Livenation kicked of the summer concert season with a huge show in NYC on National Concert Day, May 5th and that got us super excited about all of the huge tours we’re going to! This week, we’re bringing you our five summer tours we’re the MOST excited about.
1. “The Main Event Tour” ft. NKOTB, TLC, & Nelly
This tour deserves the name “The Main Event” with three huge acts on one stage, one night, the night of a lifetime! Yahoo!Screen is also streaming the show next Thursday, May 14th at 10pm EST for 24 hours only – if you can resist tuning in, we salute you.
2. “The Wheels Up Tour” ft. Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, & Sam Hunt
If you are a regular reader you know we’ll go pretty much anywhere to see Hunter or Sam. We were so excited when this tour was announced we literally screamed in a French restaurant. Tickets for this tour went on sale in waves which drove us nuts waiting for the email with our dates in it but once it arrived, it was wheels up, baby! If you can score tickets to this tour, you’ll be treated to some extra special in flight entertainment all night long. After all, we don’t have to go home we can leave the night on.
3. “Rock This Country! Tour” ft. Shania Twain
Shania announced a brand new tour on the heels of her Las Vegas residency coming to a close but she made sure we knew this was her last tour – EVER! Put on your cowboy boots and get ready to rock this country with Shania!
4. “Dazed & Confused Tour” ft. Jake Miller
When our bae Jake Miller just released his brand new single “Dazed & Confused” and he announced a tour with the same name, we knew we had to be there to see those arms in person – and hear his angelic voice obviously!
5. The Vamps USA Tour It’s been entirely too long since The Vamps last US invasion and we can’t wait for their first headlining tour here this Summer! They’re bringing Before You Exit along for what’s sure to be a memorable evening. We have high hopes that you’ll be lovestruck and will shout about it for weeks to come.
Sam Hunt has some great advice for going out. “It’s still early out in Cali baby don’t you wanna rally again?” and “It’s Saturday night and the city never sleeps baby why should we?” But what about those nights when you just want to stay in? Sam’s got you covered. “If you’re gonna be a homebody, we’re gonna have a house party.” After all, it don’t take but two to have a little soiree.
Sam just announced the next single off his debut album “Montevallo” will be “House Party!” Watch the video below for a little inspiration for your next soiree.
Pickup a copy of “Montevallo” on iTunes or Amazon now!
Even if you haven’t heard of rising country band Old Dominion, chances are you’ve heard a track or two that one of the members have written. Does “Say You Do?” ring a bell? Or “Ex To See?” Old Dominion is Matthew Ramsey (Lead Vocals, Guitar); Brad Tursi (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Trever Rosen (Guitar, Keys, Vocals); Geoff Sprung (Bass, Vocals); and Whit Sellers (Drums). They’ve written for Dierks Bentley, Tyler Farr, Sam Hunt, The Band Perry, Dustin Lynch … and that’s just to name a few. Their own single, “Break Up With Him,” has been slowly climbing the charts and dominating Sirius XM’s “The Highway” countdown.
“The Highway” hosted two back to back sold out shows with Old Dominion at Joe’s Pub last night. We’re glad we got to experience the band live before they move onto bigger venues – like oh, Met Life Stadium in NJ? They’ll be playing there in August, opening up for Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney on their Summer tour.
We’ve heard people ask what’s happened to rock music? Well if you’re looking for it, country music is a good place to start. Old Dominion is a country act, but they sure know how to rock. Their set included a mix of material they have written for other artists, and tracks off of their EP, released earlier this month. The band is incredibly energetic and fun to watch live, interacting with audience members and each other. It’s nice to see a full country band as well, with each member bringing something different to the table.
Pickup a copy of the Old Dominion EP on iTunes or Amazon now! Head over to OldDominionBand.com to check out their upcoming tour dates. If they’re playing in a small venue near you, we highly suggest checking them out while you have a chance! Watch them perform “Break Up With Him” below.
The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards air this Sunday, April 19th, on CBS! We’re especially excited about this year’s group of Best New Artist nominees, along with some more familiar faces. Don’t forget you can vote for Best New Artist and Entertainer of the Year at VoteACM.com up until the start of the show! Here are our favorite tracks from some of this year’s ACM Award Nominees.
1. Thomas Rhett – “Front Porch Junkies” Nominated for Best New Artist
We fell for Thomas’ funky country style, and after seeing him live he is one of our favorite performers, ever. We love all the Best New Artist nominees (really, you can’t go wrong), but we can’t help but root for the Home Team.
2. Dan + Shay – “What You Do To Me” Nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year
This is one of our favorite songs of all time, of any genre, and quickly made its way to the top of our most played tracks. We can’t wait to see Dan + Shay + Nick (Jonas) perform at this year’s show!
3. Cole Swindell – “Let Me See Ya Girl” Nominated for Best New Artist
Cole has written hit after hit for artists like Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georiga Line, and more. His debut album has had 3 #1 singles and counting. It’s one of those albums where every song is your jam.
