{"id":11499,"date":"2019-04-11T12:14:06","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T17:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/?p=11499"},"modified":"2023-09-03T20:19:35","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T20:19:35","slug":"the-mercedes-benz-stadium-welcomes-george-strait-chris-stapleton-chris-janson-and-ashley-mcbryde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/?p=11499","title":{"rendered":"The Mercedes-Benz Stadium Welcomes George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Chris Janson and Ashley McBryde"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Joshua Wallace<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo Credit : Joshua Wallace<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Saturday March 30th, I had the pleasure of seeing the king of modern country music George Strait live for the first time.  He had a whole afternoon\u2019s worth of opening acts including the new ACM New Female Artist Of The Year Ashley McBryde, \u201cBuy Me A Boat\u201d songwriter Chris Jansen and one of my favorite guitar players and singers to see live, Chris Stapleton.  With that kind of lineup, I knew I was in for one good show and the evening did not disappoint.<\/span><\/p>\n

This show was at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA and this was actually my first experience at this stadium.  I must say, it\u2019s facilities are top notch. The sound was perfect and the seating was comfortable. I also have to comment on the reasonably priced food options at the event.  $8 for a burrito at a stadium isn\u2019t bad. If you\u2019re buying alcohol, it can get expensive there, but you probably already knew that going in.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ashley McBryde<\/strong><\/p>\n

The evening kicked off with Ashley McBryde opening things right at 4pm and she put on a great show.  I have been a fan of Ashley\u2019s since I first heard \u201cA Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega\u201d and she does not disappoint live.  It was amazing hearing these songs in front of what had to be one of her biggest audiences even with people still making it to their seats.  She opened with one of my favorite songs of hers \u201cLivin\u2019 Next To Leroy\u201d and I was pleased to hear that one live. The track \u201cGirl Going Nowhere\u201d really resonates at this point in her career as she is really starting to take off.  She hit a few tracks from her Girl Going Nowhere album including \u201cAmerican Scandal\u201d and \u201cTired Of Being Happy\u201d. She even got to a deeper cut that I can\u2019t find on an album called \u201cRattlesnake Preacher\u201d. I need to see a full concert of her\u2019s at some point in the near future.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chris Janson<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next opening act was also on time at 4:45pm and it was Chris Janson.  While I do enjoy \u201cBuy Me A Boat\u201d, I\u2019m not the biggest fan of Janson\u2019s music but I was looking forward to seeing him live.  Part of his performance was him without a guitar, jumping around on stage pandering to the crowd. This did nothing for the songs he was trying to sing like \u201cFix A Drink\u201d or \u201cBuy Me A Boat\u201d and I didn\u2019t care for this portion of his performance.  However, when he picked up a guitar and sang a Hank Williams tune followed by \u201cWhite Trash\u201d mixed in with \u201cA Country Boy Can Survive\u201d, it started getting better. The sentimental track \u201cHoldin\u2019 Her\u201d was probably the best moment of his set.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chris Stapleton<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Chris Stapleton Jamming<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Paul Franklin on Pedal Steel<\/strong><\/p>\n

Up next in the 6:15pm slot was Chris Stapleton.  I last saw Chris live in November, 2017 and he has only got better since.  He started things off with \u201cMidnight Train To Memphis\u201d and by this point in the evening, the sound was perfect for where I was at in the lower bowl.  Right away I noticed something different, Chris had a pedal steel player sitting in with him tonight. It was none other than pedal steel legend Paul Franklin.  He has played with just about anyone you can name live and on record and it was a treat hearing him here. I just wish I could be closer to the stage, right up next to the pedal steel in my usual spot for these kind of performances.  He then got into a long set of hits with \u201cNobody To Blame\u201d, \u201cTraveller\u201d, \u201cMillionaire\u201d, \u201cBroken Halos\u201d, \u201cWhiskey and You\u201d, \u201cWas It 26\u201d and more. He even got into his signature live cover of \u201cFreebird\u201d before \u201cThe Devil Named Music\u201d. Nothing felt cut short and he got a full set minus the encore.  The band closed things out with \u201cTennessee Whiskey\u201d which is always a treat to hear live because no one does this song like he does.<\/span><\/p>\n

