Chris Stapleton weathered a Chicago thunderstorm to deliver a rocking All-American Road Show at Wrigley Field on Saturday night. Stapleton is a rebel country singer who can adapt to new conditions.
Stapleton has built a following that’s loyal to his guitar-shredding rock sensibility and Southern rock songwriting swagger, and he pushed the envelope at Wrigley Field on Saturday. The crowd responded with passion, despite the heavy rain.
Opening act Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
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The Heartbreakers kicked off the evening with a few of Tom Petty’s most popular songs.
Rockin’ Around (With You), the opener, was a nostalgic and fun track which drew a large crowd to sing along.
The band ended their show with the upbeat tune “Free Fallin'”, which was an unforgettable highlight of their live performances.
The band’s performance was full of energy and reflected their appreciation for Petty’s timeless music.
This Florida-by-way-of-California band made a big splash with their third album Damn the Torpedoes in 1979, which went platinum and featured such hits as “Refugee,” “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “I Won’t Back Down.”
It also legitimized the Heartbreakers and gave Petty a reputation for creatively re-inventing himself after his first solo record.
The next decade was marked by Petty’s most acclaimed work with the Heartbreakers, including their rebirth as a four-piece on Full Moon Fever and its subsequent success.
Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Rick Rubin worked together on 1994’s Wildflowers.
It was a record that transcended the limits of rock and pop, which is still considered the best work by the singer.
The Highwomen
Highwomen is a group of denim-clad women who are on a mission change your perceptions about country music.
The Highwomen’s 2019 debut album, entitled “The Highwomen”, is an explosive mix of contemporary acoustic tracks with some rock and roll elements and some real talent behind the microphone.
Their synchronized harmonizing was a huge hit with the Wrigley Field audience, especially on “Redesigning women,” where Amanda Shires’ fiddle playing made it stand out.
The band also performed a Fleetwood Mac cover and featured a guitar solo from Jason Isbell.
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour has been expanded with 25 additional dates. He will continue to tour into autumn.
New shows will be added in Houston, Alabama and New Hampshire.
The tour also returns to some of the most iconic venues like Orion Amphitheater, Huntsville, Alabama and Hershey Park Stadium, Pennsylvania. Tickets for most of these dates go on sale Friday, February 25, at 10 a.m.
Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs
Although The Dirty Knobs has been together for many years, it was not until 2020 that their debut album Wreckless Abandon, which is their first, was released.
The band, which includes Tom Petty’s former Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell, released the album in November of 2020.
The band will tour next year, following a series of headline dates and an opening slot for Chris Stapleton.
They’ve announced a new run of headline fall shows in addition to a set of shows supporting The Who in 2022.
During this show, the band played nine songs from their recent release, Wreckless Abandon, and six songs from their earlier release, External Combustion.
The group’s chemistry was in full display as the band worked their way through a set that included lengthy jams and an array of rock styles.
As the night wore on, it became clear that The Dirty Knobs are a force to be reckoned with and are on their way to making some big waves in rock music.
Their performance in Chicago was a reminder of just how much of an impact they can have on a fan base.
Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell, an Alabama native, is one of the most respected and successful figures within Americana music.
He’s been a mainstay in the country music scene since he left Drive-By Truckers, and is known for his introspective songs that explore the grittier side of life.
His work has won him multiple Grammy Awards as well as CMA Awards, including Artist of the year for Something More Than Free and Album of the Year in Southeastern.
He has received additional respect and accolades for his latest album, The Nashville Sound, with the 400 Unit.
His early solo work lacked a lot of depth, but after coming to terms with alcohol abuse, his songwriting became more rounded and the albums that followed were better.
His ability to share stories with a compelling and nuanced voice is evident in the songs he recorded, “Alabama Pines” through “Flying Over Water.”
The track Sirens of the Ditch is a honest story about a local tragedy. It was recorded in Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studios in 2007.
It’s not the kind of tragedy you hear about every day, but it’s a story that everyone in the country can relate to.
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