4. Sam Hunt – “Breakup In A Small Town” Nominated for Best New Artist
We. Are. Obsessed. With. This. Song. The perfect representation of Sam’s R&B / country mashup. Sam has been dominating the charts lately since “Montevallo” was released late last year, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled off a win.
5. Kacey Musgraves – “Biscuits” Nominated for Song of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year
Kacy’s throwback music and sartorial style (she and her band are always on point) is a refreshing change. We can’t wait for Kacey’s upcoming album!
Sam Hunt is set to headline the inaugural Country Night Lights Festival this September in Athens, Ohio. The breakout country star has been blowing up the country charts, and he’s even started to crossover to pop radio with his latest hit, “Take Your Time.”
Check out the flyer for the Country Night Lights Festival below!
Tickets for the festival are only $25 and go on sale Friday, April 24th.
Country Night Lights Festival Ft. Sam Hunt
Saturday, September, 26th, 2015
The Venue of Athens
Athens, OH Buy Tickets
Sam is nominated for an ACM Award for Best New Artist, so be sure to vote and tune in this Sunday, April 19th!
Sam Hunt is certainly not one to follow the beaten path when it comes to his music, and his new video for “Take Your Time” is no exception. While we were expecting a video that mirrored the songs’ lyrics (i.e. Sam goes into a bar, meets a girl, sings to her, every girls’ dream, etc), Sam took an unexpected route with a video that takes on domestic violence. Watch the video, directed by Tim Mattia, below.
“Take Your Time” is Sam’s 2nd single off his debut album, “Montevallo,” and his 2nd straight go to to #1. Pickup a copy ofthe album on iTunes now! Sam will be joining Hunter Hayes and Lady Antebellum on the Wheels Up Tour all Summer long, after wrapping up his first headlining tour in April. Check out all of his upcoming tour dates here!
Country singer Michael Ray just premiered his first single, “Kiss You In The Morning.” Michael scored an opening slot for Sam Hunt’s sold out Lipstick Graffiti Tour, and he’s definitely working his way into our hearts and our playlist! Listen to “Kiss You In The Morning” below.
Grab a copy of Michael Ray’s new song on iTunes and Amazon now.
Catch Michael on tour with Sam Hunt this March! Check out the dates below.
Lipstick Graffiti Tour Dates
March 20th – The Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE – SOLD OUT
March 21st – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO – SOLD OUT
March 29th – Iowa State University – Ames, IA – SOLD OUT
April 2nd – Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville, AK – SOLD OUT
April 3rd – The Blue Note – Columbia, MO – SOLD OUT
April 4th – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI – SOLD OUT
Sam Hunt brought his first headlining tour, The Lipstick Graffiti Tour, to NYC last night. The show, which took place at Irving Plaza, sold out within minutes of going on sale. And who said New Yorkers don’t like country? It’s been a whirlwind 8 months for Sam since he signed with MCA Nashville and released “Leave The Night On” last summer. He gathered support by working as a songwriter in Nashville, writing tracks for Keith Urban, Billy Currington and more, before releasing his “Behind The Pines” mixtape for free online last year.
His set included tracks from that mixtape and his debut album, “Montvallo,” as well as the songs he penned for other artists. Do “Cop Car” or “We Are Tonight” ring any bells? We love going to country shows because they are usually one big singalong – the audience knows every word, and last night was no exception! You could see how much it meant to Sam to have so many people singing along to the songs he wrote – he seemed genuinely touched. It’s one thing to be a good songwriter, but Sam is also a talented performer. You can tell how passionate he is about music, and how much he loves being on stage. It’s just not a good concert unless you get chills at some point, and despite the hot venue we had chills over and over again. Throughout the set he interacted with the crowd, even coming down to the floor to have a “House Party” with the lucky fans in the front row! And we’re pretty sure the girls he sang “Take Your Time” to are still recovering from their fangirl coma.
There is a lot of talk about what country music is now, and if Sam should even be considered a country artist. But fans aren’t so concerned with what genre an artist is – they just want good music! And he introduces new fans to the country genre, is this such a bad thing? We’ve all grown up listening to a variety of artists, Sam included, and you can hear the range of influences in his music. Between each song he played, he sampled tracks from everyone from R Kelly to Jay Z to Miley Cyrus, yet this all worked together. An acoustic medley of 90s songs was also a highlight of his set. The band led a singalong of hits by Reba, Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child and Deana Carter.
Opening act Native Run got the crowed pumped up with an energetic set, including a cover of TLC’s “Waterfalls.” We were majorly impressed by Rachel Beauregard totally crushing Lisa’s rap. TLC, if you need some help on the Main Event Tour this summer, give Rachel a call! If you’re heading to a Lipstick Graffiti Tour stop, make sure you get there early to check them out.
Lipstick Graffiti Tour Setlist
Intro: Speakers/Breakup In A Small Town
Ex To See
Leave The Night On
Raised On It
Saturday Night
Cop Car
Single For The Summer
Take Your Time
We Are Tonight
Acoustic 90s Medley
Speakers
House Party
Make You Miss Me
Breakup In A Small Town
The Lipstick Graffiti Tour continues through April (and is mostly sold out), but you can catch Sam alongside Hunter Hayes and Lady Antebellum on the Wheels Up Tour this summer. Can you say dream tour lineup? If you have a chance to see Sam on tour, GO! He’ll be headlining much bigger venues, very soon.
