A Family Attitude and a Southern State of Mind

Darius Rucker: Down to Earth Onstage Presence

Upon his transition from the pop genre as the frontrunner in Hootie and the Blowfish to a solo country artist,  Rucker not surprisingly, faced some initial flack from people who saw him as a gimmick that would not last in the country world: but, Rucker had a plan to make his audience accept him as a country artist an see his as "authentic" in his new genre. 

Having to work to win over doubters, Rucker drove across the southeastern U.S. in his own car, appearing on dozens of radio shows to try and get his name out to the world as a country musician and gain legitimacy so he could move further in his musical career. 

"I would do three or four stations a day, " recalls Darius. "It was a Monday to Friday job." 

In 2009, Rucker won the Artist trophy at the CMA awards, proving that his hard work at gaining an authentic reputation had paid off and he hoped that having the award under his belt would further solidify his good standing reputation as a country artist and show that he was there to stay. 

Touring less as a solo country artist than a pop artist as part of a group in Hootie and the Blowfish, Rucker traveled less and was home more in Charleston, SC with his family: his wife and three children. Rucker nowadays plants his roots firmly with his family, as his strong family values stem in large part from growing up with an absent father. 
"The second I hit the Charleston city line or the second I land at the airport, Im daddy," ha says. 

Many of Rucker's country songs are family themed and his lyrics and inspiration come directly from his own family life.  

This performance above of "History in the Making" is one of Rucker's more somber songs and thus his performance style is a little more subdued, but he still connects with the audience because most everyone can relate with taking chances and how those chances make up our future. 

In almost every one of his live performances, Rucker can be found sporting a hat of some sort, usually a baseball cap, lending to his relaxed nature and the tendency that country musicians have to dress in an everyday style in order to seem more accesible to their audience. Plus, the lyrics of most country songs, and Rucker is no exception, tell of everyday life so it only makes sense that the style of dress should match. 

Another hallmark of Rucker's on stage presence are his jeans. Rugged and simple, jeans seem to be a common choice among country artists to help them seem like "just another person" who is relatable rather than a larger than life star. 

Rucker also moves around the stage during his performances, interacting with his band and doing little dance moves, making each performance seem genuine and lets the audience see that he is just up there performing and makes his concerts seem less rehearsed. 

This performance, as can be seen in the video, is performed on a large stage arena in Texas infront of a large audience, probably a concert that required the purchase of a ticket. In addition to big arena shows, Rucker also participates in many smaller shows, sometimes even for benefit shows , where he makes no profit off the performance. An example of this type of musical performance of Rucker's is given in the next video- first however, here is a billboard chart showing Rucker's song, "History in the Making" occupying the # 3 spot. 

Rucker Live at a New York City Bookstore Cafe

 This performance is a much more intimate one between Rucker and his audience. As can be seen when watching the video, a number of times Rucker adresses the audience during the song, but not a part of the song lyrics: "true story." This show was a benefit concert done at a New York City bookstore, with a very small audience relative to Rucker's normal shows, which allowed him even more freedom to interact with the audience. 

Here, Rucker is again sporting his baseball cap and jeans, and another detail to note is his Livestrong bracelet. So many people wear Livestrong bracelets these days to support Lance Armstrong, and by Rucker wearing one during a performance, he seems even more relatable. 

Some of Rucker's fan base followed him from his days with Hootie and the blowfish, but a large majority of his fans today became loyal to him as a country artist first and foremost. 

Despite being one of the only successful African American country singer's, Rucker's fan base remains predominantly white: Rucker says, 

"Once an African-American kid told me, 'Man, I love country music. I came out of the closet when I heard your record,' " Rucker recalls. "I laughed. If I'm doing that for three kids, that's cool."

As an artist, Darius Rucker sings to an audience that's had some ups and downs in life, but can make sense of it all by being happy where they are and with the one they love. He sings of lost love and lost family- sad topics, but emphasizes how life keeps on going and all things good and bad lead to an outcome that one day you will be able to justify. 

