Known for their high energy atmosphere shows, Big And Rich make a visit to Battle Creek, MI to bring their “Did It For The Party” tour.
The ever-popular country music duo Big And Rich is comprised of Big Kenny and John Rich, both guitar playing singer/songwriters. Before their inception in 1998, Big Kenny Alphin was a solo artist while John Rich was a bass player/vocalist and founding member of the country group Lonestar. The two joined forces after meeting in a club one evening and started writing songs together. Now in 2017, they continue this bond by touring together with their band from town to town and state to state, just like here at Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, MI.
The show starts off with DJ Sinister mixing up some country dance tunes to help get the crowd pumped up into an up-beat feel before the main show begins. Whether he is behind his turntable scratching up a mix or out front of the stage dancing it up, the crowd is standing in front of their seats and dancing in the aisle ways.
With the crowd all worked up and excited for the evening, Big And Rich take the stage announcing that they are “Comin’ To Your City” and bringing the party with them. As John stands behind his microphone stand playing his guitar, Big Kenny dances around the stage singing and reaching out to those directly in front of the stage.
Keeping the crowd on their feet, the guys get “Loud” before blending in with the AC/DC cover “Money Talks.”
Upon asking where all the country girls are, they receive a thunderous roar to show that the room is full of country girls. Dedicating the song “Look At You” to them, it is the first time in the evening that Big And Rich slightly slow the rhythm of the show.
As the crowd continues to show enthusiasm with their cheers, John welcomes them to the party by adding some “Holy Water.”
Before performing “Lovin’ Lately,” Big Kenny informs the fans that the song was a collaboration with Tim McGraw that become a “big o’ hit.”
John introduces the next song as their first (and only one to date) number one single “Lost In This Moment” from back in 2007. For this slow love song, the crowd teams up with their partners in dance and sing along with the band.
When the song ends, John speaks of uncertainties of when Big And Rich started touring early on in their career. Not being sure of how they would be perceived and welcomed in the state of Michigan and the surrounding areas. At that time, he thanked the crowd for accepting them early on and continuing to do so into the current times.
Next, he asks of how many active military personnel and veterans are in the crowd. He thanks them also as the crowd shows their appreciation with loud cheers. John then adds that “if it wasn’t for the veterans and those before them that we wouldn’t be at the show this evening. What we are doing now is a freedom, freedom to assemble. It’s a freedom to throw your hands in the air and sing along in one voice. This freedom is protected by these active duty and veterans, and God Bless You. I can not say that enough. Thank you guys from all of us.”
At this time, Big And Rich call up a veteran just as do with all of their shows to introduce them to the crowd and honor them with a shot of Crown Royal Whiskey and have them as a guest on stage sitting at the Crown Royal Hero’s bar. Their guest on this evening in Battle Creek, MI is Mr. Scott Holmes, Senior Chief in the United States Navy, served from 1977 to 2002 and toured all over the world for this great country. After given the microphone he states “folks I served for 25 years, I’d do it again. Those of you that are in, stay the force and have a lot of fun while you’re doing it. To my veterans, we’ve been there, we’ve done it, let’s show the boys how to keep doing it.” When Mr. Holmes finishes, the crowds chant “U.S.A” as John directs him to the Hero’s bar for his double shot of Crown.
John next speaks to Big Kenny and asks him if he remembers when they first were getting started. Before calling them Big And Rich, people would call them Little And Broke. John then comments about a show in Deadwood, SD. where they noticed a bartender in the back with a white ponytail down his back, wore a top hat and was covered in Grateful Dead tattoos. His name was Niles Harris. He told of the battle he was in on November 8th in Vietnam in 1965. He and two others were the only survivors. He was busted up so bad it took him two years to recover. When he healed up, he went back and served three more tours. Big And Rich dedicate their single “8th Of November” to him, our veterans and active duty. As the song concludes John asks the crowd to stand from their seats and raise your drink or wave to honor our men and woman of past, present and future who put themselves on the front lines for our freedom.
After singing the previous song at each of their shows, they sing “God Bless America.” 90 minutes prior to the shootings in Las Vegas two weeks ago, the crowd had sang this song while holding up the flashlights from their cellphones to make a glorious sight. John asks the crowd if they could repeat the act as a way to pay tribute to the fallen from previous.
On Sep. 15, 2017 Big And Rich released their sixth studio album called Did It For The Party. They play the debut single from that album called “California” along with other new songs “For The Party” and “Freedom Road” in which Phil Vassar helps write.
To pay tribute and honor to the late Tom Petty, Big And Rich cover the hit song “Mary Jane.”
Recognized as the leaders of MUZIKMAFIA, a collection of songwriters that include Cowboy Troy and Gretchen Wilson, Big And Rich at times bring out the other artists to their shows. In Battle Creek, the crowd erupts in cheers when Cowboy Troy joins the guys on stage for his hit song “I Play Chicken With A Train.”
To round out the evening, Big And Rich perform their signature hit single “Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)” while changing the arrangement into an energetic dance medley adding the theme songs from Spiderman and Wonder Woman as the two superheroes join on stage. Cowboy Troy then initiates “I Like Big Butts” before including “March Of The Winkies,” “Give It Away,” “Uptown Funk,” “Get Down Tonight,” “Jump Around” and returning back to “Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy).”
Big Kenney and John Rich leave the stage as the Big And Rich band, The Atomic Cowboy Band play on to the finish with “Rollin’ (The Ballad Of Big And Rich).
As the stage lights dim and the light’s throughout the venue come up, Big And Rich fans leave the venue in good spirits as they continue to sing aloud the songs they have just heard on stage.
To catch a Big And Rich show or a show at Firekeepers Casino in the future or stay up with the latest news, click on the links below for the latest.
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Event Date: 07-OCT-2017