| Country Music Holidays |
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COUNTRY MUSIC & MORE! 15 Hopton Gardens, Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk NR31 9DF Telephone: 01502 732040 E-mail: mick@countrymusicandmore.co.uk Check us out on the web at: www.countrymusicandmore.co.uk
All American
trips in conjunction with
COUNTRY
THUNDER ARIZONA: Mick’s Favourite: Reason? I love the weather in Arizona at this time of year—hot without being too sticky. There is the opportunity to see plenty of country music at all levels—from clubs to major festival. Itinerary: Thursday, April 10th: Fly to Fort Worth. We stay at Hyatt Hotel (formerly AmeriSuites) in Stockyards for four nights with continental breakfast included. Evening free. Friday 11th/Saturday 12th: Most things are within walking distance including Billy Bobs’, White Elephant and all the other clubs so we have not organised anything. You might want to take a train ride, visit Ernest Tubb’s record shop where they have live country on a Saturday afternoon or get a bus to downtown Fort Worth. Sunday 13th: We’ll arrange a shopping trip to Walmart’s and take you to the Stagecoach Ballroom in the evening. Monday 14th: Fly to Tucson where we think you’ll appreciate a free evening to unwind. Tuesday 15th: Visit Tombstone “the town that refused to die” during day and whilst there you can see a re-enactment of the fight at the Okay Corral if you pay. Visit the Mavericks Club for live country music in evening. This club has proved to be very popular over the years. Wednesday 16th: Visit the famous Old Tucson Film Studios in day and in the evening we’ll try to find more country music. Thursday 17th: Drive to Superstition Springs where we will stay for four nights for the period of Country Thunder. There are 500 shops within walking distance of our hotel, which has a swimming pool, so there are things to do if you don’t want spend 12 hours a day at Thunder. Free breakfast is provided. In the afternoon we take you to Country Thunder for some of the top names in country music—we will be a VIPs. All your meals are included, beer is very cheap, cocktails at special rates, water and soft drinks free and there is so much more going on and you’ll have your own seat in the area in front of the stage. Thunder now has two main stages so changeovers are kept to a minimum. Friday 18th/Saturday 19th/Sunday 20th: Over these days we’ll run the bus up and down at least twice a day. This is the most popular event we attend. They do not announce the line-up until about three months before but over the past few years we have seen so many stars at this event. Some are: Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Travis Tritt, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Joe Nichols, Gary Allan plus so many more of the modern country music stars. There are at least three other stages where live country music is presented.
Monday 21st: Fly
home arrive Tuesday morning. Please note that Thunder has altered the days it is running so we have had to reverse the order of this tour. The info and dates given here are now correct. OPTION 1: We are suggesting that you fly to San Antonio because FIESTA will be taking place. This runs from 20th until end of the month and the whole city is absolutely buzzing. There are street parties everywhere and it is the city’s most popular time of the year. Hotels are at a premium so let us know early. OPTION 2: Fly to Las Vegas for as many days as you like. OPTION 3: Fly to Nashville BEFORE tour for a few days.
This tour definitely goes as we already have 49
people booked Click here to go to booking form.
Review of 2004 Country Thunder THE official attendance figures were not out at the time of writing but it is estimated that in excess of 140,000 people attended Country Thunder over the four days this April—making it one of the biggest country music events in the States. The event has been taking place for 11 years and I have been taking groups for the past seven and this year there were 56 of us and about a dozen of those had attended the year before so they must have liked it. It used to take place nearer Phoenix, in Arizona, but last year moved a few miles east to Florence—which is probably most famous for it’s prison! More than 20,000 people camp on site for the four days but the majority drive in each day and there are various price structures. We always get our members VIP which means they get a seat near the front, free meals, free soft drinks and water, greatly reduced beer prices, and a hospitality area which is covered—a blessing when it gets hot. Weather this year was very dry with day temperatures between 85 and 95 degrees each day—but it can get cold at night. As well as main stage there are two other stages with alternative acts and where fans can dance plus a whole host of stalls selling virtually everything you can imagine. The music on the main stage goes on for virtually 12 hours on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday so we run our bus up and down to the hotel a couple of times so members can decide how long they want to be there. On the Thursday we only went once planning to arrive about 4.30 pm. We did arrive about that time but only outside the ranch where it was held and the first day attendance was well above what was anticipated. Last year they drew about 20,000 this year they topped 30,000. This was because the three evening acts all were currently enjoying Top 20 country hits. This was great for the organisers but meant that, with all the campers trying to arrive at the same time it was a long wait to get in and register and this caused