Category Archives: Concerts

Thunder On The Mountain-Day 2

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Thunder On The Mountain – Day 2 – Through The Eyes Of HaleighT. After some eggs and bacon bright and early, I showered and cleaned up and was ready for day two of Thunder On The Mountain! I was really excited to try EVERYTHING that Thunder had to offer, but unfortunately, because of the storms the previous week, there was no Ferris wheel. However the water-slide was set up and ready to go. I gave it some good thought and decided it just wasn’t hot enough for me to cross that off of my TOTM bucket list (there’s always next year). The Music. The music started early again and I made my way throughout the grounds to catch as many shows as I could. I started out with Woodshed at the George’s Majestic Backwoods Stage. I then split my time between Kelly Road, Kevin Fowler and Aaron Watson. I caught the first half of Kristen Kelly and the last half of Reckless Kelly. I really enjoyed RK’s set, especially because Cody Canada joined the guys. It’s always fun to see a long friendship like those guys have, play out on stage. Easton Corbin really impressed me. I loved his latest album and it was fun to see some of those songs live. After participating in a press conference earlier in the day for Sunny Ledford, I had to catch his show. It was a good time…he’s fun on stage and honestly does not care what anyone thinks of him. I must also add that the crowd for that show was interesting, but fun. After Sunny, I had a quick dinner and caught the second half of Montgomery Gentry. The night really got started when Luke Bryan hit the stage, I was with all my friends and we danced and danced while Luke shook his stuff on stage. Anyone who has ever been to one of his shows knows the crazy amount of energy he has and how contagious it can be! After Luke a small group of us decided to head to the Hideout, which was the dance club/karaoke part of TOTM. It was fun to watch people, but sadly for us we didn’t get to get on stage. The list of people wanting to sing was extremely long and if I would have known I would have signed up earlier in the day…because I’m all about some karaoke! For the second night in a row, I went to bed in the early hours of the morning. But again, I was up bright and early for the final day of TOTM!

Thunder On The Mountain-Day 1

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Thunder On The Mountain – Day 1 – Through The Eyes Of HaleighT. It is hard to believe that after months of preparation and exited jitters, the first-ever Thunder On The Mountain is behind us. After the three days of non-stop music, I find myself still trying to recover from my sleep deprivation and the loss of my voice. My fun filled work-cation began Wednesday night, June 7. I drove through the beautiful Mulberry Mountains and arrived at the festival grounds to check in and get my media credentials. I then drove to Ozark and had supper at Rivertowne BBQ, the smoked bologna with baked beans was to die! While eating, my partner in crime for the weekend, Melissa and I made some new friends. They were a group, I believe from Iowa, who had floated the river all day and would also be attending TOTM. Campground Set Up. The next morning was a bit of a hectic one, not for me but for those campers who decided to be at the festival gates when they opened at 6am. My cousin, Amme, rolled into the area with her fiancé and a group of friends around 4am. They had eight trucks and 11 campsites between them, over 20 people in their own little village. To say this group came prepared and ready to party is an understatement! Their headquarters were fully equipped with tents, canopies, ice chests, generators, grills, yard games and more. Fortunately for those festival goers who decided to wait for the sun to rise before they showed up, their entrance to the campgrounds and set up went a little smoother. In my down time between morning responsibilities and the first show, I along with Melissa, Riley and Tia (two of my weekend neighbors) went to get the feel of the land. We saw some interesting campsites, passed out fans to cool off festival goers and crossed a treacherously muddy field. At one point we had to cross a newly formed river by using an air mattress that was left behind from Wakarusa as our bridge. We really should have followed the flags that marked off the rough areas…oops. The Music Although campers and festival goers were still rolling in, the music for the day and the entire weekend began at 12:45pm. The first band to take the Country Pavilion stage was Whiskey Myers and boy was this an excellent choice! They definitely set the mood for the weekend and got the crowd primed and ready to go. As soon as Whiskey Myers set was over, the hardest part of TOTM began, choosing which stage to go to and what act to see, because from this point on there were multiple stages occupied with live performances. My day seemed like a whirlwind, I saw Aaron Watson, Shooter Jennings, parts of Bucky Covington, Greg Bates and Reckless Kelly before a short dinner. I then, was BLOWN AWAY by Randy Houser’s performance. I had seen him before, but his type of Continue reading Thunder On The Mountain-Day 1→

