The first time I heard the song “Storm Warning” I thought this song is great and of course I mistakenly assumed that it was by an artist much older than 20 year old Hunter Hayes.  When I realized how old he actually is, I was shocked by both the maturity in his lyrics and his talent. For this show my cousin Katy came into Milwaukee from the Madison area.  She was also surprised by the number of songs that he had created so early in his career and by how well he commanded his audience.

 Hayes exudes incredible potential for someone so young; during his two plus hours performance he played at least 3 different guitars (there were 5 on the stage for him), the piano and three songs acoustically.  His appreciation for his growing fan base was evident when he described how when he was here in Milwaukee only two months ago at the Rave he was in the much smaller room and now he was lucky enough to be playing in the large ballroom.

Not only did Hayes cover his two songs “Storm Warning” and “Wanted” which are getting airplay right now on FM106.1, but he covered all the songs from his debut CD and then some.  How exciting for his young fans to hear all the song they love, live and in one night!

The audience was also enormously appreciative of his quick return to the Rave.  Every note and every lyric of every song was sung by the young, adoring fans.  He excited them multiple times running across the room to another stage set up in the back so that a different group could get a front row serenade. Hayes also wooed the crowd with songs from other artist like “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer and “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars.

Everyone ate it up! Even the moms and dads who brought their daughters to the show were dancing and having a great time!  At the end of the second encore no one wanted to leave; security had to start asking large groups of fans to exit. 

The meet and greet for Hunter Hayes was after the show and those of us with passes were directed to another room at the Rave where the backdrop for the pictures was set up.  It also happened to be the same room that he had performed in the last time he was here in February.  What a contrast in venue sizes! I can see why he was so proud and grateful to his ever growing fan base here in Milwaukee.  Everyone in line was highly anxious and excited to meet their favorite artist!

For my first big show (pun intended!) of 2012 as the FM 106.1 concert correspondent Trace Adkins delivered! This time my lucky guest for the show was my bestie Dan.  This was Dan’s first country concert experience and he was both amazed and incredibly grateful for the opportunity.  I was delighted to find out that we were also going to be attending the Meet and Greet at Rock Bottom Brewery before the show to both meet and get our picture taken with Trace himself!  I was rendered speechless upon meeting him; he is so tall (I had on 4 inch heels and he was still a foot taller than me!) and his voice is the deepest I have ever heard!

The Meet and Greet started off with two great opportunities; the chance to get your picture taken with Trace and to write down questions he would potentially answer while on stage at Rock Bottom.  Dan and I both submitted questions thinking that so many people would as well and that there would be no way either of our questions would get answered…but they both were! Dan’s silly question was actually the first one answered, “what’s your favorite vegetable?”  Turns out Trace’s favorite vegetable is brussel sprouts.  My question was far more exciting.  Courtesy of my friend Mike that I teach with, I asked, “would you leave the outgoing message on my voicemail?” (because his voice is so distinctive and deep) and he obliged!  He called me up on stage and had me sit there and set up the voicemail recording while he continued to answer questions! I was shocked and ended up sitting there for a few minutes so we also ended up bantering back and forth a bit.  Unfortunately the outgoing message didn’t work because I was so excited that I hit the wrong button on my phone afterwards, but I have plenty of pix to prove it and all the people sitting in the row behind us were quite jealous that they hadn’t thought to ask that question.

Before answering questions at Rock Bottom, Trace told us that he was up late in the studio recording the night before so he felt like his voice was a little tired, but we couldn’t tell, he sounded GREAT! He played “You’re Going to Miss This” and “Just Fishin” for our quaint crowd with accompaniment from two guitars while putting in as much emotion as he would playing for a packed concert hall.  He admitted that even though he has become accustomed to performing large shows, he feels more nervous playing for small crowds like ours.  Honestly this made everyone in the room realize what a great opportunity we had been given and appreciate it even more.

Trace displayed his playful personality throughout the rest of the Meet and Greet as well because there were so many funny questions asked by the fascinated crowd.  He shared his favorite part of being on The Celebrity Apprentice was when it was over and even being a foot away from Donald Trump’s hair he still couldn’t tell where it started, ended or what was going on with it! His sincerity glowed when he was talking about making the video for “Just Fishin” and having his family in the video with him. Everyone left the Meet and Greet elated and ready for the next part of this great experience! Dan and I didn’t think the night could get any better, BUT IT DEFINITELY DID!

