Spending my Friday night at the Bradley Center with my good friend Annie watching the Admirals game and jamming out to Dierks Bentley is a magnificent way to close out my role as the FM106.1 2011 Concert Correspondent.  What a great combination, we had a wonderful time that night!  When we first arrived we found the FM106.1 wheel so we could get our passes for a meet-n-greet with Dierks Bentley.  Then we grabbed some drinks and found are great seats – like six rows up and close to the stage.  We met the two young girls sitting to our left, Sam & Alex while we enjoyed some of the Admirals game.  Then we headed down to the spot where we lined up to meet Dierks Bentley.  Yes ladies, he is just as adorable in person as he is in pictures.  Annie and I asked Dierks if he would mind being the meat in the middle of our sandwich for a picture, and he gladly squeezed us closer as we all smiled big.  He was very nice and friendly and he happily autographed our meet-n-greet passes.

 
After that awesome opportunity we went back to our seats to finish enjoying the Admirals game.   On our way we stopped to enjoy a bit of Erica Hoyt who happened to be playing a mini concert in the hallway.  We heard her sing Carrie Underwood’s “Undo it” and she did a mighty fine job.  Once the game ended the staff quickly went to work getting the ice and stage ready for the concert.  That’s when Sam & Alex moved a bit closer and snagged some first row seats.  They stayed there about half the concert before they made their way out onto the ice – you go girls!  Because the girls left their seats, some other people had the same idea about getting a bit closer.  We informed them if the girls came back they’d have to leave which is when we met the three fun ladies behind us.  These women were a hoot!  This is about when we met Elizabeth & Lucy, the two young ladies sitting to the right of us.  They were wild and crazy and a lot of fun too!  Annie and I were really lucky to be sitting amongst some loud, rowdy people just like us, which only made the evening that much more fun.

Now let’s get to the good stuff.  Once Dierks Bentley hit the stage it was full force energy until the very end.  This man rocked the stage and the entire audience all night long.  Our fun started with “Tip It On Back”, “Feel That Fire”, and “Am I The Only One”.  We were lucky to hear Dierks Bentley sing a third verse of that song to us which included ‘hockey’ and ‘Milwaukee’.  I just love when songs are customized for the audience.   Dierks shared with us that he plays hockey and has done so for the past ten years.  He felt honored to be performing after an Admirals game.  He also sang “Every Mile A Memory”, “Slow Down”, “A Lot Of Leaving Left To Do”, “Stop Your Leaving” and “Come A Little Closer”.  I must say the crowd was pumped up and on fire!  There was a full house that night and the screams from the people were insane!  It was obvious that we all were having an amazing time, and we could tell that Dierks Bentley noticed.  He had a look of pure joy on his face as he stopped to soak in the audience several times throughout the night.  I also embraced the energy in the room and noticed a lot of happy people around me, including the Mom and her three sons sitting in front of us.   

Next he gave us “Free And Easy Down The Road” and then tossed out a handful of guitar picks.  It was exciting and funny to watch the people diving for the picks.  (I admit that I was one of those people at a previous FM106.1 concert – Sshhhh)  Then Dierks Bentley rocked us with “On The Ridge”, touched our hearts with “Close Your Eyes” and gave us laughs with “What You Done To Me”.  We enjoyed a full night of action and movement.  Dierks had a lot of energy and covered every inch of that stage giving out a lot of handshakes and high-fives during his performance that evening.  We did get a little “Sideways” as Dierks Bentley took us “Home”.  He ended the night with “What Was I Thinking” and one very lucky fan wearing a white tank top was called up on stage to finish the song off with him. 

It was another amazing and memorable evening thanks to FM106.1.  I am so thankful for the fun I had for an entire year.  Each concert was awesome in its own way.  This prize is definitely one of a kind and an opportunity of a life time.  It was a great ride and I’m excited for the person who will be taking my place.  Enjoy it to the fullest, I certainly did.  Thank you.

Jackie Laska
1/30/2012

What an amazing evening!  My Auntie Shirley and I were so lucky to have the chance to experience the Class of 2012 Saturday night at Potawatomi Northern Lights Theater.  This was the first time either of us has been to a concert there and I now know I will be back for more.  This is such a small venue that it really gives a true intimate concert experience.  This concert was like no other.  It was very comfortable and homey.  Not all bells, lights and bass blaring but simple acoustic music.  It was a time to be lucky enough to actually get personal with these artists and hear stories that typically wouldn’t be shared during a concert.  It was a time to be relaxed yet energized and feeling great.  It was a time for memories to be made.

The stage was lined with stools and chairs from one end to the other with microphones in front of each.  Karen, Scott and Radar took the stage to get us ready for the night and introduced us to our first talent of the night – Jana Kramer.  She took the stage along with two other people who played the instruments.  Karen and Scott asked her some questions and Jana spoke openly and freely. This is when we learned a little bit about who Jana Kramer is.  We were told she is battling a cold yet you’d never know it the way she sounded.  She was beautiful. She sang a great song called “What I Love About Your Love”. 

