Chris Young made everyone at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre feel like they were “Raised on Country” with his 2019 World Tour last night. With help from special guests, LOCASH and Chris Janson, the night was full of country hits and a lot of fun.
LOCASH immediately got the crowd pumping with “Feels Like a Party” and the energy built with each song, ending on a high note with their biggest hit, “I Love This Life.” The duo’s lyrics and twang kicked off a whole night of what felt like a small town field party, and it only got better from there.
Up next was Chris Janson, a Perryville, Missouri native turned Grand Ole Opry superstar who continued to amp up the audience with hit after hit, including”Good Vibes,” “Fix a Drink,” and even a cover of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” By the time he belted out “Drunk Girl” and “Buy Me a Boat” the sun was going down and the night was building with excitement and anticipation.
By the time Chris Young took the stage, the audience was partying hard. Kicking off the night with “Hangin’ On” set the tone for the rest of his 90 minute set and it’s safe to say the audience enjoyed every minute. Sing-a-longs were frequent, screams were almost constant, and each song was sang with a level of emotion and talent that transformed the night into more than just “another” summer country show. The crowd naturally erupted with hits like “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Who I Am With You” but more special than that, the audience was just as enthusiastic about Young’s newest single “Raised On Country” and songs performed from his upcoming album, like “Hold My Beer, Watch This.” It takes a true artist to entertain a crowd with music they have never heard before, but Young did that with no complication.
The night rolled on with the new and ever emotional “Drowning” and even a cover of Garth Brooks’ “Papa Loved Mama” which raised the energy at the amphitheater to a new high. Young then surprised his crowd by bringing out songwriter Tyler Reeve to sing “In Case You Didn’t Know.” After already changing his setlist, Young decided to then throw in a cover of Huey Lewis and the News’ “Power of Love.”
He then geared up and finished his set with “Save Water, Drink Beer” and “Tomorrow,” but the crowd hadn’t had enough. Beers were in the air and screams rang out as Chris Young came back out to perform an incredible encore of “Text Me Texas” and “Aw Naw” complete with the echo of voices screaming out from the abyss of the audience. It truly was a night straight out of Nashville and as audience members poured out of the amphitheatre at the end of the night, smiles were large and hearts were full.
