By photojournalist Dan Fernandez
Early Sunday evening country music superstar Brad Paisley, along with the talented Alexandra Kay and Walker Hayes graced the stage at The BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida. As the musicians prepared to play to the jam-packed Amphitheater, I walked around to catch my bearings and get a feel for the pre-show sentiment. It was there that I ran into local treasure Tyler White, one of the stars of Netflix’s hit show “Love on the Spectrum” and one of the nicest people that I have had the pleasure of meeting. Shout out to you Mr. White, thank you for being you. Now back to the music…
The show kicked off with an animated set from rising star Alexandra Kay, who was born and raised in Waterloo, Illinois. Kay’s journey into the entertainment industry began with commercials and voice-over work, eventually leading her to discover her love for musical theater and, notably, to try out for American Idol in 2011. Alexandra managed to gain her vast following through her engaging social media presence, where her covers of her favorite country music songs resonated with a wide audience, giving her the confidence to begin to perform her own music.
Kay’s independent music career has been impressive, accentuated by her singles “I Kinda Don’t” and “Dive Bar Dreamer.” Her recently released debut album, “All I’ve Ever Known,” rocketed to the top of both the iTunes All Genre and Country charts, and made significant headway on Billboard’s Country Album, Emerging Artist, and HeatSeeker charts.
During her performance, Kay got the audience up and moving with her upbeat pop country stylings, playing tracks such as “Cupid’s Cowgirl,” “Straight for the Heart,” and “Painted Him Perfect.” But I believe that the moment she truly charmed the crowd was when she performed her heartfelt song “The Last,” alongside her husband and guitar player. Alexandra proved that she has the tenacity and ability to hit the stage with the biggest names in the business and hold her own just fine.
Next up was the crowd-pleasing, high-octane Walker Hayes. The Mobile, Alabama born singer and songwriter is widely known for his blend of country, pop and r&b. Hayes has released four studio albums to date and has made waves on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, with his most notable hit “Fancy Like” hitting number one on both charts.
Hayes delivered a performance filled with many memorable moments, including an onstage engagement during “Don’t Let Her.” Here’s to you James and Stacy! Walker’s ability to connect with the crowd was evident throughout his set as he tossed hats, shirts, and even a signed football to the crowd. The audience was treated to infectious tracks such as “Stetson,” “17 Year Old Problems,” and “90’s Country,” with the second big highlight of his set coming during “Fancy Like,” when Alexandra Kay and roadies roamed the crowd handing out Oreo shakes.
Finally, the one and only Brad Paisley was ready to take to the stage, tagging along with him was nearly three decades of experience and an impressive catalog of 12 studio albums and 52 singles, 21 of which have hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart. The beautiful Florida sunset behind the stage served as the ideal scene for a masterful country music set as Paisley and co finally jogged out, instruments at the ready.
Paisley is well known for his ability to engage the audience, apparent in his interactions with a nine-year-old fan who was at his first concert. After some banter and an offering of some music industry advice, Paisley tossed the kid a guitar pick and told him he better remember old Brad when he hits it big. The singer, songwriter also managed to show his comedic flair with the presence of a giant head mascot version of himself dancing around the stage during the song “Celebrity,” with Paisley quipping about its good looks.
The polished musicianship of Paisley and his band managed to set the stage for a true all-ages affair, with parents enjoying the music alongside their children, many dancing together in the lawn area of the venue. You have to stop and ask yourself, isn’t that connection what it’s all about? A few more highlights of Paisley’s set included a surprise appearance from the Clearwater PD during “Mr Policeman,” Walker Hayes joining Paisley to perform “I’m Still a Guy” and a lovely duet featuring Alexandra Kay covering Jon Randall’s “Whiskey Lullaby,” which was originally covered and recorded alongside Alison Krauss who will be at The Baycare Sound on September 27. The men in the crowd erupted during the cherished fisherman’s anthem “I’m Gonna Miss Her,” but it was “Mud on the Tires” that truly sent waves of electricity from the pit to the back of house and back again.
Continuing the current trend that I have seen among musicians lately Paisley remained on stage as opposed to leaving and coming back before his encore, thus assuring that his fan’s got that extra music he had promised early in the night. His set list was a career spanning mix covering 9 albums not including medleys and covers, featuring hits like “Wrapped Around,” “Perfect Storm,” “She’s Everything,” “We Danced” (which was followed by Paisley giving his guitar to a lucky fan), “Last Time for Everything” and more. Finishing the night off strong with “Alcohol” and a fitting cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
I started the night familiar with Paisley and his music, but I had never seen him live. Man, was I missing out. To say I was impressed with his performance would be an understatement. Personally, for me, Sunday night was a reminder to keep my musical horizons wide open, to continue to go to concerts that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise and to not get stuck on a single sound or genre. For the collective audience at The BayCare Sound the night, filled with Alexandra Kay’s rising star status, Walker Hayes’ riotous antics, and Brad Paisley’s masterful showmanship, was an experience that left a lasting mark with echoes of fans still singing their favorite songs all the way to their cars.