Then Karen and Scott came back out on stage to introduce us to Laura Bell Bundy.  She also had two people with her playing guitars.  Karen and Scott asked her some questions and we received some good feedback and insight of who she is.  She seemed very open and honest about the information she was sharing with us.  She sang us a great song called “If You Want My Love”.

Here come Karen and Scott again to welcome Casey James to the stage.  Casey came out with a guitar that he played along with one other person who sat down in front of a small drum set.  Once again Karen and Scott shared some Casey James information with us and asked him some questions so we could learn even more about him.  He sang “The Good Life” for us.

Now it’s time for Karen and Scott to come back out and introduce us to Kip Moore.  Kip came on stage with two other people, and each of the three of them had guitars.  Karen and Scott gave us a little background on Kip Moore and then Kip filled us with some more knowledge of who he is and where he comes from.  The song we enjoyed from Kip Moore was called “One More Time”.

Next up Karen and Scott called The Lost Trailers out to the stage.  Both guys came on stage with guitars and sat down ready to openly talk with us as if we were all old friends.  We learned how The Lost Trailers almost came to an end but lucky for us that was just an almost.  These guys played great together and sounded awesome as they sang “American Beauty”.

Karen and Scott hit the stage once more to introduce our final act to fill up the remaining stools on stage Edens Edge.  This was a trio with two people playing instruments.  Like the others Edens Edge openly talked with us and gave us some insight on who they all are.  We enjoyed “High Lonesome Sound”.

Well now that the stage is full and all the acts are out we enjoyed a continuous evening of entertainment as we moved along the stage from group to group, three times.  Yes we jammed out to three more songs from each act. There were also times when Casey James jumped in and played guitar with The Lost Trailers and vise-versa. And Laura Bell Bundy was invited to sing along with The Lost Trailers at one point. It was almost like we were watching all these very talented people hanging out together and just having fun jamming out.  Each time it came to be their turn we got some more information of who they are.  They all talked about where they came from and about their road to where they are now, things they like and don’t like.  Laura Bell Bundy shared her love of chocolate with us and showed us the candy bar she had on stage with her.  They talked about their songs and music.  How they all are songwriters and what they write about is what they know and have experienced.  It was clear they all have a passion for what they do and that each one is grateful for the opportunity to do what they love.  Their expression of gratitude to us as an audience for being there to share that night with them was heartfelt. 

I’m sure you’re wondering what other songs we enjoyed.  Well it’s a good thing I was taking notes as I always do!  I must say it was particularly easy to take notes that night because the seating at Northern Lights Theater is big comfortable chairs and booths with tables.

Jana Kramer also sang “Won’t Ever Give Up”, “I Hope It Rains” and “Keep Wanting You”.  Casey James gave us “Let’s Don’t Call It A Night”, “She’s Money” and “Drive”.  The Lost Trailers entertained us with a very funny song called “Gravy”, “Underdog” and one of my favorites “Holler Back”.  Edens Edge sang “Last Supper”, “Skinny Dippin” and the current radio hit “Amen”.  The cute Kip Moore sang “Something About A Truck”, “I Let Her” and “Strength When I Fall”.  Miss Laura Bell Bundy sang “Let’s Pretend We’re Married”, “That’s What Angels Do” and wrapped up our awesome evening with “Giddy On Up”.  Oh and she changed her boots on stage and came out to ‘giddy on up’ while she sang.

Yes this was a super fun night.  This was a great experience that I’m so lucky to have had.  We had a table full of beer drinking fun women behind us that kindly took our picture.  I did apologize to the people in front of us if by chance I whistled or yelled too loud.  The man said “you’re not really sorry, you had a good time didn’t you”?  I responded “Why yes I did” and he told me there was no need to apologize – what great sports!  I’d like to say thank you Karen, Scott and Radar for taking a picture with me and my Aunt, and thank you Auntie Shirley for having the good eye to see that Kip Moore came off stage.  We high tailed it over to him and got our picture taken with him!  A big huge thank you to Kerry Wolfe and FM106.1 for hosting this absolutely awesome one of a kind event and letting me be part of it.  I am one lucky lady. 

Let’s talk about a super fun night at the Bradley Center with Brad Paisley!   Our night of awesomeness began with my friend Jenni and I having the opportunity to meet the young and so very talented American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.  This was extra special for me because I was the lucky person who sat down and interviewed Scotty McCreery when he was here in August for the American Idol tour, so it was my second chance to meet him and have my picture taken with him.  The best part…he remembered me!  Not only did he remember the exact seat he sat in for the Idol auditions, he remembered talking with me five months ago. I felt very proud at that moment.  It was one of my personal highlights of the evening.

