CONCERT REVIEW

CHICAGO – The rain may have down-poured but the stars still shined at the 2009 Chicago Country Music Festival. Country stars that is.

Chicago’s free, two-day country music festival featured a star-studded country music lineup including Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, John Rich and a special appearance by Lee Ann Womack.

While the weather on Saturday may have dampened the spirits of some, the die-hards fans had one heck of a show. Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson headlined the first night of the festival.

Lambert began her set with an appropriate cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.” The rest, Lambert rocked the crowd to her array of hits including her most recent single, “White Liar” from her new album “Revolution” and stuck to her guns by closing the night with her biggest hit, “Gunpowder and Lead.”

Johnson seemed a bit livelier this time around as he ran through his typical, yet always inspiration, set. The long-bearded performer put on a smirk and puffed his breath into cold air when he reached the lyrics “…you could almost seem my breath…” during the performance of his hit song “In Color”. The cold Chicago night made for quite the coincidence.

Prior to his performance, Johnson made a special appearance during the CMA Songwriter Series, which made a special stop at the festival during its three-city tour. The series, hosted by songwriter Bob DiPiero, featured some Nashville’s greatest songwriters including Scotty Emerick, Dean Dillon and singer/songwriter Lee Ann Womack. Held on the festival’s Americana Stage, the jam-session style show was not only an awesome addition to the festival lineup but most of the event was covered by a large tent saving the crowed from the rain.

The Chicago Country Music Festival wouldn’t be complete without the lineup of some of Chicagoland’s great local talent and country music’s newest up-and-comers. Suburban bands like Lucky Town and The August and one of Nashville’s newest faces, The Coy Taylor Band, were evenly displaced over three performance stages. The talent this festival boasts is absolutely amazing. The festival even offered a dance tent with line dancing instructions and a Kid’s Corral.

- Scott Winterroth – scott@countrymusicchicago.com

Editor’s Note:

On behalf of the country music fans of Chicago, a special thank you goes out to Mayor Daley, the City of Chicago and the Office of Special Events for hosting such a wonderful, free event in the front yard of our great city.