CMAC opened up their 43rd season under some unexpected chiller than normal weather. No worries as they had some of the hottest artists in country music to warm things right up. Kane Brown, Mitchell Tenpenny and Ashley Cooke were just what the doctor ordered. Each had a different flavor of country to add to the mix. The was the first of two nights for all of the acts on the bill.
First up was Ashley Cooke. Cooke already has 2 albums released since bursting onto the scene back in 2022. Even though she had 30 minutes to work with, she made the most out of her opportunity; outside of a microphone malfunction at the very beginning of her set. She played a song called “the F Word” and it wasn’t what you would think. It’s an ode to not to swear and lyrically brilliantly written. Some of other her material included “Never Till Now” and medley of covers including the Tom Cochrane classic “Life is a Highway.” For “All I Forgot,” everyone held us their phone with their flashlights lit. A cool short set by Cooke.
Next up with Mitchell Tenpenny. Tenpenny is currently on tour in support of his 5th studio effort titled ‘The 3rd.’ In never seeing or not knowing anything about Tenpenny, he really floored me with the kind of country music he played. He really had a little bit of rap, rock, blues, pop every influence mixed into his songs and into his set. He started off with “We Got History’ off of his 4th album called ‘This is the Heavy.’ He and his entire band were highlighted and they dished out 11 tracks including ending with his biggest hit in both “Drunk Me” and a Goo Goo Dolls cover of “Iris.” I was very impressed with what Tenpenny did with his 45 minute set.
Closing the show was Kane Brown. In 10 years time,. Brown went from being on the X Factor USA, to making homemade videos of popular country songs where he started to garner a following. Shortly thereafter, he did a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds produce a six song EP called ‘Closer.’ From there, Kane has built up quite a fanbase. Now he is currently headlining amphitheaters and arenas. Quite an impressive jump in such a short time. Currently Kane is wrapping his tour he started in mid March called “The High Road Tour.” Brown had an elaborate stage set up that had all the fixings. He started off signing “I Am” on a platform behind the drum kit. The energy continued with the appropriate “Start a Fire” and “I Can Feel It” with some pyro mixed in.
Setlist:
I Am
Start a Fire
I Can Feel It
Fiddle in the Band
Like a Love County Music
What It’s
Lose It
Be Like That
Homesick
Haunted
Backseat Driver/Worship You/For my Daughter (medley)
Heaven
One Mississippi
Says I Can
Good As You
Thank God
Bury Me in Georgia
One Thing Right
Miles On It
We would like to thank Jordynn Gould from CMAC for the credentials to review the show.