 
After meeting Scotty McCreery we headed back out into the lobby and got in line for our chance to meet The Band Perry.  How cool is that – two meet-n-greets in one night, back to back.  This is one of the fun parts of being the FM106.1 Official Concert Correspondent because the personnel working that night notices that we are going backstage again and conversations strike up which makes the wait enjoyable and go fast.  So backstage we go for our opportunity to hug each member and get our picture taken with them.  All three of them were so kind, sweet and very personable - and seemed interested in each and every person they met.  It’s neat to catch that vibe from someone you’re briefly meeting for just a minute or two, but you catch it.  The coolest part for me…I received a compliment on my sweater from Kimberly Perry!  Oh yes I must say that was a great feeling.

 
Now we’re off to grab some food and drink and find our seats, which just happened to be in the same row as Radar and his family.  I must admit that was kind of cool, although it also meant Radar saw me in full concert mode…I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.  Anyway, we no sooner sat down when the Mr. Scotty McCreery came on stage and started our night of wonderful music with “You Make That Look Good”, his first single “I Love You This Big” and “Dirty Dishes”.  Wow, what a way to get the crowd going.  Scotty McCreery seemed really comfortable and at home while on stage.  There were three catwalks that came out and he used each of them so everybody got a chance to enjoy his performance a little bit closer.  Scotty was full of energy and looked like he was having a great time.  We also enjoyed “Write My Number On Your Hand”, his current single “The Trouble With Girls” and “Walk In The Country”.  I was very glad to have the chance to see Scotty McCreery perform.  He is a talented young man that I think will be around for a while.  I look forward to his future. 

 
There was a short intermission between Scotty McCreery and next up The Band Perry, so we headed to the hallway to meet up with some other friends Annette & Kaileigh and Cassie & Jacob who were also at the concert.  It was nice to hang out and chat between shows, but it made the time seem to go really fast because next thing we knew the crowd got loud so we rushed back in for The Band Perry.  It is obvious that these three are extremely connected with each other because the way they play and sing together is absolutely awesome.  It’s as if they were born to perform together, so lucky for us that’s what they do.  We received a full line up of great songs starting with “Gone”, one of my personal favorites “Hip To My Heart”, “All Your Life” and “Bustin Out”.  By now the audience is pumped and ready for more.  The Band Perry also made full use of the three catwalks and seemed to cover every inch of the stage.  Next was one of my favorite things about Country music concerts – the unexpected as we rocked to “Free Falling” and “Fat Bottom Girls” which were fabulous.  Our time with The Band Perry finished up with “Come Around”, “If I Die Young” and “The Way You Lie”.  The Band Perry gave a tremendous performance that I will always remember. 

 
As we were walking to the spot where we were meeting up with our friends again during intermission, this woman recognized me as the FM106.1 Official Concert Correspondent and requested a picture with me.  The list of highlights of my evening was growing.  I was surprised and honored – that felt pretty nice.  After some fun conversation we grabbed fresh drinks and went to our seats ready for the amazingly talented, not to mention good looking Brad Paisley.  If you’ve never been to a Brad Paisley concert, you need to go!  This was one awesome show.  His performance was so full of energy and life that is seemed to infect each of us as the night went on.  The lights were totally awesome - loads of lasers and lights flashing everywhere and several huge screens displaying a variety of colors, pictures and videos throughout the night.  Brad Paisley came out and instantly had us all on our feet with “Camouflage”, “You Are The World”, “Welcome To The Future”, “Ticks”, “This Is Country Music” and “Waiting On A Woman”.  Brad Paisley also made full use of every inch of stage and each of the catwalks.  He was all over the stage and very interactive with the audience.  There was another mini stage set up in the middle of the Bradley Center that he walked through the crowd to get to.  Talk about really up close and personal!  There were a lot of very happy people that received high fives and handshakes as Brad Paisley made his way through.  We also rocked out to “When You’re A Celebrity”, “Everything To Me”, “Online” and “Thank God I’m Still A Guy”.  Next he sang “I Thought I Loved You Then” and during the song I couldn’t help but notice a couple sitting across from us.  The man had his arm around the woman and they both looked lost in the song. 

