Jeff's Carrie with Kenny in Chicago review (episode: Sprinting for Carrie)

i go into the stadium at around 3, an hour after the gates were opened. Kenny fans were there early to have a great tailgaiting party, and there I am with absolutely nothing! I ask where the oasis stage is (where carrie will be doing her acoustic set). Just as I am about to head there, I get a call from sara and she just arrived at the parking lot. Turns out her car is parked 2 cars from mine lol. And luckily she got some beers so we at least look like we’re tailgating. Turns out her friend is in town so we wiat for him.

We thought that since most of the folks there were tailgaiting at the lot and were Kenny fans that there wouldn’t be a crowd for carrie’s acoustic set. So we head over half an hour before her set started, and there already was a slight crowd. Sara and her friend decide to look for the restroom and during that time the crowd swelled and there was no way she could get back to our spot

Carrie arrived at the stage and got a really good reception from the crowd. I lifted up my sign for her; with all the heads in front of me, I cannot be sure, but I think she spotted it and smiled. She starts talking to the stage crew for some time as everyone is eagerly awaiting for her to start. There certainly was a buzz. She wore the same outfit as she did during the Missouri state fair (which is my favorite non-red outfit of hers), but she had her hair back here. One of the DJs from the local station, US99 then asks her a question on air, asking what is her favorite “Carrie” --- “Carrie Fisher”, “Carrie Bradshaw”, or “Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood”. At this moment half the crowd breaks out in jeers. Carrie laughed and said judging from the response she better not choose the last option.

She did a short 4-song acoustic set: DFTRM, IAICA, JTTW and BHC. The Kenny fans around me were oohing and aahing as she hit those notes beautifully, and I could hear their amazement. I heard comments like “oh my God” and “she’s amazing”. That’s the beauty of carrie’s voice; it is just so pure and beautiful. Before she did BHC, she mentioned she was taking a request from the front row as someone wanted BHC. She then said “mark (Oakley) says no, I say yes, so we’re doing it!” I wished the set was longer but hey im not complaining. I hope one day she does a full concert acoustically.

The acoustic set ended at 515 and the gates for the stadium didn’t open till 6. at this moment, I see I have a text message, and its from Richard. He couldn’t handle missing seeing carrie in his home town so he came down to see her and got tickets for the show! I meet up with him and robin. A while later, I decide to keep my sign back in the car, and soon enough sara returned to her car to take some stuff for the concert.

We head over to enter the stadium at around 630. I am about to go in the the security tells me I cannot bring my bagpack in! im like no way, my car is parked at the other end! Can I leave the bag somewhere around here? And he said to me that he wont guarantee the bag will be here after the show. Carrie’s set was starting at 7 and the crowd was increasing in size to enter the stadium. So I sprinted my way back to my car, threw the bag in it, took my camera out from it, and sprinted back to the gate. I go through the same security guy and he smiles at me and says youre good to go son. I thank him for giving me a work out, and I was really huffing and puffing at this point. But that wasn’t it. The crowd was so huge it took me some time to get to the field area. I was still trying to get onto the field when I heard the opening drum beat for Young and Beautiful. Im like ugggh and I finally get onto the field and carrie comes out singing. My seat is 13th row from the front so I had some distance to walk/run to it. Sara sees me and asks if I ran. I just huffed and puffed and nodded instead of saying yes. I am totally unfit I have to say.

Carrie did her usual 6-sing set when she opens for Kenny. Y&B, BHC, DFTRM, JTTW, wasted, SH, and she got a great response throughout her set, especially during her 3 radio singles. Most of the folks were singing the songs, and if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have guessed she was just an opening act. Everyone was on their feet, dancing and singing along. i thought she got the biggest ovation for DFTRM. It just amazed me at the reception she got as an opener, since all the other openers I have seen in other concerts usually gets polite applause at best. To have the fans of another artist react this way I thought was great. I wished she would have talked a little instead of rushing through her set, since the Kenny fans do seem to appreciate her. Her set was over in less than 25 minutes.

Dierks Bentley and Kenny both put on great shows. I recommend you guys seeing these 2 in concert. They are great. The fans were standing on their chairs during kennys set, so sara and I follow suit, cos if we didn’t there was no way to be able to see Kenny lol. At the end of the show, our legs were killing us since the chairs were not meant to be stood on haha, and I was still recovering from the sprint earlier on.

As carrie’s tour with Kenny chesney ends, I would just like to thank Kenny for inviting carrie on his tour. I still think it was huge for Kenny to invite her along. carrie would never had the opportunity to perform in these huge stadium shows if not for Kenny, and I think it was a great learning experience for her. So, thank you, Kenny!