Kip Moore, Cam & More Bring the Party to Pandora Country Concert
An impressive night of music, Pandora's second annual Pandora Country concert was a memorable way to begin CMA Fest.
Hundreds of country music fans lined the block outside Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tenn. last night (June 7) for their chance to see a free show from Kip Moore, Tyler Farr, Cam and Brent Cobb as part of Pandora’s country showcase. The nearly four hour concert was one of several events that served as a kickoff party for the 2016 CMA Fest.
Hosted by Clare Bowen from Nashville, Pandora Country was a versatile night of music. Songwriter Brent Cobb began the evening’s festivities with an impressive 15 minute set that showcased his vivid storytelling and powerful vocals on songs like “Down Home,” which was featured on his cousin Dave Cobb’s recent release Southern Family.
“I’m a songwriter-singer, not a singer-songwriter,” Cobb told the crowd halfway through his set. “I sing like a songwriter. Keep that in mind.”
While Cobb has had cuts by Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and David Nail, among others, his set put him in the spotlight where his talents shine just as brightly as their star power.
Cam followed Cobb’s set with a 35-minute performance that spanned her debut album, Untamed. Donned in a red dress with yellow flowers, the singer’s diverse set included the banjo-driven “Untamed,” poignant “Half Broke Heart” and fast-paced “Runaway Train,” where she told the crowd, “if you feel like moshing, go for it.”
“Welcome to the great city of Nashville!” she said two songs into her set. “Country music fans are the nicest people.”
Later, she’d urge those fans to pull out their phones to light up the room while she performed a moving version of “Burning House.”
The most spirited performance of the night was Kip Moore, who demanded the crowd to get off their phones and pay attention during his 45-minute show.
“We’re gonna do something unusual right now,” he said while singing “Hey Pretty Girl.” He then grabbed a fan’s phone in the front row. “Put that s–t down for a little bit. I’m five feet in front of you singing to you and you’re watching me through your phone screen.”
He finished the song by singing directly at her much to the enjoyment of the audience, who screamed in approval. Highlights of his guitar-driven set included a spirited cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” fan favorite “Backseat” and his first No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” where he jumped into the crowd as they sang along word for word.
Moore ended his set with “That Was Us,” a song he said is his favorite off 2015’s Wild Ones. He also promised fans that new music is on the way as well as a Nashville headlining gig.
“There’s a big announcement coming in the next couple days,” he teased. “We’re going to be doing a headlining show in Nashville real soon and I hope all of you guys come.”
Tyler Farr closed the night of music, marking one of his first concerts since undergoing vocal surgery earlier this year. His set included the riff heavy “C.O.U.N.T.R.Y.” as well as previous singles “Redneck Crazy,” “Whiskey In My Water” and “A Guy Walks Into a Bar.”
“Welcome to CMA Fest y’all! Thank you country music fans for loving country,” he said.
While his guitar driven songs had the crowd energized, it was his ballads that captivated like the heartbreaking “Hello Goodbye” and emotional “Withdrawals,” both of which had his vocals soar and reverberate throughout the venue.
An impressive night of music, Pandora’s second annual Pandora Country concert was a memorable way to begin CMA Fest.