These days, Rucker tends to tour with other artists, most recently with Lady antebellum. He has performed all over the U.S., but when not formally on tour, he tends to stick to the South Eastern U.S. when giving sporadic concerts. Coming up are: 

• Nov 27: North Charleston Performing Arts Center- North Charleston, South Carolina
• Dec 1- Jacksonville Fl 

His ticket prices are very affordable, for example, the Charleston concert on the 27th of November has tickets still available on ticket master ranging from $30-$115.

Some Post Concert Fan Comments: 

• "Throughout the show he was very appreciative of all of us Northern fans who stayed out in the rain with him. It was just a terrific time (save for one over-zealous security guard who wouldn't let anyone close enough to get an autograph even though Darius was there with pen in hand and ready). I would go see it a hundred times over again."
• "Favorite moment: When he came back for an encore and sang History in the Making.
  (second best were the NE sports team logos up during Southern State of Mind" 
• "The event was very good. Excellent stage presence, good material, and very good supporting musicians

Favorite moment: Playing his old stuff from the Hootie days"

"High energy, high quality, crowd-pleasing show. Excellent band backed up Darius, who performed his current country songs as well as older hits (his own and others such as Space Cowboy and Purple Rain)."

Rucker sings about the south. He may appeal to a nationwide audience, but he makes his souther roots clear- lending to his country persona. An example of this can be seen in his song "Southern State of Mind" which is very explicitly illustrating his love of the south and how he identifies with the south more than other regions. 

Citations: 

1. Helling, Steve. People Magazine. (2010). Vol. 74 issue 19. (Pp. 107-109) Southern Comfort. 
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYFewP---ZY&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj2fon945Hg
4. Johnson, Brett. Essence (Time inc.) (2010) Vol. 41 issue 7. (86) Can these artists get some love? 
5. http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E00491ED801761B?artistid=1774914&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=2

Lady A Live

        Lady Antebellum has been touring since 2008 and headlining since 2010. They often tour with other big country artist such as: Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Darius Rucker. One of their first big acts was opening for Keith Urban at the Staple center in 2009. Origionally Sugarland was the opening act but they weren't able to perform so Lady A got the gig. At the time their biggest hit was "I Run to You" which had hit #1 on the country charts. Their entrance to the stage was very simple and humble showing that they knew the crowd wasn't there for them but they were still bale to come out and put on a good show that entertained the audience. They began with a basic intro and tried to get the fans involved asking them to sing along with them. The guitarist, Dave Haywood, made use of the cat-walk that allowed them to walk out into the crowd for the intro which lead to Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott coming in with the vocals. Charles began with trying to pump up the crowd and thanking them for helping make their "I Run to You" the number one country song. They were dressed in T-shirts and Jeans that showed fashion and were a break from the traditional western wear that most country artist have. For the Keith Urban opening the audience wasn't there for Lady A but still seemed to catch on and enjoy their act.
          Three years later Lady A came back to the Staples Center this time as a headliner and they opened with "We Owned The Night". This time they made a much bigger entrance, starting with a light show and then appearing in center stage as the platform they were on rose out from beneath it. They had Three big screens, one zoomed in on each of them (Scott, Kelly, and Haywood) allowing the sold out crowd of over 20,000 people to all see the performers move and act around on stage. Unlike in 2009 they didn't open the song with thanking the crowd and trying to get them involved but instead went for a big entrance and starting strong. They were now a headlining act and went with the big entrance to begin the show instead of the humble start that they had when opening for Keith Urban. They were still dressed in clothes that were meant to not appear over the top or big fashion statements, but were still a complete break from the western cowboy outfit that traditional country artist wear.
 

http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2012/03/28/live-review-lady-antebellum-convincing-comfy-in-first-headlining-staples-center-show/91648/

Through the majority of the song the only stage lights are centered on the main three artist but then at the end they expand out and show some of the audience and the other band members as the cameras show audience. This video shows a much stronger reaction from the fans than they had in 2009, which is due heavily to the fact that this is who the audience came to see and Lady A is no longer panning to Keith Urban fans who are waiting for someone else to come out. The Tickets for the Staples Center show were between $25 and $69.95 with a heavy majority being sold at $49.50. 

