CUYAHOGA FALLS – The final show of the 2021 outdoor concert season had just about all you could expect from the rollercoaster ride that is the live event industry during the pandemic.
There was bad weather, drunken buffoonery, a touch of political unrest and thousands of people happy to be getting back to what seems “normal.”
This was the backdrop for country star Jason Aldean’s “Back in the Saddle Tour” at Blossom Music Center on Friday night. Aldean’s been one of the top artists in country music since the start of the 2010s. But, for the first time, he arrived in Northeast Ohio wrapped in controversy.
Aldean has spent most of his career keeping his politics private. However, earlier this month, his wife, Brittany, shared photos of their two toddlers, Navy, 2, and Memphis, 3, wearing anti-Joe Biden T-shirts. All hell broke loose on social media, leading Aldean to post a message on Instagram stating he would “never apologize” for his beliefs of “love for my family and country.”
Aldean kept most of his set Friday night focused on the music. But some fans had other plans. Chants of “F*** Joe Biden” rang out at the entrance to Blossom Music Center and in various pockets of the crowd throughout the night.
Fans weren’t alone in voicing their opinions about the current administration. Right after telling the crowd he likes to keep his political thoughts to himself, opening act Hardy revealed there are “a lot of things going on in this country I don’t f***ing agree with.”
Hardy, who has written hits for the likes of Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton and Morgan Wallen, then proceeded to say American is “the greatest country in the world” and if you don’t like it, you can “get the f*** out.” All this just before performing a song titled “One Beer.”
Musically, Hardy was on point. What he lacks in raw vocal talent, he makes up for in showmanship and a sense of authenticity reiterated by his set closer “Unapologetically Country as Hell.”
Aldean took the stage at around 9:30 p.m. with the opening chords to “Crazy Town.” If you’re wondering why it’s taken this long to get to Aldean’s actual performance, it’s because there wasn’t much to write home about.
Aldean, known in country circles for his solid shows (He has three ACM Awards for Entertainer of the Year to his name), seemed off Friday night. His vocals sounded flat on songs like “Burnin’ It Down” and “Fly Over States.” His interactions with the crowd were subdued.
The energy was there as Aldean ran back and forth on stage and ended every big hit like “Big Green Tractor,” “My Kind of Party,” “Dirt Road Anthem” with a punch in the air right before the lights went down. But his workman-like style -- hat down, moving from one song to the next -- left little room for wow moments.
Thankfully, Aldean’s backing band, especially guitarist Jay Jackson, was in fine form, elevating singalongs to popular tunes like “Tattoos on This Town” and “Girl Like You” with their exceptional playing. Aldean also had a few tricks up his sleeve, sitting at a piano for “If I Didn’t Love You,” his new duet with Carrie Underwood. A hologram of the latter played in the background during her parts, bringing a huge ovation from the crowd.
A massive downpour flushed out some of the crowd about halfway through Aldean’s set. But even those leaving early looked like they’d had a pretty wild night.
After all, Friday’s show marked the end of an outdoor concert season that’s been unlike any in history. Not surprisingly, fans at Blossom wanted to go out with a bang, whether that left them unable to walk up the venue’s signature hill, relying on a friend to hold their hair so they could puke on the lawn or sneaking off into the woods to pee where you think no one can see you.
And that’s about as “normal” as a big country concert at any amphitheater around the country gets.
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