Country music is everywhere these days: from Nashville to NYC, and every US city in between. It’s even making it’s way to Europe, with more and more artists heading overseas for shows. Sam Hunt is the latest to announce a gig in the UK. His first UK show will be at the Borderline in London on March 9th!
The show is part of Sam’s first headlining tour, the Lipstick Graffiti Tour, which kicks off later this month in Los Angeles. (Nearly every date sold out within minutes of going on sale). Tickets for the London show go on sale January 20th at 9am local time. Get ’em while you can!
Sam Hunt
Borderline – London, U.K.
March 9th at Buy Tickets
Watch Sam performing his latest single “Take Your Time” in NYC last Fall.
Taylor Swift wrote an outstanding piece in the Wall Street Journal over the summer about the future of music, where she wrote that “people are only buying [albums] that hit them like an arrow through the heart or have made them feel strong or allowed them to feel like they really aren’t alone in feeling so alone.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Here are the albums in 2014 that hit us like an arrow through the heart.
1. Dan + Shay – “Where It All Began”
It’s rare and special to find an album where you listen to each and every song, and can sing along to from start to finish. This album was by far our most played of the year, and the soundtrack to our 2014. We’ll be able to look back at this year as “where it all began” for Dan + Shay, who have a very, very bright future ahead of them. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the talented duo, starting with their 2nd major headlining tour in 2015.
2. Sam Hunt – “Montevallo”
We were lucky to have downloaded a copy of the “Behind The Pines” mixtape before Sam exploded over the summer with the release of his hit single “Leave The Night On.” He released his full length debut, “Montevallo,” in October, opening at the top of the country charts, and third overall. Sam’s unique style makes us excited about music. His blend of a 90s R&B sound with country storytelling blends perfectly with Sam’s southern drawl, deep voice, and spoken lyrics. He’ll be selling out arenas one day.
3. Hunter Hayes – “Storyline”
A sophomore album is always tricky, especially when your debut was nominated for a Grammy and countless other awards. But Hunter managed to knock it out of the park. The album is a more collaborative effort than his first, on which he played every single instrument. Hunter’s music grabs you from the first listen. We love how Hunter brings this album to life on tour, with unique arrangements for each song. He’s the rare musician who makes his live show a full experience that stays with you long after the show.
4. The Strypes – “Snapshot”
“Snapshot” is another debut album that immediately got our attention and made us wonder where The Strypes had been all our lives. Evidently they’d been honing their skills at pubs across their native Ireland, where they learned to play loud, fast aggressive, and just damn good old fashioned rhythm and blues. And they’re all still in their teens. There are no filler songs on the album – it’s solid from start to finish. If you ever have the opportunity to see The Strypes live, don’t miss it. Seeing the album come to life on stage was one of our favorite moments of the year.
5. Austin Mahone – “Secret”
Technically this is an EP, but at 8 tracks, it’s *almost* an album. We fell for Austin’s sound with tracks like “What About Love” and “Banga Banga,” but this EP, with it’s 90s pop influences, cemented Austin’s status as the one man boyband. We’re obsessed with the Britney and *NSYNC-esque slow breakdown in the title track, “Secret,” and couldn’t stop listening to “Next To You” on repeat for days. Austin’s working on his much awaited full length debut with the legendary Max Martin (who wrote basically every great 90s pop song you can think of), and we can’t wait for more!
6. Jesse McCartney – “In Technicolor”
Possibly the most underrated album on this list. His newest single, “Punch Drunk Recreation,” is a pop masterpiece. Armed with a Justin Timberlake sound, and retro look, JMAC outdid himself with this album. “In Technicolor” is one of those albums that will always be in style.
7. Nick & Knight – “Nick & Knight”
We admit that we’ll probably love anything that involves our favorite boybands – especially when two of our favorite members team up. But Nick Carter and Jordan Knight’s album is a fun R&B/pop album worth checking out.
8. 5SOS – “5SOS”
It’s a safe bet that 5SOS are going to be extremely monumental in bringing pop punk back to a radio station near you! We’ve had the band’s debut album on heavy rotation, and we don’t think we’ll stop playing it any time soon. Also, can people please stop referring to them as a “boyband?” These guys have the heart, drive, and sound to be restore Warped Tour to the glory days of 2006.
9. The Vamps – “Meet The Vamps” While we had to wait for this album to be officially released in the United States, it was worth the wait! The Vamps have an acoustic pop sound that makes you want to dance around your living room singing at the top of your lungs.
10. Walk The Moon – “Talking Is Hard”
With it’s December release, Walk The Moon’s sophomore album “Talking Is Hard” barely made our list. The Ohio band celebrated by live tweeting with fans the first listen of the album, divulging secrets like “there’s a mess up in this part of the song” to “the weird lyrics are from this member!” Walk The Moon are taking the album on a full headlining tour in the spring. It’s not too late to hop on the dance jam bandwagon.
secretfangirls 