         Lady Antebellum tours are now starting to sell out everywhere, for the third sold-out stop in a row to end their Own The Night tour Lady A played at the opera house in Sydney Australia on October 3rd. They filmed the tour and are planing on releasing it this Dec. but the band shows no signs of slowing down as they have already booked many shows next year two of which have already sold-out. The band wide spread success comes from their willingness to sound a little pop and break from the traditional mold of modern day country. As the band continues to be successful and is still willing to go for a pop-country sound that many audiences around the world can enjoy they will still be able to sell-out major venues across the globe.

Lady Antebellum, "Tour".http://ladyantebellum.com/tour. Accessed (Oct. 31)

Las Angeles Times, "Live: Keith Urban at the Staples Center". http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/21/entertainment/et-keith-urban21

Orange County Register, "Live review: Lady Antebellum comfy, convincing in first headlining Staples Center show". http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2012/03/28/live-review-lady-antebellum-convincing-comfy-in-first-headlining-staples-center-show/91648/

Staples center, "Staples Center Event. : Lady Antebellum". http://staplescenter.com/events/event-detail/3009. Accessed (Oct. 31)

ZBB Blog 2

Zac Brown band is still very active today. He has eleven shows scheduled between now and December  31. What is most interesting to me is the locations of these shows. They range from the south like Georgia and Alabama all the way to Michigan and California. I think this really goes to show his range in fans. He has a lot of pull with college aged and 20 something year olds, which is a great fan base to have. This fan base is so beneficial because they are willing to go to concerts more than most and you can find colleges anywhere in the country. He also works with his fan base buy having different types of shows. Looking at his upcoming shows some , like the one at Madison Square Garden in NY, are $100 dollars and some are much smaller venues and are only $25. I think this is important because he allows people to chose what kind of show they want to see from him.
         When I saw them live it was a much smaller venue than MSG. It was only about 250 people and all around college age. It was a much smaller show and I feel like that really allowed him to show his personality. At one point during the concert he asked everyone to quite down for the next song, and he sang it without the mic. He had a great stage presence even without the mic, I was in the middle of the crowd and could hear him very well. His voice was so full, even without the mic, that it seemed like he never needed it in the first place. I was not a very big fan of his when I saw him live but most of the audience clearly was. He would sometimes stop singing for the chorus and let the crowd take over. It was a really great vibe from the crowd and him, he kind of fed off how excited the crowd was. At one point he even took a joint when someone held it up to him in the first row and took a pull from it before handing it back. It was funny to me watching it happen and the crowd loved it and went nuts. It was weird to me because I have been to much bigger concerts but his really seemed much more personal. While the particular concert that I went to was like that there are plenty of his shows that aren't quite like that. He has much larger shows where you see him talk to the crowd here and there. Maybe ask how everyones doing, very typical stuff like that. I think in order to really get the full experience you have to see him at a small venue.
           Zac's band plays shows in so many different venues. He's been at the Grand Ole Opry to preform Chicken Fried, where we see him not really say anything to the crowd just let his music speak. He even goes on a fairly long jam session on the stage were they are just playing, which isn't in the original song. He has also done shows at the House of Blues in New Orleans, the Letterman Show, and the Country Music Awards. In these shows we see really great light shows as well. It really helps the intensity of the show with the great work they did on the lights. The show I went to was during the day and was not lit at all. It had a much more raw feel in both sound and look. He also did a fully unplugged show which I think is pretty interesting. It shows his talent and how his music sound in a different format. I think it also shows his versatility in sound which is good for an artist.
           Another thing that stuck out to me about Zac Brown Band was there way of dressing. Zac Brown is almost always wearing a beanie, plain shirt or button down, boots, and jeans. A look thats a little different from most country musicians because of the hat. Instead of the very typical cowboy hat he is always seen wearing this beanie and having a big full beard. When I saw him it was a really hot August day and he was still there in a beanie and unshaved. His band itself varies they wear all sorts of outfits. Some wear outfits similar to Zac while others can be seen wearing a cowboy looking shirt or even a blazer and fedora. I think it helps connect them to their fans as well. They dress pretty typical of young adults, nothing too out of the normal most of the time. They have a way of not looking like a country band at all. Personally looking at them they look like an alternative or rock band, not so much country.