Within the hour he was already back on stage at the Riverside and ready to rock for the fans there! The second act of our show revealed how much he appreciates his fans; not only because of how prompt he was, but also because he answered some questions from some of his Twitter followers who had told him that they would be in the audience. During the first part of the Riverside show Trace showcased some of his new work that would be coming out soon, making the crowd ooh and ahh. His show seemed like an experience a fan could get attending a VH1 Storytellers event.  He connected with the crowd and shared the background behind each song before he sang it whether it was funny, embarrassing or sincere.  He revealed his first experience playing at the Grand ‘Ole Opry and how proud they were that he was bringing back some of the “traditional” country music and then laughed about how a week later he came out with “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk!”            

The second half of the show he played his hit records like “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “Just Fishin,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” and “This Ain’t No Love Song” and exclaimed that he had to because he’d be “pissed” if he went to a George Strait show and didn’t hear some of the classics.  He continued to display his personality throughout the show by dancing WAY more than I thought he would, especially for such a tall man – he’s much more coordinated than I expected! His singing and dancing combination got both the ladies and the men in the audience dancing and running up to the stage for autographs and pictures! Nothing like a country man who ladies love and other men respect!

The way he related to his fans was so genuine that the crowd both fed off and fueled his energy all night! His patriotic nature made us feel proud as well as he talked about singing for the troops overseas, especially the Marines, and made this girl respect him even more…overall it was an outstanding experience and I recommend that everyone who knows any Trace Adkins song at all go to his show and live this experience!

The 1st Inaugural Winterfest at the Horny Goat was a blast! What a great way to start my new opportunity as the Concert Correspondent for FM106.1. We arrived and ran into some friends immediately and enjoyed the show with them all night! We started off the night with Brent Anderson, who got the crowd all warmed up with a few of his own songs like his first single coming out, “Amy’s Song” and “We’re Not Friends Anymore,” which were both great mixes of his personal experiences with love that fans in the crowd could relate to and enjoy. “Amy’s Song” is a great mixture of his personal experience supported by the classic chorus from the original that fans recognized, and then sang and danced along. Being that close to an up and coming artist was a thrill to all those on the dance floor. He closed his set with the Doobie Brothers “Black Water” to keep the crowd pumped up for the upcoming acts!

Up next was the incredibly energetic band The Farm! Energetic is by no means an exaggeration; Damien did a backflip and Nick was so into the music he had to replace his bow by the third song! With no backup bow after that he had to continually tear the strings off! Our opportunity to see The Farm could not have been timed any better; they just made their Grand ‘Ole Opry debut on February 10th and their song “Home Sweet Home” is already in the Top 40. To keep the crowd involved they chanted “ain’t no party like a farm party ‘cause a farm party don’t stop!” and their cover of “Ring of Fire” also kept everyone dancing. At the end of the whole show I got the chance to meet and take a pic with Damien!

The next talent we got to see was the best part of the show in my opinion! Andy Gibson has already written so many songs for other amazing artists like Jason Aldean’s “Don’t You Wanna Stay” and now he is jump starting his own performing career. Maybe it’s just me, but as a Spanish teacher it was so amazingly sexy when he started singing “Lost in this Moment” in Spanish and then effortlessly transitioned into English after the chorus. He also bonded with fans in the crowd by admitting that he has a special place in his heart for the Milwaukee area because he recorded the vocals for one of his songs in a Pewaukee hotel room! We were lucky enough to hear his single “Make You Wanna Love Me” which he just debuted at the Grand Ole Opry! This amazing singer songwriter put on an awesome show and we were lucky enough to see him perform from about 100ft away! Andy Gibson is going to be a huge artist!

To make a great night even better, Winterfest at the Horny Goat was concluded by Gloriana who has already had hits in the Top 40 and currently has their new single there was well! They kicked of their set with “Wild at Heart” and the packed venue immediately began dancing around and singing; fans were dancing with their loved ones, friends and even by themselves! My heart melted a bit when they started telling us about how they had spent two weeks with the troops overseas at war. Most celebrities spend a couple days just to say that they had made the effort, but it was truly gracious of Gloriana to perform and get to know our soldiers for two weeks. They continued their set with “(Kissed You) Good Night” and the crowd (especially the ladies) continued belting out the song with them. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that it’s already in the GAC Top Twenty Countdown and it was fun to get to know the band when Rachel teased Tom that even though in the video the guy actually does get the courage to kiss the girl, but in real life Tom would just give up and go home. Equally hilarious when Tom admitted that he had to write such a sweet song to make up for the next song that they were about to sing that he wrote about “hot chicks dancing!” Of course this got all the ladies in the crowd dancing! Gloriana’s set was awesome and I wished they could have played more songs! I know I wasn’t the only one in the crowd that felt that way! It ended way too soon! Just a sample to get everyone wanting more I guess!

I have to admit that I was a little nervous being this was my first show as the concert correspondent, but thanks to the welcoming staff at FM106.1 and my friends Paul, Shannon and Tina there to support me and it was a fun night out and a great way to start!

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.

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!

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.