I did not know about the All-American Girl. She plays guitar and piano. I knew about the guitar but I had never seen her play before. I had no clue that she played the piano. She played the guitar twice during the show. One time was to sing Some Hearts, the title song from her 1st album. She played the piano for Mama’s Song.
Carrie brought a piece of the Opry to Columbia when she performed Told You So. She did a duet with a life-sized Randy Travis on the screen behind her.
Some other songs that Carrie sang during the show were What Can I Say, Last Name, Before He Cheats, Someday When I Stop Loving You, I Know You Won’t and So Small.
Video provided bymandielee24.
I love the way Carrie closed the show by singing Songs Like This. It is a comical song and she made it even better by adding two well-known songs in the mix. While performing Songs Like This, Carrie belted a few lines from White Liar by Miranda Lambert and then went into Single Ladies by Beyonce! She had such a great time with it, dancing and laughing… and the crowd went wild.
The show ended with a bang… literally…. confetti and streamers shot all over the arena as Carrie descended into the stage one last time!
I could write on and on about this show! I’ll never forget it. I loved it from beginning to end. The Play On tour proved why Carrie Underwood was worthy of the coveted Entertainer of the Year award. I cannot wait to see her live again! I’ll be watching for her next tour and I’ll be sure to have my tickets as soon as they are available. If you can catch her on one of the next stops on the tour, you will not be disappointed! Go check it out!
If you went to one of the shows, I would love to hear about your experience! What did you think?
Truman stopped by the Lazy Lounge in Palmetto Village tonight at USCB. The show was awesome! They did a lot of their original music… which I now know by heart because of listening to the album. They also did some covers by artists like Gavin DeGraw, John Legend, Michael Buble and Diamond Rio. It was all great stuff.
These guys have mad skills. Ben Truman is on the guitar and Chad Truman is on the keyboard. Their harmony is outstanding. Some of you might remember that I did a write-up about their last visit to USCB in the Fall of 2009.
This time they were able to share some new songs with us that they will be recording in the studio this summer. Let me tell you guys… the new stuff is going to be incredible! If you haven’t been able to listen to their music yet, check them out HERE.
I cannot wait until they are back in the area. I’ll definitely be at the next show… and YOU should be too!
March 6th, 2010… What an amazing day! I went to see my favorite musician of all time, Brad Paisley. I knew that the show would be amazing because I had already had the opportunity to see him in 2006 and in 2007. Little did I know that the night would be one that I will never forget!
It was the last show of the American Saturday Night Tour and it opened with Justin Moore. He did a great job and was followed by the one lady in country music that makes revenge look simple, Miranda Lambert. They both did a wonderful job with their set.
Then it was time for THE Brad Paisley! His stage was awesome with a huge screen behind him surrounded by other very large screens. Every song had something interactive in the background. I believe Brad is even responsible for a lot of the really cool graphics and designs that are used during the show. He is one talented guy. As far as guitar skills go… he would absolutely blow your mind! He has skills that I’ve never seen anyone match. His vocals were awesome the whole night. Some of his song set included: Wrapped Around, She’s Everything, I’m Gonna Miss Her, Mud On The Tires, The World, Then, American Saturday Night, Online and Ticks.
Brad sang one of my absolute favorites, When I Get Where I’m Going. He sat on the center walkway while pictures of Johnny Cash, Dale Earnhardt , Brittany Murphy, Heath Ledger, and many others flashed on the screen behind him. The performance was very moving for everyone. Brad’s performance of Letter To Me was also great. He paused mid-way to talk about high school. He assured everyone that “high school is not necessarily the best years of your life.” Just look at the dream that he is now able to live out every single day.
The show was unforgettable and I will always have great memories of every performance. Unfortunately, during Brad’s last song, Alcohol, he took a bad spill on stage. He was running around the corner and lost his balance. He was taken to the hospital that night at MUSC. He tweeted from the hospital:
“Tnx4 prayers, after my fall, I was just discharged from the hospital. Just very very bruised. Nothing broken, had a ct scan all is okay!”
And then came the challenge:
His wife joined in the fun and posted:
“Praying for my husband tonight. Hope he didn’t hurt himself too badly. I love that clumsy clown.
Come on, who’s got this gem on video?”
I had the video! I would have never considered posting it anywhere but he asked for it! I mean, he actually requested it. So what did I do….well, most of you know by now.
I added the video and sent a link to Brad and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley. And the rest is history!