Thunder on the Mountain Rumbles Through Arkansas

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Like the roads leading up to Mulberry Mountain, the talent of the musical acts appearing at the first ever Thunder on the Mountain country music festival was steep. With headliners Luke Bryan and Toby Keith and over 50 other acts including Justin Moore, Easton Corbin, Montgomery Gentry, Casey Donahew Band and Thompson Square, this festival did, in fact, bring the thunder. In addition to three days and three stages filled with booming entertainment, the festival’s setting was a force to be reckoned with. Located on 650 acres of breathtaking hills, big skies and gorgeous scenery, it was hard not to consider your surroundings as another main act. Camping, fishing, rafting, hiking and even helicopter rides were available to festival goers – along with a wide selection of food and shopping options. The Bud Light Main Stage housed the festival’s bigger acts. If you were looking for a more private show, the Country Pavilion and George’s Majestic Backwoods Stage provided a smaller, more intimate backdrop. The great thing about country music is how gracious the artists are when it comes to their fans. Recurring statements such as, “Thank you,” “We couldn’t do this without you,” and “We love you,” were uttered from artists’ lips throughout the entirety of the festival. On Saturday night when the last of the tour buses rolled out and the dust settled, hearts sank, yet simultaneously fluttered with excitement at the thought of what is in store for next year. If you couldn’t make it to Thunder on the Mountain this year, do yourself a favor and don’t make the same mistake twice. Make the drive up that curvy, winding road in 2014. You won’t be disappointed.

Ben Wells Teams Up With Fireball Whisky

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Ben Wells Teams Up With Fireball Whisky, Lake Life Freshwater Apparel and JH Audio For His Untuck Ya Shirt Tour. Ben Wells has an exciting couple of months ahead and we couldn’t be more happy for him! For those of you who haven’t heard, he is gearing up for his first independent headlining tour, Untuck Ya Shirt. If that wasn’t exciting enough, he now has teamed up with three brands (Fireball Whisky, JH Audio and Lake Life Freshwater Apparel) to make his tour just that much better. “It’s awesome how these opportunities keep coming to us,” Wells said. “We’re going to take them one step at a time, and hopefully continue to grow with the partnership and with the fans.” If you haven’t heard of Fireball Whisky then you might be living under a rock…because it is ALL I hear people ordering these days. The brand describes itself as a “Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the face if his legs were on fire and tasted like cinnamon.” If that doesn’t get you interested in trying it, then I don’t know what will! Lake Life Freshwater Apparel is a worldwide clothing/apparel company found & operated in North Carolina. Wells marks the companies first music endorsement relationship. JH Audio is one of the best in the business at making the most detailed, accurate in-ear monitors. “One of the endorsements I’m personally excited about is JH Audio. I rely on my in-ear monitors day in and day out while on stage, the quality of JH16’s are incredible. I definitely can’t wait to grow with this company and it’s awesome to be apart of such an awesome family.” Wells Untuck Ya Shirt tour kicks off June 7 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Find a show near you, because you won’t want to miss this party!

Thunder On The Mountain 2013 Ticket Giveaway

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Your Chance to Win Tickets to the 2013 Thunder On The Mountain Festival in Ozark, AR! The first ever Thunder On The Mountain country music festival is very quickly approaching (taking place June 6th-8th), and we can hardly contain our excitement! We are so excited, in fact, that we are giving away a pair of three day passes to one very lucky reader! This new fest boasts a fantastic line-up including headliners Toby Keith and Luke Bryan along with Gretchen Wilson, JT Hodges, Big & Rich, Thompson Square, Shooter Jennings and many, many more. Added bonus, the concert event is taking place on Mulberry Mountain nestled in the beautiful Ozarks! So, don’t miss this chance for a great weekend of live music, fun events, and gorgeous surroundings…for free! Just follow the directions below. Giveaway Guidelines: Step 1: (If you aren’t already!) Follow us @CMNBlog and @THUNDERontheMTN on Twitter! Step 2: Send out the following tweet: “I entered to win tix to @THUNDERontheMTN ft @TobyKeithMusic and @LukeBryanOnline from @CMNBlog and you can too: http://ow.ly/kd0oe” Step 3: When we receive your tweet, you’re entered to win! Important Info: Winners will be randomly selected and notified individually via Twitter. Prizes provided by Thunder On The Mountain. Tweets must be received by 12:00pm Tuesday, April 30th. Winners will not be eligible for another prize drawing until 90days after this one.

