The Big Apple Goes Country with First-Ever Farmborough Festival
CountryMusicIsLove sent CMIL contributor Ryan Miller to attend the first day of the Inaugural Farmborough Festival in New York City on Friday (6/26). The following is his report from the star-studded show…
On Friday, New York City welcomed country music with open arms as the first-ever Farmborough Festival kicked off on Randall’s Island. We were greeted by Brian O’Connell, the President of Country Touring at Live Nation, a few hours before the gates opened, and he told us that he was so proud to bring this event to the Big Apple. He told us that the Festival got its name from the last working farm in the New York City area. He then showed us around the festival grounds, which included two stages, countless food vendors, amusement park rides, and even a Malibu Rum Tiki Bar constructed conveniently between both stages. O’Connell explained that he recruited people who have worked at the Governor’s Ball, a non-country music festival that runs yearly on Randall’s Island, and added his own “hillbilly touch” to make up the three day event that was about to take place.
The biggest predicament of the day was for fans to decide which of the two stages to go to. The main stage featured Canaan Smith, RaeLynn, Maddie & Tae, Joe Nichols, Kip Moore and Dierks Bentley, with Dee Jay Silver spinning tunes between each artist’s set. Then there was the “Next From Nashville” stage, which featured Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, The Cadillac Three,Tucker Beathard, Courtney Cole and Leanne Weiss. Brian O’Connell told us he hand-selected these artists because he believes they are future stars.
At approximately 3:00 pm, the festival launched with a spirited set from newcomer Canaan Smith. He got the fans who arrived early into the party mood with his songs about trucks, love, and beer.
After Smith’s set, I caught up with one of the “Next from Nashville” artists, Chris Stapleton, where he discussed about his new album, Traveller. He told me that he has been writing songs for that album since he was teenager and that songs like “Fire Away” and “Might As Well Get Stoned” were at least fourteen years old. He said that making this album was the best musical experience he ever had and that the process was wholesome and organic. His set was nothing short of that, as he truly wowed fans, many of which had never heard of his solo work before. Chris’ bombastic voice soared in the New York City evening alongside his wife, Morgane, who sang background vocals. Dee Jay Silver left the main stage to come watch Chris and told me “if he (Stapleton) had made this album thirty years ago people would still be talking about it today as a classic.”
The ladies were well represented as well as Raelynn and Maddie & Tae both brought out their hits, which were well received. Both female acts showed fans that country music is not just a man’s game these days. Maddie & Tae were especially interactive with the crowd.
Joe Nichols’ set turned into many sing-a-longs to classics such as “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” and “Yeah.” He even did a countrified version of “Baby That Got Back,” which was oddly a crowd pleaser.
I caught up with Kip Moore before he hit the main stage where he opened up about his new album, Wild Ones, set to be released on August 21st. He told me he was really excited about the album as it has a gritty and organic feel to it that much more represents who he is that his first album. He spoke about how he always had to work so hard for things that have been handed so easily to other people, and that’s why he feels so excited about the song “Comeback Kid,” which he co-wrote with Erik Dylan, Jeff Hyde, and Ross Copperman. He said each of the co-writers have a different meaning behind the song and that it’s one that will really resonate with people, not just here in America, but around the world. He revealed that title track is a song he can’t wait for people to hear because the intro is very stripped down with a killer drum tone and that he thinks fans are going to flip when they hear what he has coming. And that’s exactly what they did during his hour long set. He kicked things off with that very song and it was everything he told us it was. He combined hits and tracks from his first album with previews of what’s to come on Wild Ones and even threw in two covers, “Free Falling” by Tom Petty and Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle.” Kip was smiling throughout and even showcased some dance moves as he told the crowd he feels like the northeast has truly embraced him. The raspy singer, who has been dubbed the Springsteen of Country Music stripped things down from his otherwise high octane set to sing “Hey Pretty Girl” mashed up with “Stand By Me,” which got one of the biggest ovations of the entire night.
The night cap was truly a spectacle to be seen, as Dierks Bentley took the stage and put forth an aspiring and active set, chock-full of hits from his impressive career. Dierks worked every inch of the stage and catwalk as platforms rose and pyrotechnics went throughout his performance. Whether he was partying to “Sideways” or “Am I The Only One” or stripped down to “Riser” or “Home,” Bentley had the NYC crowd in the palm of his hand. He stated the first time he played here was in 2005 at B.B. King’s Club for maybe 300 people. However, this night, the festival grounds were packed with fans who knew every single word the star enunciated. The final song, “Drunk On A Plane” turned Randall’s Island into a scene you would ordinarily see at a rave as everyone was jumping up and down in unison. All in all, the first night of the first ever Farmborough Festival, not only went on without a hitch, but it was truly a night to remember.