Willie Nelson

 Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson, 79, has had a long career as a singer, songwriter, actor, author and activist. With his long pigtails, once red but now mostly gray, and trademark bandanna, he’s an iconic (and controversial) figure in America’s musical history. As was one of the ringleaders of the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, which also included Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, Nelson puts on a concert that is timeless. His songs are rooted in real-life experiences and mixed with blues, jazz, gospel and Texas dust. He perceived by many as a troublemaker, having been in trouble for not paying taxes along with embracing his reputation as a notorious (and unapologetic) pot smoker, with arguably more possession charges than any public figure. As a live performer Nelson isn’t like other artists. He doesn’t just play a bunch of songs from his latest album. Instead, he puts on a show like he’s sitting around the house with friends, playing around on his guitar, which I think is what really makes him authentic.

Whiskey River – Live at Austin City Limits 1974

Austin City Limits, for those who are unfamiliar, is a televised music program recorded live in Austen, Texas by PBS. The show helped Austin to become widely known as the live music capitol of the world. But, there would be no Austin City Limits were it not for Willie Nelson. He started it all in 1974, performing on the original pilot episode, and has been a large part of ACL history ever since. In the episode, he opens with his famous song “Whiskey River,” which is most often the song he begins his performances with. His demeanor is laid back, his voice is smooth, and his appearance screams more “hippie” than “I grew up in the suburbs but I dress like a cowboy” which is my favorite thing about him. Nelson does not change his musical style, clothes, or attitude to gain the audiences’ stamp of approval; he is just a pot smoking music-lover and he always will be. His sincerity made this performance really easy to watch and enjoyable, rather than other country performers who try to replicate their own ideas of how a country artist should be and it just feels forced. In this performance, Nelson is just having a good time, sharing his music with the audience, without a care in the world.

Free Press Summer Fest in Houston on June 3rd, 2012.

Roll me up and smoke me when I die

Willie comes out and introduces his new “gospel” song that he is going to sing called “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.” Once again, the performance is laid back and fun for Willie as well as the audience because it is clear that Willie is just being himself and embracing his reputation as a pot-smoking hippie. Although this performance takes place 38 years after his appearance on the pilot episode of Austin City Limits, his carefree attitude is just as contagious as it was decades ago. Every time Nelson sings the words “roll me up and smoke me when I die,” the crowd cheers in a somewhat supportive way; almost as if Willie is speaking for them, being blunt and unapologetic for being himself in a way most people are afraid to be.

Even as he approaches 80, Willie continues to give his all to his fans and tours approximately 150-200 times a year. Although many people criticize the strength of his performances as he grows older, I think there is something to be said that he is still doing what he loves to do at his age, which is making the world a better place through music and his activism.

Nelson’s concert tickets these days can cost anywhere from 100-300 dollars, depending on the venue and seating. He is very well known for playing at music festivals such as jazz fest in New Orleans in 2011, which is comprised of a pretty diverse audience. However Nelson’s die-hard fans are often people that embrace Nelson as a person, including his care-free attitude and positive outlook. It could also be argued that many of his fans share his love of music, life, and (lets be honest) marijuana.

Chickoholics

The Dixie Chicks Live

"The absolute best concert I EVER went to...I was just thinking about it today, years later and how amazing the experience was. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see them live again."

"I can honestly say, the Dixie chicks were amongst my most memorable [concerts]. A definite MUST see!!!!! (please go on tour again chicks...PLEASE!!!)"

"What can you say about a show that not only meets but exceeds your expectations? I liked the Chicks coming in, I LOVED them going out. "    

                               (2006 Fan Reviews from Ticketmaster.com)

From Fan Photo Site

The Chicks early performing days in 2000: 

                   Emily, Natalie, and Martie

        The Dixie Chicks had their first headlining tour in 2000 and it was huge. It came right after releasing their first two major albums with Sony, Wide Open Spaces and Fly, which together had skyrocketed these three cute, young blondes with perhaps surprising musical prowess to superstardom. Originally scheduled from June to October, 15 dates were added to take the Fly Tour into December. The group was playing arenas, stadiums, domes, and other impresivlely large venues.