Now I’m not sure exactly where during the show it happened, but very casually and quietly during one of Brad Paisley’s catwalk performances he knelt down and handed down a guitar to one very lucky fan.  I couldn’t really see who received it, but I found out after the show that it was a young girl by the name of Abigail.  It was obvious she was the winner because she was walking out with the guitar in hand.  I stopped her, congratulated her and asked her parents if I could get her picture for the website.  What a lucky little lady!  Some more great songs we enjoyed Brad Paisley sing were “A Letter To Me”, “Get A Little Mud On The Tires”, “Working On Her Tan” and “Whiskey Lullaby” which Kimberly Perry came out to sing with Brad Paisley and she did a magnificent job.  We also jammed out to “I’m Gonna Miss Her”, “Old Alabama”, “Water” and “American Saturday Night”.  Our next experience explained the title name of this tour of ‘Brady Paisley Virtual Reality Tour’ because it was Brad Paisley singing “Remind Me” with Carrie Underwood – except Carrie Underwood wasn’t really there!  It was a hologram of her on the stage.  Well I must admit that I was fooled – I really thought she was on stage with him.  It looked very real.  Our concert experience with Brad Paisley ended with “Alcohol” which many people came on stage with Brad to sing along…now how cool is that!  It was a fun night full of energy, but fortunately for Jenni and me our night didn’t end there.  Of course there was one more major highlight of this evening.  After the concert we went to the spot where we were some of the first people in line waiting for our turn to meet Mr. Brad Paisley up close and personal.  Yes, he was very nice and happily gave hugs before putting his arms around us for a picture.  As we were leaving we received an autographed picture to take with us.  Another night that I will never forget thanks to FM106.1.  I am so very lucky. 

I can’t think of a better way to end my amazing year of concerts than a night with Jerrod Neimann at Turner Hall Ballroom.  This was my first time being at Turner Hall Ballroom and I’m very glad I had the chance because it really is a pretty cool building.  The old original architecture is beautiful.  I was lucky to see Jerrod Neimann when he opened for Blake Shelton at State Fair this year, but tonight Jerrod was the main act and reason for being out.  He did have an opening act: Bella Cain and they were good.  We enjoyed a variety of songs such as “How ‘Bout You”, “Old Alabama”, “His Last Name”, “She’s Country”, “Here For The party”, “That’s How Country Boy’s Roll”, “Love’s Given Up On Me”, and “Shake It For Me”.  They had a good sound and it looked like they were having a lot of fun on stage.  It was kind of cool that the people who shared their table with us, Matt and Heather knew one of the band members.  What a small world.

We missed the first couple of songs by the opening act because Sue and I were lucky to have the opportunity for a meet-n-greet with Jerrod Neimann.  This was my second chance to hug him, but I must say he did not smell the same as the first time I met him.  One thing that sticks out most is how good he smelled.  I even asked him if he changed cologne!  Regardless, he was super nice and friendly and I think he got a kick out of the fact Sue and I were both wearing Green Bay Packer jerseys.  It was a Packer game Sunday – there is no other attire! 

After out meet-n-greet and rocking out with Bella Chain, Jerrod Neimann hit the stage like a ball of fire.  He really has a lot of energy and his love of performing shows when he is on stage.  Our night of music with Jerrod Neimann started with “What I Really Want To Know”, “How Can I Be So Thirsty This Morning”, “Can You Really Be Down In Mexico” and one of his hits “What Do You Want From Me”.  I must say he knows how to get the crowd moving and involved.  I was glad to hear him acknowledge the Packers and how well they are doing.   I was also proud to see that there were many other jerseys being worn as the chosen concert attire that evening.  Turner Hall Ballroom looks great in green and gold.  Next we enjoyed “Yippee Kayaa”, “Get On Up Before You Can Get Down”, “Goodbye Cowboy Goodbye”, and everyone’s favorite sing-a-long “One More Drinkin’ Song”.  Yes indeed we were all fired up and ready for some more great tunes, so we got “Only God Can Love You More”, “ABCDEF”, “Devil Went Down To Georgia” and Jerrod Neimann’s first big hit “Lover Lover”. 

I’m happy to say that my final FM106 Concert Correspondent show gave me the same unexpected variety that I have been privileged to experience at every concert I’ve attended this year.  I am an all-around music lover and it thrills me to hear the appreciation of different music styles that Country Music Artists have.  It’s as though going to a country concert is like walking into the land of unknown, you just don’t know what you’re going to hear that night.  Some of that awesome variety we jammed out to with Jerrod Neimann and his band were “Louisiana Saturday Night”, “Mountain Music”, “Smoke On The Water”, some Stevie Ray Vaughan, Loverboy, Ozzy, and I went home with the sounds of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” in my head. 

I had a fabulous time that night, as I did for each and every show I was so lucky to attend this year.  These have been some of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had.  Concerts are a time of fun, energy, togetherness and memories.  This year I have more than a person could ever dream of or ask for.  Each concert was its own special event that I will always remember.  Thank you FM106 for this tremendous opportunity of a life time.  I am so very grateful for my year of memories that I will carry with me and continue to share with others for the rest of my life.  Thank You.

I had a fabulous night out with my Aunt Michele.  I can’t think of a better way to start off the week than to enjoy a Sunday evening with Kenny Rogers – Christmas and the Hits.  This was my first time seeing Kenny Rogers live, and I’m so very grateful for the opportunity.  He put on a wonderful show which included performances by Billy Dean, a gospel choir, and six talented young local children. 