Kimberly sent me a tweet the very next morning that said:
I could not believe it. Kimberly Williams-Paisley actually responded to me! Then things just kept getting exciting from there. Little did I know that throughout the day my video was all over the news. Some of the websites that I know of so far are: CNN Entertainment, Fox News, TMZ, Perez Hilton, E! Online, The Huffington Post and GACTV. Wow! My video actually made it on national news.
Later that night my video was used in Charleston on Live 5 News. It aired and they credited me with the video.
I’ve now been contacted by two radio stations. I will be doing a short phone interview in the morning around 7:00 on Kix 96 from Savannah, Georgia.
As of right now at 6:55 PM on March 8th, the video is the #1 Most Watched Today in Music and the #5 Most Watched Today Overall! My channel is the #13 Most Viewed Today.
I got a call from Brad’s team and the Meet and Greet is official. The call was very cool and his staff was incredibly nice. I cannot explain how thrilled I am! His road manager said, “Brad will never forget this.” He also said “Brad will always remember you for catching this moment for him.” That is incredible! I am going to meet Brad in August when he is on his H2O Tour. Raleigh, NC… Here I come!
As exciting as all of this is…nothing excites me more than the opportunity to finally meet my country music hero, Brad Paisley! It just doesn’t get any better than this!
So Brad and Kimberly, if you are reading this, Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You have made a dream come true and I am so thankful! You guys are the best! You did not have to do any of this but you chose to anyway. That means so much to me and I will never forget it! I’ll see you in August, Brad!
The Brad Paisley concert in Charleston, South Carolina was amazing! A full write-up will follow soon! But unfortunately, Brad took a spill at the end during his last song. He immediately joked on Twitter, while at the hospital, about the fall. He tweeted the following:
“Alright, whoever posts the YouTube footage of it gets a meet and greet. I have got to see it. I hit hard. And I mean freaking hard.”
His wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, joined in the laughter and posted:
“Come on, who’s got this gem on video?”
So, they asked and I answered! LOL. I had the video and I would have never posted it if they had not asked. I’ve attached the video below. I was very upset to see Brad fall but I’m very glad to see that he is okay and all is well. I especially love the fact that he has treated this with such a great sense of humor! Brad Paisley is the best and this is just another situation that proves it! And that is why I am a huge fan!
Kimberly Williams-Paisley posted the following this morning:
I just got back from another show on campus at USCB. Tonight we were all introduced to Steve Means. His music has been featured on MTV’s The Real World and Newport Harbor.
I’m listening to his album, Now Or Never, as I write this article. Let me tell you, this guy is awesome. Make sure you check out his music. You can find his albums on iTunes HERE.
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Steve did a few cover songs tonight but it was really cool to hear his original music. While his style is very unique, you can hear a little John Mayer influence from time to time. On his song, Do Something, you will even get a little of a Jason Mraz feel. Do Something was one of my favorites so it will be featured as the Song of the Week. Make sure you listen to You and Me and X-ray Eyes too! The show was great and I will definitely be keeping up with his music and future concerts.
So why are you guys still reading? Go check out his music!
*Free Stuff*
*Update* All downloads have been claimed. Check back often for more giveaways!
I will gift a song of choice from Steve Means’ collection on iTunes to the first five people who ask for a song. Just let me know what song you want and it will be purchased and sent to you. I’ll let you know when they are all gone.
Billboard Live is offering a free concert Thursday, December 17th. David Archuleta will perform songs from his Christmas From The Heart album and he will also perform songs from his first album.
This show will use new technology that allows you to switch camera views during the show depending on what view you would like to watch. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun!
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Make sure you watch the free show at www.billboardlive.com. The concert starts at 8:00 PM EST. Until then, you can check out the promotional information HERE and even sign-up to receive a reminder from the website.
If you use Twitter, please tell others about this free event by adding this tag in your tweets: #DavidArchuletaLive
If you want to read more about the actual process and how I was contacted, etc., you can read my original blog post HERE.
Truman stopped by the Lazy Lounge in Palmetto Village tonight at USCB. The show was awesome! They did a lot of their original music… which I now know by heart because of listening to the album. They also did some covers by artists like Gavin DeGraw, John Legend, Michael Buble and Diamond Rio. It was all great stuff.
Billboard Live is offering a free concert Thursday, December 17th. David Archuleta will perform songs from his Christmas From The Heart album and he will also perform songs from his first album.
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