(Music Blog)

The FLY TOUR made Pollstar's Top 10 Tours of 2000

1. Tina Turner: $80.2 million
2. 'NSYNC: $76.4 million
3. Dave Matthews Band: $68.2 million
4. Kiss: $62.7 million
5. Tim McGraw/Faith Hill: $48.8 million
6. Dixie Chicks: $47.3 million
7. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: $45.9 million
8. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: $42.1 million
9. Metallica: $42 million
10. Britney Spears: $40.5 million
                                                                                                  (Dixie Chicks Henhouse)

(From ebay)

Ticket prices for the Fly Tour ranged near this price of $37.50

        As you can clearly see from the above pictures and from the videos of their performances below, the Dixie Chicks had quite an image. They clearly were very into their rather wild hair and makeup, as well as bright colors and lots of pink, metallics, showing midriff... 

Says [Natalie] Maines: "There's three blondes who like hair and makeup and clothes, and unless you know the history -- that the band started 10 years ago and this configuration's been together for 4 years and all that -- it looks like it's just Nashville trying to make a country Spice Girls." - Entertainment Weekly, July 1999

Although their style might be seen today as horribly tacky and over the top, we have to remember that this was really just what was hip at the time. The Spice Girls, who were hugely popular simultaneously, were dressing similarly. It is important to note, however, that the Dixie Chicks' style continued to change with the time and as they grew older.

The Dixie Chicks perform "Wide Open Spaces" in Shepherd's Bush Empire, London in June 1999

       "Wide Open Spaces" is the title track from the band's first major album. This is one of the earliest live performances of the Dixie Chicks available. Even early in their career, the Chicks had amazing performing ability and great stage presence. Near the beginning of this performance, you hear Natalie tell the audience to "Sing it!" as they were starting to sing along already. This video shows how diverse their audience was in England. This is not an enormous venue, but it is packed with girls - and guys. Surprise? As one Youtube comment on this post mentions, it is "such a relatable song, even for a guy." - jvjames1

       In the late 90s and early 2000s, even too-hip-for-country teens were getting into the act. A growing legion of adolescent female fans prompted some to dub the Chicks the Spice Girls of country. Girls wore Chicks Rule T-shirts and carried "I Want to Be a Dixie Chick" signs (People 1998). Young girls obviously made up the majority of the original fan base for the Dixie Chicks.

                              

(From Fan Site)

Cover of Country Weekly referencing their song "Goodbye Earl"

     

       "Goodbye Earl," which spun the tale of an abusive husband who died at the hands of his vengeful wife, was another of the Chicks' smash hits. Although the lyrics owed a good deal to black comedy, "Goodbye Earl" (as well as another song from their Fly album, "Sin Wagon," whose lyrics touched upon Natalie's desire to "do a little mattress dancing") proved that the Dixie Chicks didn't always adhere to the conservative ideals of their country fan base.

The Dixie Chicks perform "Goodbye Earl" Live on their 2000 Fly Tour

        From this performance of "Goodbye Earl", one of my personal favorite songs, you really get a sense of how enormous the Dixie Chicks were. They are completely surrounded by screaming fans jumping up and down. Fans are shown to be young and older, female and male too. The audience, as encouraged, is participating heartily by singing along loudly, dancing, and clapping along. Absolutely everyone seems to be having a great time - the audience a well as the Dixie Chicks themselves. I love how Emily, on banjo, even sings along to the song when she is not miked.

(Dixie Chicks Henhouse)

       The Dixie Chicks' biggest tour was the Top of the World Tour in 2003. The Dixie Chicks sold $38.6 million worth of albums and an additional $62.2 million in concert tickets, setting a record by selling nearly 800,000 tickets in one day. The Top Of The World tour was the most lucrative country tour up to 2003. They finished 5th on Billboard's top concert tours for 2003. The Chicks also made the 2003 Ultimate Top 10 list, which combines album and concert ticket sales to show which artists U.S. pop fans spent the most money on.   (Dixie Chicks Henhouse)

Chicks On Ultimate 10 List

For Top of the World Tour 

1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, $132.8 million.
2. 50 Cent, $125 million.
3. Celine Dion, $119.5 million.
4. Toby Keith, $106.6 million.
5. Dixie Chicks, $100.8 million.
6. Cher, $99.4 million.
7. Fleetwood Mac, $92.4 million.
8. The Eagles, $88.8 million.
9. Simon & Garfunkel, $76.2 million.
10. Norah Jones, $74.9 million.
                                                                (Dixie Chicks Henhouse)

