Morgan Wallen Turns The Bluestone “Up Down” With Ray Fulcher and Matt Chase!
Last night’s show kicked off with country newcomer, Matt Chase playing an acoustic show. His camouflage pants and black graphic t-shirt matched the laid-back feel he brought to The Bluestone. His debut single, “Catch Girl” delivered an attention-grabbing melody, strong lyrics and showed off his smooth vocals.
The second artist to take the stage was Ray Fulcher. If you’re a fan of Luke Combs, you’ve already had the pleasure of hearing his outstanding lyrical abilities, as he co-wrote eight of the twelve songs on Combs’ debut album. Fulcher’s setlist encompassed a few of those songs including, “Beer Can,” “Be Careful What You Wish For,” and his first number one, “When It Rains It Pours.”
Fulcher’s opening song, “Song of the Summer” brought an upbeat, groovy beach feel to the crowd. During the set he made a priority to get around the stage with an energetic demeanor, keeping the crowd excited and engaged.
For Fulcher, playing The Bluestone was an exciting moment; “The history is incredible, and the energy is very different from any venue out there,” he said.
After a short break, the headliner Morgan Wallen took the stage. He is one of country music’s newcomers, but his fun-loving personality makes his show one you do not want to miss. His opening song, “Boots on the Ground” is a party song that has not yet been released. Wallen’s stage presence was infectious as he danced with the crowd and skittered across the stage with a big smile, performing his songs perfectly.
Wallen admitted that he likes to play an Eric Church song during every show and then led into Church’s “Drink A Little Drink.” The crowd became rowdy and joined in, singing along while raising their beer bottles high.
Wallen brought Fulcher back to the stage to perform a cover of Brooks and Dunn’s “Play Something Country,” keeping the crowd enthusiastic. His set took a step away from country music for a mash-up of songs including Linkin Park’s “In The End,” Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”
The crowd was also treated to a handful of unreleased songs that are expected to be on Wallen’s upcoming album. The songs matched his spunky personality ranging from the topics of football to trying to get an ex-lover back. Songs like “Whiskey Glasses,” “Little Rain” and his version of “You Make It Easy” (written by Wallen and recently released by Jason Aldean) were placed perfectly throughout the set to slow the mood down and give the audience a chance to truly focus on the lyrics.
The show ended with Wallen’s current hit single, “Up Down.” The song has a swampy guitar sound that goes with the lyrics about fishing and drinking. This last one was clearly a crowd favorite as the singing along echoed back to Wallen throughout the entirety of the song.
At the end of the night, each artist took time to meet fans, take photos, and sign autographs at the back of the venue. While each of these acts’ music careers is just beginning, the show provided a promising insight into what is ahead. Fans left the evening still excited and prepared to purchase a ticket for the next time these acts are in town.
By: Victoria Gordon