Kenny Rogers hit the stage and explained that he’s been doing this show for 30 years now and feels he’s got a good handle on it.  When he did shows with only Christmas songs he received requests for hits.  When he did shows with only hits he received requests for Christmas songs.  So he brilliantly decided to combine them and give us two shows in one.  He informed us that the night would start out with the hits that he selected to sing, then a short intermission and end the night with Christmas songs.  So our night of hits started with “We’ve Got Tonight” and “It’s A Beautiful Night”.  At this point Kenny couldn’t help but comment on the lady in about the 8^th row who had the biggest pair of binoculars he’d ever seen.  It loosened up the audience a bit and we rolled from there.  Next he sang “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town” which he extended the microphone toward the crowd so we could sing along, but we weren’t really pumped up yet I guess because he said that was the worst he’d ever experienced.  (I must agree we were pretty bad)  Then we enjoyed “Through The Years”, “You Decorated My Life”, “She Believes In Me”, “Coward Of The County”, “Daytime Friends” and “Buy Me A Rose”. 

 After that great line-up Kenny Rogers introduced Billy Dean who came out and sang “We Just Disagree” and “Billy The Kid”, two songs that I really love.  What a special treat having Billy Dean with Kenny Rogers!  We only got those couple songs from Billy Dean but Kenny Rogers assured us he’d be back out later to sing some more.  So back to Kenny Rogers who gave us “The Gambler”, “Lucille”, “Lady” and “Islands In The Stream”.  We did volunteer ourselves as an audience to sing “Lucille” and Kenny did say that we did much better on that one.  Absolutely amazing!  With all of the hits Kenny Rogers has we could have been there all night just listening to hits.  But as promised we were going to hear some Christmas songs too.  Before exiting the stage for a short intermission, Kenny Rogers did toss out about 6 tambourines into the audience.  What an awesome keep-sake for several lucky fans.

Now for the second half – Christmas songs.  Billy Dean started us off with the help of six young local children who did a tremendous job.  I felt so warm and proud of those kids I can only imagine their parents must have been bursting with pride.  We got to experience “Comfort And Joy”, “Let The Bells Ring Out For Christmas”, “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree”, “Jingle Bells”, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, “Let It Snow” and one of my all time favorite Billy Dean songs “Let Them Be Little”.  Billy Dean and the children did a great job entertaining us.  This is the time that we experienced artificial snowflakes falling from the ceiling as Kenny Rogers came out and sang “The Christmas Song” and “Merry Christmas” with Billy Dean.  The remainder of the show we enjoyed Kenny Rogers as he sang “White Christmas”and “Just Not Christmas If I Cant Spend It With You”.  Next he did “Mary Did You Know” with Wynona Judd singing on video. It was as if she were there with us.  For the final songs Kenny Rogers was joined on stage by a wonderful choir as they sang “Away In A Manger”, “Oh Holy Night”, “Silent Night” and “We Three Kings”.  For the grand finale, Billy Dean and the children came back out on stage and along with Kenny Rogers and the Choir they sang “Joy To The World” and “Till The Season Comes Round Again”.

 It was a spectacular night.  Kenny Rogers and Billy Dean were amazing, and the children and the choir were awesome.  What a wonderful combination.  This was definitely a memorable evening full of fun, laughter, and tears. (happy tears – you know, the good kind)  Thanks FM106.1 for another great memory.  

I feel really privileged to have been able to experience the amazing talent of young Hunter Hayes on Friday night.  My cousin Scott and I got to the Rave at about 7:30 and immediately looked for the FM106.1 spinning wheel so we could obtain our Meet-N-Greet information.  We got our bracelets, grabbed a drink and nestled in some spots in the back where we had a pretty good view of the stage.  We knew there was no way we were getting any closer passed all the young teenage girls.  While we were hanging out waiting for the show to begin, we struck up conversation with Larry and Kelly, a nice couple from Random Lake out for date night.  That’s one thing I love about concerts, you just never know who you’re going to meet.  We also met lucky winners Shawn and Kym who were getting a Meet-N-Greet after the show.  We were chatting and having a good time when all you could hear were the squeals of young teenage girls because Hunter Hayes hit the stage.  He came out smiling and full of energy.  He gave us a great performance of “You Light Me Up”, “You Can’t Say Love”, “Faith To Fall Back On”, “Somebody’s Heartbreak” and “Rainy Season”.  I must say I was quite impressed with the talent of this young artist as well as the band playing with him.  They all seemed very comfortable on stage and definitely fed off the energy from the audience. 