(from Fan Forum)

The Chicks perform at their 2006 Accidents and Accusations Tour

     

        The Chicks' last headlining tour was Accidents and Accusations in 2006. According to Billboard's Boxscores, the 44 shows in 4 countries grossed a total of  $28,740,272. The ticket prices ranged from $39.50 - $95. They played major venues, with attendance at 443,102 of capacity 459,403 (Dixie Chicks Henhouse). This tour was after Natalie's comment about President Bush and the backlash the band received. Clearly the audience attending this tour were the true fans who kept their allegiance to the Dixie Chicks.  

"It was an unforgettable evening with the Chicks! I remember it was only days after the "Bush" comment made by Natalie Maines. This was important, because the 'incident ' played a large role in the feel of the atmosphere in that arena. All that attended were die hard Chicks fans, cause if you weren't you wouldn't be caught dead there." 

- Camden, NJ, Susquehanna Bank Center (Ticketmaster)

       The Chicks' last tour was with the Eagles and Keith Urban in 2010, with only six dates. Although the Dixie Chicks are not currently touring, their diehard fans can follow them through social media like Facebook and Twitter. I actually subscribe to the Dixie Chicks page on Facebook and enjoy the "Friday Feature" song that is posted weekly.

Live with Luke

Luke Bryan is a definite must-see performance for country music fans especially the ladies. Luke Bryan is pleasing to the eye and knows how to flaunt it.  Every time Luke Bryan steps onto stage, he has on tight-fitting jeans, a colored t-shirt, and a baseball cap. One song Bryan always performs at his shows is “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” In this song, Bryan points specifically to the ladies to “shake it”, and at the same time, shows the audience his dance moves. 

YouTube: Luke Bryan Live Video- St. Louis

Luke Bryan shakes it for the audience continuously throughout his concerts. Luke Bryan toured with Jason Aldean last year. However, throughout October, Luke Bryan hit many arenas on his own for his Farm Tour. Luke Bryan is becoming more and more popular as days go by. Next year, Luke Bryan will lead a tour for the first time with Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line for his Dirt Road Diaries Tour. The ticket prices for his 2013 tour range from about $35.00 to $65.00 (ticketmaster) Whether you sit in the nosebleeds or on the floor, Luke Bryan acknowledges everyone in the crowd. 

Luke Bryan is a character who jokes around with his audience and always has a smile on his face. However, there are some moments after all the joking around, he sings his heart out in “Do I.” At almost every concert, Luke Bryan performs "Do I" because "Do I" was the song in the beginning of his career that made his popularity increase. 

YouTube: Luke Bryan's "Do I" Live with an Adele Cover 

In this performance, Bryan covers Adele’s “Someone Like You.” This is a good example of his open and funny personality, but then he turns serious when starting to sing his love song, “Do I.” 

These two live performances contrast each other. In the first and second performance, the audience sees Luke Bryan’s fun and friendly personality by dancing and covering Adele's song. In the second performance, Luke Bryan sits down and plays the piano and shows the audience his sensitive side while singing one of his first hits “Do I.” In 2011, I attended a Luke Bryan concert. Luke Bryan sat down at the piano, just as he does in this video, and covered Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" and Adele's "Someone Like You" before singing his hit "Do I." Luke Bryan consistently interacted with the crowd by talking about Justin Bieber and Adele and letting the crowd know his favorite parts or when he though he was going to "screw up."

Luke Bryan interacts with his audience before, during, and after the show. There are many contests a country music fan can win to meet Luke Bryan and even get a chance to be on stage with him. During his shows, Bryan gets the audience to sing along with him. Bryan moves around a lot and touches hands with many of his fans. Luke Bryan thanks the crowd for being at a concert as well as continuing to buy and listen to his music. During a Luke Bryan concert, the audience gets to see the fun, friendly side as well as the soft, sensitive side of the artist. Getting a chance to experience a Luke Bryan concert is a experience like no other. Luke Bryan makes a person feel special and not just one of thousands in an arena.