A hot August night at Fifth Third Ballpark greeted Thompson Square, Drake White and Brett Eldredge as Rock the Rapids launched its three-day festival. On tap Wednesday: Daughtry. Thursday: ZZ Top. (Story, photo gallery)
Holding Court: Thompson Square at Rock the Rapids’ opening night. (Photos/Anthony Norkus Photography)
It was a night for cowboy boots, ten-gallon hats and the obligatory Southern drawl.
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Rock the Rapids kicked off its three-day musical party at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park on Tuesday with a blast of country air. Featuring opener Drake White & the Big Fire, Brett Eldredge and beloved duo Thompson Square, the first night of Rock the Rapids likely left most country fans feeling more than satisfied.
Sparsely attended at first, concertgoers trickled in throughout the opening act, with folks lounging in chairs and on benches, chatting with friends, all contributing to a laid- back atmosphere on a sun-splashed evening.
Opener: Drake White & the Big Fire (Photo/Anthony Norkus Photography)
Though the stage was a bit far from the general seating area for a great view, those camping out there didn’t seem to mind. The hot August day had finally started cooling down and enough of the ballpark was shaded so attendees weren’t forced to constantly squint against the sunlight. Teenagers out for the night with friends, families and lifelong country fans all made it out to the concert.
While some footed the bill for tickets, others were lucky enough to have the tickets provided for them. Jessica Hollister of Caledonia landed tickets as an employee of Amway, putting them to good use by treating her family to the show. First-time Rock the Rapids concertgoers, Hollister and her husband wanted their two young sons to enjoy their first concert.
DRAWING COUNTRY FANS, YOUNG AND OLD
“We thought it would be fun to do,” Hollister told Local Spins. “[The boys] are country music fans. I’m looking forward to them watching their first concert, and seeing how they react to the music.” As it turns out, that reception was favorable, with both little boys dancing and giggling to the music all night long.
Other attendees were lucky enough to win tickets through country music station B-93. Scott and Heather Newmyer of Muskegon are not strangers to Rock the Rapids, enjoying singer Miranda Lambert last year. On Tuesday, courtesy of B-93, they came to see Thompson Square, but were pleasantly surprised by the other talent the show had to offer. “I’ve never heard of [Drake White],” Scott Newmyer said of the show’s opener. “They’re quite good.”
With Drake White and Brett Eldredge turning on their small-town charm, concertgoers were up and singing along in no time, and emcee Reese Rickards of B-93 kept things rolling with engaging banter between acts.
The military also showed a significant presence at the show, with the Army National Guard busy recruiting during the event. By the time Thompson Square took the stage for a flashy light show, there was not an audience member sitting in the house, as you can see from the Local Spins photo gallery by Anthony Norkus.
Get ticket information for Wednesday’s Daughtry, Lifehouse and Jessica Price Band show and Thursday’s ZZ Top, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Junior Valentine concert online here.
— Mary Mattingly for Local Spins
THOMPSON SQUARE: THE LOCAL SPINS PHOTO GALLERY BY ANTHONY NORKUS (Aug. 20, 2013)
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2013, Spins on Music