I’m aware that Hunter Hayes has been writing songs, singing and performing since he was just old enough to walk and talk.  Seeing him live on stage it’s obvious that music is his deepest passion.  I was really blown away with the variety of instruments he played, and his singing was amazing.  Performing on stage really seemed to come naturally to Hunter Hayes, as if he was right at home.  He was very interactive with the crowd making individual eye contact saying hi, shaking hands, reading the signs people made, as well as sang “Happy Birthday” to one fan.  Some more wonderful songs we jammed out to were “Love Start Slippin Away”, “I’ll Cry With You” and “Love You More Than I Should”.  Hunter Hayes really had the audience moving with his fun fast paced songs.  He took time to introduce each member of the band and then asked if we would mind if he did some songs acoustically.  He mentioned he likes doing them as such because it really takes you back to the original song itself.  This is when we enjoyed “When I’m Gone”, “Love Somebody Like You” and “Life”.  I must say the girls in the crowd went wild!  Keeping the energy high they gave us “Keep Your Head Up”, “Don’t Blame Me” and the big finish with “Storm Warning”.  Hunter Hayes put on a tremendous show. 

Afterward we headed to the Meet-N-Greet spot to get lined up for our chance.   Did I mention the woman who drove six hours from Michigan to bring her daughter to see Hunter Hayes?  How great is that!  What a cool Mom.  We were lucky to get close to the front and be one of the first to meet him.  He was very nice, took a picture with us and kindly signed each of our tickets.  I’m not sure how long Hunter Hayes was there after the show, but I’m guessing it was quite a while because the line of people waiting for a chance to meet him was insane.  It was a very fun night, and I’m glad I was part of the Hunter Hayes experience.  

As amazing as your 2011 Official Concert Reviewer Jackie’s Laska is, she has not yet completely mastered the art of being in two places at the same time. Lucky for me and Jackie’s cousin Kelsey that she was at the Admiral’s game and the Craig Morgan show. So, off to see Little Big Town at Turner Hall Ballroom we go.

 We knew going down that we had the added bonus of a meet and great with the band!   When we arrived there was a pretty long line outside of Turner Hall. I was a bit worried about making the meet and great on time, because when I tried to get in to go to Will Call to pick up the passes, they wouldn’t let me in. I went back to meet Kelsey who had gotten us a place in line. A little bit of a brisk night downtown, but we were aided by Mr. Otis Charleston from Security who assured us we would get in on time for the meet and greet.  While in line we passed the time talking with Marilyn and her sister Pam who had won their tickets by calling in to FM106’s Morning Crew. Of course it was Halloween weekend downtown, so it was amusing to watch the costumed party goers going by. I do believe I met the real live Batman that evening!

 Once we got inside, a flood of memories came back from when I was a kid and had taken gymnastics at Turner Hall. We quickly found the Will Call, got our passes, grabbed a beer and got in line for the meet and great. When it was our turn to go in, I was greeted by Mr. Phillip Sweet and Ms. Kimberly Schlapman. They stood me between them and Kelsey was between Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook for our photo op. I had handed my envelope from the meet and greet passes to Phillip who graciously signed it and passed it down the row to the other members of the band. They were very welcoming and kind. I realized later that my name had been on the envelop, so Phillip has signed it personally to me which was very impressive that he had noticed. We wished them a good show and we were on our way.

 We got through the meet and greet with time to catch the last bits of the opening act Mr. Eric Paslay. It was just Eric and his guitar and he had the crowd going. He did a couple of more mellow tunes, a few that were a bit harder and edgy, but what  really got us all going was his rendition of a song he co-wrote, “Barefoot Blujean Night”. You could tell he enjoyed performing it.

 We had a short break before Little Big Town came out. It gave us a bit of time to catch up and do some people watching. The one thing that struck the both of us was the range of ages in the crowd. Looking back now, I am not sure why we were so surprised ourselves, Kelsey is like 24 and I am, well let’s just say old enough to be her mother!

Once Little Big Town took the stage, they brought it nonstop. Their level of energy and the talent that each of them possesses and how beautifully it all works together is something to experience.   They started right into it with their 2^nd song “Boondocks” and they didn’t stop there with songs like “A Little More You” right into “Little White Church”. They had the crowd completely engaged as we all enjoyed the gift of their 4 part harmonies. We had decided to stay up in the balcony that had been such a great people watching spot and I am so glad that we did, because it gave us the opportunity to watch 2 couples slow dancing away to “Bring It Home.” followed up by one of my favorites “Shut up Train.”  Through it all they had the crowd in their hands as they displayed their amazing talents. At one point they invited people back after the show to sign CD’s. Truly a class act.

 It was shortly after that, I had received the text from Jackie to meet her at the Bradley Center to exchange Kelsey for Jackie’s son who had been at the Admiral’s game with her. We needed to make the switch before the start of Craig Morgan, even though her son did go back in to hear one song from the guy he just met!

 It was a great night downtown and a great night with Little Big Town! Thanks FM106.1, Karen, Scott and Radar, and thanks most to Jackie Laska for another great ride on her train as the Official FM106.1 Concert Reviewer!

