Kenny Chesney's Sun City Carnival Rolls into Seattle

Kenny Chesney's Sun City Carnival Tour rolled into Seattle in spectacular fashion. Held at Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, the show took place August 1. Even with massive road construction going on around the stadium and above-average temperatures, fans flooded in to see not only the headliner, but supporting acts Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, and Sugarland as well.

The gates opened at 3:00, but people who arrived early could hang out at radio station-sponsored events or any number of tailgate parties in the nearby parking lots. No doubt the area bars and restaurants were also doing a booming business. For some lucky fans, the festivities actually started the night before. Rather than just doing a normal sound check, Kenny decided to perform for an intimate crowd.

Limited tickets were distributed to local radio stations and sponsors. A few were also included with regular concert tickets purchased at the box office the day before. As it turned out, 894 people stood in the Sandbar, the general admission section in front of the stage, were treated to a special 90-minute performance that will be included in a 3D concert movie. Before the band came on stage, instructions were given to the audience and they were told they were representing the 50,000 fans that would be in the stadium the next day.

Chesney and the band played most of the songs on the set list for the following night while a large high-definition camera in the audience filmed the action. There were also cameras on the stage. One song, Old Blue Chair, had to be performed a second time, but the audience wasn't told what the problem with the first take was. Before the exclusive show was over, Kenny thanked the crowd and said that they'd never done anything like that before.

The Saturday extravaganza started promptly at 4pm with openers Lady Antebellum. Fairly new to the country music scene, their 40-minute set was comprised mainly of songs from their self-titled debut album. Though not as seasoned as the other acts on the tour, they had an impressive stage presence and appeared confident.

Next up was Miranda Lambert. She was a finalist in the 2003 season of Nashville Star and her self-titled debut album was released in the summer of 2004. Even though she has three studio albums with a fourth scheduled for a September release, her 45-minute set included several cover songs including I Love Rock and Roll.

Montgomery Gentry played for an energy-filled hour. Their first album, Tattoos & Scars, was released in 1999 and certified platinum. They have since released six more studio albums, including one available exclusively at Cracker Barrel, as well as a greatest hits album. Troy Gentry and Eddie Montgomery interacted with one another as well as with the audience, and even with their catalog of hits, they performed a cover of Kiss' Rock and Roll All Night.

The final supporting act was Sugarland. The duo had been forced to cancel several recent shows due to Jennifer Nettles' voice issues, and this was only the second appearance after the cancellations. Her voice was in top form with no sign of any vocal problem. She and bandmate, Kristian Bush, spent just over an hour entertaining the excited fans. They put together an interesting remix of their song, Everyday America, adding bits of Madonna's Holiday and Nelly's Hot in Here. And not to be left out in the cover arena, they performed Pearl Jam's Better Man.

Even after four bands, everything was right on schedule. An impressive number of roadies came out after each performance to quickly tear down the stage and set up for the next act. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, and if there were any problems, the audience was unaware of them. Vendors selling water and candy wandered around the crowd, and a beer garden had been set up in the Qwest Exhibition Center. It was a fair walk from the seats, but it had the benefit of being air conditioned. There were also concessions available from the usual vendors inside including coffee, a Seattle staple.

After Sugarland's equipment had been taken away, the curtain came down so the crew could set up for Kenny's arrival without the prying eyes of the audience watching them. As it had in between the other acts, music played to entertain the masses and commercials for tour sponsor, Corona, streamed on the video screens. Also advertised was No Shoes Radio, an online radio station launching at high noon eastern time on August 6.

Said to be drawn in large part from Kenny's iPod, the station will reflect his eclectic taste in music which ranges from reggae to rock. It will also feature interviews with him and his friends. The Sun City Carnival tour will be in Orange Beach, Alabama when the station goes live and that night's performance will be simulcast.

Kenny was scheduled to begin just after 9:00, and as with the other acts, he started pretty much on time. When AC/DC's Rock 'N Roll Train came through the speakers, the crowd knew they didn't have much longer to wait.

The curtain came up and the band took the stage, but Kenny is known for his dramatic entrances, so the audience scanned the stadium looking for him. Finally, he could be seen on a chair suspended over the crowd as he began the opening tune, Live Those Songs. From that moment on, the fans were treated to song after song full of energy and emotion.

The band, including a horn section, was featured with introductions and solos throughout the evening. They were as much a part of the spectacular as Chesney himself. Special guests included Mac McAnally. He's an accomplished performer in his own right who has written or co-written many of Jimmy Buffett's songs. He also wrote Kenny's hit song, Down the Road. Drummie Zeb from the Wailers was also there. The Wailers are featured on Kenny's single, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven.

After the 2-hour, 20-song set, the band retook the stage for an encore. Not to be outdone by the supporting acts, they performed cover songs that Kenny said were from their bar days, including U2's With or Without You and Steve Miller's The Joker.

Once the songs were over, Chesney stuck around to sign a few autographs for some of the people in the Sandbar while his band played an instrumental of Kansas' Wayward Son. All in all, it was a great day and no doubt the fans are already anxious for the next show.