The Amp Gears Up for 2013 Season featuring Little Big Town

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The Arkansas Music Pavilion Gears Up for 2013 Concert Season with Little Big Town and More Filling the Schedule! Last year, CMNB got to take part in the really great line up of live concerts that the local Arkansas Music Pavilion rolled out for 2012 which featured Luke Bryan, Hank Williams Jr., Alan Jackson, Lauren Alaina, Miranda Lambert, Randy Houser, Brantley Gilbert and many more! So, it should come as no surprise that we are very, very excited about the upcoming 2013 Season for the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Right now, the schedule is still being finalized, but if last year is any indication at all, we are sure to have a fantastic series of live shows to enjoy! Already confirmed, Little Big Town will be kicking the year off with the first show on Friday, April 19th as part of their Tornado Tour. Also, just announced, Old Crow Medicine Show will be heading to The Amp on Saturday, May 4th! We can’t wait to hear which other acts will be confirmed over the next few weeks, and stay tuned for more details as they’re announced! See why CMNB thinks Northwest Arkansas is growing more and more into a country music and red dirt hot spot!

RiverFest 2013 Features Dierks Bentley, Jana Kramer and More

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RiverFest 2013 Line Up Features Plenty of Country Acts Including Dierks Bentley, Jana Kramer, Darius Rucker and more. Arkansas is getting ready for a really great 2013 festival season, and the annual RiverFest hosted in Little Rock May 24th – 26th has just unveiled its highly anticipated line-up for this year’s weekend shindig! The roster of artists includes folks from rock and rap, but we’re obviously most concerned with the country performers which include Dierks Bentley, Jana Kramer, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Rodeny Atkins and Drive By Truckers. The guys sure know how to put on a good show, and I have no doubt that festival goers are guaranteed fun filled weekend. Find the schedule below, and more info on the Riverfest website. Friday, May 24th Darius Rucker (Miller Lite Stage) Rodney Atkins (Miller Lite Stage) Jana Kramer (Miller Lite Stage) Saturday, May 25th TBD Sunday, May 26th Dierks Bentley (Bud Light Stage) Florida Georgia Line (Bud Light Stage) Drive By Truckers (Miller Lite Stage) Current Dierks Bentley Tour Dates and Tickets

New Country Tours: April 2013

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More Exciting and New Country Music Tours Launch This Month, April 2013! So far this year, we’ve seen so many new country tours launch from folks like Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, George Strait, Taylor Swift and so many others that its hard to believe there are even more taking off this month! Notably, Kenny Chesney will kick off his 2013 No Shoes Nation Tour, and is taking Kacey Musgraves and Eli Young Band along for the ride! Get complete details: Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check in with our post’s sponsor Country Music On Tour!

Rascal Flatts Live and Loud 2013 Summer Tour

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Rascal Flatts Announce Brand New Live and Loud Tour for Summer 2013! Rascal Flatts fans get ready because this country group, who just wrapped their Changed Tour in early March 2012, have announced that they will be heading out again for the summer with the Live & Loud 2013 Summer Tour! The tour will be making stops in 34 different cities and will kick off on May 31st. They’ll be joined by special guests The Band Perry and The Voice Season 3 winner Cassadee Pope. Rascal Flatts is currently nominated for an ACM Award for Vocal Event of the Year for their collaboration on “Easy” with Natasha Bedingfield.

Ben Wells Untuck Ya Shirt Tour 2013

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Ben Wells Lets Loose and Hits the Road with Untuck Ya Shirt 2013 Tour! Ben Wells, and his rock and roll country vibe, jumped on our radar last fall with his debut his self-titled album and his party friendly single “Get Down.” Leading up to his release, he spent a fair bit of time “on the road” in 2012, and now he’s ready to announce his very first independent concert series, the Untuck Ya Shirt 2013 Tour. He’ll be kicking things off on June 12th and cover 11 nights, 9 cities, 7 states through June 22nd! 2013 Untuck Ya Shirt Tour Dates: June 12 – Valdosta, GA – Milltown Groove June 13 – Atlanta, GA – Peachtree Tavern June 14 – Myrtle Beach, SC – The Boathouse June 15 – Raleigh, NC – Longbranch June 18 – Nashville, TN – 12th & Porter June 19 – Louisville, KY – Tin Roof June 20 – Sullivan, MO – Bliss June 21 – Birmingham, AL – The North Tavern June 22 – Valdosta, GA – Bluewater If you haven’t taken a listen to this talented young artist yet be sure to check out his album, and look him up on Twitter!