Well I had a wonderful Saturday night at the Bradley Center.  This was a special night because for the first time during my 2011 concert experience I was able to bring my son.  Why you ask?  I was able to take my son because the night started at the Admirals Game, with a concert by Craig Morgan to follow.  He has enjoyed Wave Games, a Brewers Game, and last year we went to see the Globetrotters on New Years Eve, but this night he was going to see an Admirals Game for the first time.  I was so excited for him and confident he’d have a great time, and he did.  My son just turned six so his attention span still isn’t all that long which worked to our benefit because we had some running back and forth to do to obtain our Meet-n-Greet passes for Craig Morgan.  We got some food, watched some of the game, went to get our passes, got some more food, watched some more of the game, got a tub of popcorn and headed down to get in line for our Meet-n-Greet.  Waiting in line was a patience test for him, but he managed well since he was still able to watch the game on a television that was hanging in the hallway while munching on his popcorn.  He was aware he was about to meet a famous singer, yet he was really clueless as to what it all meant.  I think you’ll agree from our picture that he was plenty excited and happy to be there because the smile on his face couldn’t have gotten any bigger than it was! 

By now he was starting to get tired as I figured he would.   The game was just about over and I knew we had about 45 minutes until Craig Morgan hit the stage.  So I sent a message to my girlfriend Sue who was across the street with my cousin Kelsey enjoying Little Big Town, checking how far into their concert they were.  We agreed to meet outside in about 45 minutes so Sue could take our son home, and Kelsey could join me for Craig Morgan.  Once my little man realized his night was ending, he wanted just a little more.  So I took him back in, and we had the time of our lives down on the ice hearing Craig Morgan sing “Amazing Grace”.  My son was smiling so big while waving his new light-up pen, it was a beautiful sight.  Craig Morgan started singing “Little Bit Of Life” next, and about half way through my little man was feeling done.  So we went outside and he headed home while Kelsey and I went in to enjoy the rest of Craig Morgan’s performance which included “More Trucks Than Cars”, “Little Bit Country” and “Rock-N-Roll Fantasy”.  This is when Craig Morgan took the time to introduce each band member one at a time, and we enjoyed the talent of each as they were introduced.   During this time we enjoyed the sounds of some classic rock, as in some Led Zepplin.  Now how cool is that!  After enjoying the individual talents of each member solo, they once again blended and gave us “We’re Going Out Tonight”, “Almost Home”, “Love Remembers”, and “This Aint Nothing”. 

Now remember how I told you about Keith Urban calling people up on stage?  Well Mr. Craig Morgan does the same thing.  He did get a little personal took time to talk to us a bit throughout the show.  I don’t think anyone expected him to call two young ladies up on stage to sit and enjoy him singing “Easy Like Sunday Morning”.  What an amazing moment!  They were both 17 years old if I remember correctly, and I bet they were almost in shock that this was happening to them.  It was wonderful to see.  Once the girls were assisted off the stage, Craig Morgan finished off the night with “This Old Boy”, “Bonfire”, “Redneck Yacht Club”, and for an encore we got “International Harvester”.  Craig Morgan put on a great show and it was a fun night.  Craig Morgan had us pumped up and feeling great, so after the concert we headed up to Callanan’s Pub in New Berlin to rock out with local talent Ronnie Nyles for a while.  We had a good time talking a bit while jamming out to a great variety of songs that Ronnie Nyles sang.  It was a great ending to a great night. 

Wow, wow, wow!  A night with Keith Urban is an awesome experience and something I will never forget.  My cousin Katie was my guest for the evening and she was so excited that we were getting a meet-n-greet, actually two meet-n-greets.  We got in line with our special passes to meet Jake Owen and get our picture taken with him.  We were talking and laughing having a great time as the line slowly moved forward.  Then I noticed a second line formed next to us and all the people in that line were wearing passes to meet Keith Urban, so I kept an eye on that line to watch how quickly it was moving.  After about 5 minutes that line quickly started moving through some doors to get backstage.  Well I knew if we were not in that line being escorted with the group, that we were not going to get backstage.  So I grabbed Katie and we got into the other line as I told her unfortunately we’d miss Jake Owen in order to meet Keith Urban.  That’s when an angel appeared who noticed my dilemma and overheard our conversation.  He stepped back from the Keith Urban line, called out to Holly who happened to be a backstage connection and he quickly explained our situation to her.  She said we’d have time to meet both, and that she would gladly escort us backstage once we met Jake Owen.  How awesome is that!  So we got back in line to meet Jake Owen and that we did.  He gave us each a wonderful hug and we got our picture taken with him.  What a handsome and very nice man!  After that we waited by the backstage entrance watching closely for Holly to return and retrieve us, which she did.  Once back, we still had plenty of time before our turn to meet Keith Urban.  But let me tell you, this was a meet-n-greet like no other.  We were told that we would meet Keith in groups of 5, 6 or 7 people.  This was the first time I’ve experienced such, but I understood because there were so many people getting this amazing opportunity.  If we went in only groups of two it would take too much time and not near as many people could have met him.