problems for everyone including our tour. We totally missed Shevy Smith and many of us also missed Blue Country who are a dishy couple of guys and are currently having their first hit with a song called “Good Little Girls”. It could be argued that Trace Adkins who followed, is the biggest act in country music at present—well he is 6ft. 6in! The ladies go mad at his deep voice and his current hit is “Hot Mama” and he also previewed a couple from his next album and judging by the reaction these will also score. I was disappointed with his show because he did not include that many of his early hits which I like—but he got a justifiable encore when he closed. The star of the night undoubtedly was Gary Allan. Gary supplied a superb show and it was the best show I have ever seen from him. The place was alive and the crowd certainly thought he was an “Alright Guy” and didn’t want him to “Runaway” which he closed with and it was obvious that even the “Tough Little Boys” as well as the ladies in the audience loved him even though we were all in the open and he sang “Songs About Rain”—his current big hit. When you think about it rain would have been welcome because it would have kept the dust down. If getting in was difficult getting out after the show was a nightmare. A Brit songwriter wrote about “Truck In A Ditch” some years ago and that is exactly what happened! With the emergency services trying to sort it out it was getting on for three hours before we moved! I must say that every other day entering and leaving was never a problem and we were all in our beds an hour after the main show finished. But accidents, sadly, do happen. Most of us took the first trip down on Friday in time for lunch and then to see Cledus T. Judd sing his parodies of country hits. I, for one, was surprised by how much I enjoyed this segment. Being a male I also enjoyed watching Cowboy Crush who followed—four women and one lucky guy. Probably their music was a tad too modern for my choice but this was music for a young crowd. They were followed by Rodney Atkins who recently shot into the charts with the title track of his album Honesty—I cannot really make a comment about too much of his show because I was called away for an interview. Luckily I was back in time to see Phil Vassar who was one of the hits of the whole festival for me. I’ve seen him before and knew he was a great showman but he really turned it on this time—dashing around and getting up on the piano. Great though the show biz bit is, it is the songwriting that really lifts him apart and for many it really was “Just Another Day In Paradise”. He also included many songs that he had written that were hits for others and he got a standing ovation when he finally closed with “Bye Bye Baby”. If he closed with a standing ovation then Neal McCoy opened with one. In fact he had more people on their feet when he came on stage than any other act got at the end! You must remember that this really is a huge open-air country party therefore great concert acts struggle to do as well. Neal is not really a country act, he does not have a list of great country songs he has made his own and there are others who have better country voices but I have never seen a more entertaining act ever. This man knows how to whip up an audience into a frenzy. We were on stage to watch this one show and could see the audience reaction. He only had to “Wink” and the whole audience would “Shake”. He did his “Hillbilly Rap” and it seemed 40,000-plus voices were sing “day-oh, day-oh” as he climbed up the rigging at the side of the stage and sang to them holding on with one hand. He did bring them down now and again, only to wind them up once more and the crowd had not even had enough when he said “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”. Really, to be fair to the other acts, this guy should close the night or festival. But the headline star of the whole event was officially Reba McEntire and she has a great repertoire of songs and a good stage presence. She and had good band did well and the crowd really appreciated her but it did not have the high of what had gone before. I think it’s not a question of “Whoever’s In New England” but of whoever follows McCoy. But I nit pick because with all her hits it was a great close to the night. When we returned the following day it was to see the winner of the Young Guns competition that had been run pre-Thunder. This was won by Texas lady Laurie Hayes who I thought was superb! I hope she won’t mind me saying she is not so young, especially compared to the 15-year-old who came second. She has been married 15 years and has children but she also has a great set on tonsils. The biggest compliment I can give her is that she sang “Independence Day” and more than gave Martina McBride a run for her money. Obviously this lady is unknown to Brit fans but Boomer McClennan is now a regular visitor here and he left main stage and came and sang amongst he audience and did one song right in front of where the Brit crowd were seated—a good showman with a nice delivery. Local fave Harry Luge (who also ran the alternative Miller Stage) got his regular main stage spot and once again whipped up a storm and filled the front area by asking all those in general seating to come forward. Whilst on stage he threw various goodies to the audience. One of our young ladies snatched a small pair of thongs from the air but let us down by refusing to put them on and model them for us! Because of the problems of the first day the organisers bent over backwards to supply some extras to make up and one of these was a back stage pass for us