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George Strait<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Stadium Effect for “Ocean Front Property”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next up was the main event, George Strait.  He played a long 30+ song set and hit at least something from 16 of his 30 studio albums.  This also included 3 covers which were 2 Merle Haggard songs and 1 Tom Petty song. He hit major tracks like \u201cAmarillo By Morning\u201d, \u201cI Can Still Make Cheyenne\u201d, \u201cCheck Yes Or No\u201d, \u201cOcean Front Property\u201d and \u201cTroubadour\u201d.  That last one is my favorite Strait tune so I was glad he got to it. The albums that got the most cuts with 4 were his newest Honky Tonk Time Machine and his 2006 record It Just Comes Natural. George hit all of the singles from his latest effort including \u201cGod And Country Music\u201d, \u201cEvery Little Honky Tonk Bar\u201d and \u201cThe Weight Of The Badge\u201d.  I was hoping for a Willie Nelson appearance on \u201cSing One With Willie\u201d, but you can\u2019t win them all. He did a 5 song encore to wrap up the night which included the western swing number \u201cAll My Ex\u2019s Live In Texas\u201d, \u201cHeartland\u201d, \u201cI Cross My Heart\u201d, the Tom Petty cover \u201cYou Wreck Me\u201d and the finale of \u201cThe Cowboy Rides Away\u201d. Overall, I thought it was a great set that hit most of what you would want to hear from George Strait.  I highly recommend seeing him in concert at this point in his career. It\u2019s well worth the expensive ticket.<\/span><\/p>\n

To wrap things up, I had an amazing time at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for this show.  I have read about some sound issues with people on the floor, and others who were higher in the upper level that had their view of the big monitors cut off.  These are issues that the stadium will work on as time goes on. My section of the lower bowl had a perfect sound mix so I can\u2019t complain. George Strait is touring more this year with shows like this and varying opening acts depending on the market.  For more info, check out his website<\/a> for dates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

“The Cowboy Rides Away”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ashley Mcbryde Setlist :<\/p>\n

Livin’ Next to Leroy
\nAmerican Scandal
\nGirl Goin’ Nowhere
\nRattlesnake Preacher
\nA Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega
\nTired of Being Happy<\/p>\n

Chris Janson Setlist :<\/p>\n

Redneck Life
\nEverybody
\nFix a Drink
\nGood Vibes
\nGonna Have a Good Time
\nWho’s Your Farmer
\nYour Cheatin’ Heart
\n(Hank Williams Sr. Cover)
\nWhite Trash \/ A Country Boy Can Survive
\nCheck
\nEverybody’s Going Through Something
\nHoldin’ Her
\nI Love This Life
\n(LOCASH cover)
\nPiano Man
\n(Billy Joel cover)
\nDrunk Girl
\nBuy Me a Boat<\/p>\n

Chris Stapleton Setlist :<\/p>\n

Midnight Train to Memphis
\nNobody to Blame
\nHard Livin’
\nMillionaire
\nFire Away
\nMight as Well Get Stoned
\nWas It 26
\n(The Charlie Daniels Band cover)
\nWhiskey and You
\nBroken Halos
\nSecond One to Know
\nTraveller
\nI Was Wrong
\nFree Bird
\n(Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)
\nThe Devil Named Music
\nOutlaw State of Mind
\nDeath Row
\nParachute
\nTennessee Whiskey
\n(David Allan Coe cover)<\/p>\n

George Strait Setlist :<\/p>\n

Write This Down
\nI Can Still Make Cheyenne
\nI Saw God Today
\nHere for a Good Time
\nShe’ll Leave You With a Smile
\nWrapped
\nCheck Yes Or No
\nYou Take Me For Granted
\n(Merle Haggard cover)
\nAre the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)
\n(Merle Haggard cover)
\nCold Beer Conversation
\nHow ‘Bout Them Cowgirls
\nArkansas Dave
\nGive It Away
\nIt Just Comes Natural
\nEvery Little Honky Tonk Bar
\nOcean Front Property
\nBlue Clear Sky
\nThe Weight of the Badge
\nCodigo
\nGod and Country Music
\nAmarillo by Morning
\nThe Chair
\nThe Fireman
\nRun
\nI’ll Always Remember You
\nTroubadour
\nUnwound<\/p>\n

Encore:
\nAll My Ex’s Live in Texas
\nHeartland
\nI Cross My Heart
\nYou Wreck Me
\n(Tom Petty cover)
\nThe Cowboy Rides Away<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Joshua Wallace Photo Credit : Joshua Wallace On Saturday March 30th, I had the pleasure of seeing the king of modern country music George Strait live for the first time.  He had a whole afternoon\u2019s worth of opening acts including the new ACM New Female Artist Of The Year Ashley McBryde, \u201cBuy Me A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":22523,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t