 Now, once we got into “the room” it was like WOW.  As I scoped the scene I saw a small stage to the right with two large armchairs each with a microphone in front of it.  Then several rows of chairs and stools, as if space for an audience.  As I looked left I saw some small tables, and beyond the tables was a long buffet of food.  Oh yah – this was a first.  My cousin slipped out of line and made us each a plate of goodness; fruit on a stick, a wonderful frittata bread sandwich, chips, chicken salad, and a cherry pie/torte for dessert.  Yes, it was all very good and just perfect because we were hungry.  We munched a little and then it was our turn to go beyond the curtain to get closer to Keith Urban, so we set our plates down on a table and made our way inside with our group of 4 other people.  We were called into the next room where the man himself was waiting for us.  We all shook his hand (me and Katie received a hug) and began to find a spot for our group picture.  Keith Urban really was very nice in that short time we met him.   Once our picture was taken we headed back out to “the room” and we finished our food.  People were just hanging around and talking, it was very casual yet upscale and super cool.  Next thing I know Karen is being introduced to come up with Keith Urban for a special intimate backstage interview, and we were all there to experience it.  Keith Urban was so real and down to earth it was really neat.  Karen looked so comfortable and talked with him as if they were old friends.  Several people in the audience had a chance to ask Keith a question also.  We were not allowed to take any pictures or video during this backstage experience so you’ll just have to use your imagination to picture what this was like.  It was absolutely amazing!  It was very special.

Alright so our intimate time with Keith Urban was over so we headed out to find our seats and rocked out with Jake Owen who had already taken the stage.  Jake Owen is a powerful singer who has a great amount of awesome songs and really knows how to capture his audience.  We had the pleasure of enjoying “Settin The World On Fire”, “Heaven”, “Alone With You”, and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You”.  The crowd was pumped up and having fun.  Jake Owen really got us going with his current radio hit “Barefoot Bluejean Night”.  Everyone was dancing and singing along.  Jake Owen capped his performance off with “8 Second Ride”.  As much as we were ready for more, it was a perfect time for intermission; because once Keith Urban hit the stage he did not stop or slow down for over 2 hours!

If you’re looking for a long, full night of non-stop entertainment then a Keith Urban concert is what you want.  He has been performing for such a long time and has so many wonderful songs, it’s easy to see how 2 ½ hours can go by like the blink of an eye.  Keith Urban came on stage wearing a Brewers jersey and the crowd went wild.  He acknowledged that a game was taking place and he understood how excited and supportive we are for the Brewers.  He rocked us with “Put You In A Song”, “As Days Go By”, “I Told You So”, and “Raining On Sunday”.  What an amazing line-up of tremendous music.  Now I’ve experienced various levels of audience interaction at concerts and I must say that Keith Urban takes the cake.  He took time to look out and actually read back all the signs that he could see, thanking each person for making it.  There was one sign high up that he couldn’t read, so he grabbed a huge spotlight and shone it up at the sign to get a better look.  It still couldn’t be read, but what an amazing effort on Keith’s part and what a memorable moment for that person.  One sign read ‘Can I have your autograph’.  Well, Keith Urban being the cool person he is called her up on stage to give her that autograph she asked for.  She also received a hug from him while up there.  Now how sweet is that!

Some more amazing songs we heard were “Stupid Boy”, “Memories Of Us”, “Baby I’m In”, and “Take Your Memories”.  Of course he pleased us with “Long Hot Summer”, but sprang another surprise on us.  Holding up a sign isn’t the only way for a chance to get up on stage with Keith Urban.  He is so interactive and really takes time to make sure people get the best experience possible.  This is the time that 3 extremely lucky people were chosen by Keith himself to come on stage and sing with him.  I think we all have daydreams of something like this happening, yet it’s not often it does.  At a Keith Urban concert there is tremendous potential for something as such to take place.  He also took the time to expand out into the audience and sing from small stages several times.  Regardless of where your seat was, you had an awesome view and held possibility of being front row when he came out to the middle. You are also given a chance to see him up close as he made his way through the audience, at which he shook hands and gave high-fives along the way.  The energy in the Bradley Center was insane as we jammed to “Georgia Woods”, “Summer Comes Around”, Sweet Thing”, “I Wanna Kiss A Girl”, “Without You” and “Love Somebody Like You.   It seemed as though we had a night of endless surprises.  As if all that took place wasn’t enough, we had the extreme opportunity to enjoy Eric Church on stage with Keith Urban!  Who would have ever imaged this amazing bonus?  I was so surprised and excited that I almost forgot to snap some pictures.  What a moment enjoying these extremely talented artists together rockin the stage.  Yes, Keith Urban is a tremendous entertainer who gives you a show full of non-stop energy and surprises.  I would recommend a night out with Keith Urban to anybody. You just might be the lucky person way in the back that he decides to give a guitar to, because that also happened that night.