Brits and this involved us with a meet and greet with the Honky Tonk Tailgate Party who were to appear next so everyone had a photograph and a handshake with the four stars. We also saw the TV production area—this event is so big it goes out on national as well as local TV and specialist country channels like CMT. They use the same band and their segment was opened by David Kersh who included “If I Never Stop Loving You” before handing over to Chad Brock who included his hits with “She Said Yes” probably getting the biggest applause. Daryle Singletary’s George Jones-type voice drove the ladies wild and as he explained “That’s Why I Sing This Way” finally the member of this quartet who has probably had the most success songwise is Rhett Akins and his section fairly romped along and he’s had 10 years since his first big hit “That Ain’t My Truck” and I think although he says “Don’t Get Me Started” he’s been known to declare “I Brake For Brunettes” and he’d at least slow down for blondes and redheads! Because they have to share the time on stage this makes for a show full of popular songs from the artists concerned and I recommend you to catch them if you get a chance. It had been above 95 degrees in the daytime but it quickly cooled down during the evening and most of us had sweats on by the time ex-rodeo champion Chris LeDoux appeared—he is another favourite here. He had always combined music with rodeo but “Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy” when his rodeo days are past? Chris decided that “Even Cowboys Like A Little Rock And Roll” so this Capitol recording artist now makes his living out of live shows—and they are different. For a start he has TWO drummers (one is his son) and his performances also uses lots of pyrotechnics—so they’re sure to go with a bang! He had a kidney transplant a couple of years ago but he proved he’s “Tougher Than The Rest” with his high-energy show. Under these “Western Skies” he got a great reaction as he stood there under “This Cowboy Hat”. Neal may have stole the festival, Reba might have been the big attraction but for me, and many of our party, Travis Tritt was the main man. I think his show has everything from right in-your-face hard-driving songs to tender ballads. He took us to his “Country Club” and then “Put Some Drive In Your Country” and it was all done with the “Best Of Intentions”. I guess it was a case of “The Whiskey Ain’t Working” because the temperature had really plummeted and it was freezing. In fact, you had to be “Ten Foot Tall And Bullet Proof” to sit out in the open but that’s the “TROUBLE” when the shows go on late. You can “Tell Me I Was Dreaming” but I know I was there with 40,000-plus other fans and this was DEFINITELY the highlight of my whole tip to America this time—and the reason Travis is on our cover. There were other acts before I got there on the final day but we arrived in good time to see Trick Pony. It was only a couple of years ago they appeared in one of the beer tents—what a difference! They are a complete band with a great act. Although they have other musicians with them the trio are Heidi (above), Keith and Ira. They all can take lead vocals and supply a lot of their own material. They are very visual with Heidi’s good looks and the other two moving energetically around the stage to good effect. The harmonica is featured along with electric and upright bass plus rhythm guitar and they have a good programme. They may sing “Pour Me” but will never be “poor” if they can keep on turning out shows like this. I was impressed. Etta May is a comedienne who has a nice line in putting herself, her family and lifestyle down and she appeared before Montgomery Gentry. Over the last few years they have gone very big—even collecting Duo Of Year. Of all the acts that appeared at the event they were the highest in the charts at the time with “If You Ever Stop Loving Me” and they opened up very strong with songs like “She Couldn’t Change Me”—and I would say that’s a pity because something needed to be changed. I say this because this was definitely a rock mix to the music with the vocals too far back so you couldn’t hear the lyrics. They were the biggest disappointment of the whole four days as far as I was concerned and they definitely did not go down well in “My Town”. I don’t mind my country high-energy and rocky but I do like to be able to hear the lyrics. Most Brit fans would not really know Sawyer Brown who came to the top of the country scene via success on an American TV talent show years ago but because they can deliver live they are an in demand band for live festivals—and they closed this year’s Thunder in style. Lead singer Mark is like a demented dervish as he prances around the stage—like a Mick Jagger on speed! They say some girls don’t like boys like us but “Some Girls Do”—well, so do a lot of guys. Again I have my doubts if Brit fans would think of them as totally country but they cover songs such as “The Race Is On” and the more I see them the more I like them. They do “The Walk” and they talk the talk and you don’t last “All These Years”—20 in fact—unless you’re something special and this crowd certainly said “Thank God For You”. Conclusion: Country Thunder seems to have settled nicely into it’s new Florence home. There were more people this year and that argues good for the future. With so much going on I’ve only been able to scratch the surface. Because of my age, I did say this would be the last time I’d take a group to this event but I’m already planning for 2008 and that shows how much I enjoyed it. By MICK GREEN
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