The beer and music were flowing at the first day of Billboard Presents Bud Light Backyard at CMA Fest as fans took a break from the Nashville heat and took in some great performances by some of today’s hottest hitmakers at a jammed Tin Roof on Lower Broadway on Friday (June 7).
Fans enjoyed line dancing lessons on the first floor between performances, then packed the second floor for top-notch sets by Corey Kent, Dalton Dover and Alana Springsteen.
Kent, an RCA Nashville artist and Oklahoma native, earned the attention of major labels after “Wild as Her” started climbing the charts in 2022, based on streaming. After signing with RCA Nashville, Kent scored his first major hit as the song reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
UMG Nashville/Mercury Records artist Dover first caught fans’ eyes and ears with his well-chosen covers on TikTok before he started releasing his own songs, such as “You Got a Small Town” and “Baby I Am.” His debut radio single, “Giving Up on That,” was the most-added track at radio upon its release.
Springsteen, who first picked up the guitar at age 7 and was writing her own songs with top Nashville songwriters by the time she was 10, issued her debut album, Twenty Something, last year on Columbia Records New York/Sony Music Nashville.
The two-day free event, open to anyone 21+, is a partnership between Billboard and Bud Light that also includes branded content running on the two brands’ digital channels throughout 2024. The shows continue with LOCASH, George Birge and Dasha, who will perform Saturday (June 8).
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Corey Kent Brings the Audience Alive
Image Credit: Mary Hannah Harte Corey Kent opened the first day of performances with a high-octane set that launched with the romantic “Gold,” before completely switching emotional tracks and jumping into an impassioned, despairing version of current single, “This Heart.”
“There’s something you should know about us,” he told the attentive crowd. “I’m from Oklahoma and I want you to think about this next song, a bunch of Oklahoma boys paying at CMA Fest,” before launching into a rowdy, hard rock take on The Beatles’ “Come Together.” The bold, stomping version had fans raising their drinks and singing along.
Kent then returned to his own material with the driving “Something’s Gonna Kill Me.” With lyrics like “ain’t no way around it, one day I’m going to die,” the song should be a downer, but instead, with its rat-a-tat beat, it’s a celebration of squeezing every moment out of life. “Do You Feel Alive, Nashville?“ Corey asked, to an enthusiastic yes. He followed with the spirited, pulsating “Wild as Her,” which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. “If you know this next part, scream it at the top of your lungs,” he exhorted the audience, who gladly complied.
“We can’t play Billboard Presents Bud Light Backyard Light without playing a drinking song, so cheers everybody,” Kent said before launching into set closer “Ain’t My Day,” which gave off the same partying vibes as Eric Church’s “Drink in my Hand.” “Make some noise if you’re drinking tonight,” Kent called out before leading the audience in a time-honored sing-off to see which portion of the crowd could sing the loudest.
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Dalton Dover Delivers Soulful, Robust Set
Image Credit: Gina Di Maio Dalton Dover opened his set with a robust “You Need a Rock,” his raspy voice instantly captivating the audience, followed by his ode to rural living, “You Got a Small Town.”
Dover then infused Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” with a soulful, rough edge, as his drummer added in a little bit of funk to the classic. Dover shifted into a higher gear with the stampeding “Alcohol of Fame,” which proved perfect for the setting, especially when paired with his current single, the steel-guitar laden ‘90s throwback “Bury Me in This Bar.” It was a potent one-two combination that got the crowd dancing and singing along.
He segued into “Night to Go,” a swaying toe-tapper, before slowing it down with the lush, sensual “Baby I Am.” Dover then returned to covers, this time with a soulful, muscular version of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” which he declared was one of his favorite songs, as he led a group singalong.
After leading the audience in a rousing toast, he closed his show with fan request, the mid-tempo, sturdy “Giving Up on That.”
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Alana Springsteen Shines in High-Energy Performance
Image Credit: Mary Hannah Harte As the afternoon shifted into evening, Alana Springsteen took the stage to an overflowing room. She opened with feisty kiss off “You Don’t Deserve a Country Song,” telling the audience, “I’ve written a lot of songs about guys who have broken my heart,” before vowing she was wasting no more energy on them.
Springsteen, who has a new album coming by the end of the year, used the occasion to introduce a number of new songs that showed off her stunning vocals, including the mid-tempo “Cowboy,” which had a bit of Sheryl Crow vibe, as well as the flirty “Look I Like,” which its catchy come on, “When you walked in, oh my god, you got that look I like.”
But things turned dark again on the brooding, slinky “Ghost in My Guitar,” a track from Twenty Something that included Chris Stapleton.
“I started coming to Nashville when I was 10 years old,” the Virginia Beach native said. “I recall dreaming of playing a CMA Fest,” she continued, noting this was her second year at the event. “I’m living my dream right now. This is amazing.”
She then treated the enthusiastic audience to two new tunes with her silky voice gliding over the notes of the galloping, western-themed “Lovergirl” and the syncopated stomp of “Hold My Beer,” before closing with “Goodbye Looks Good on You,” which she recorded as a duet with Mitchell Tenpenny.
