Kellie Pickler's Performance at Mega WinterFest at Pheasant Run
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any colder in Chicago, it was a whopping two degrees Friday night, Mega WinterFest had the western suburbs rocking out with some of Nashville’s hottest stars. After awesome performances from One Flew South, The Road Hammers and The Lost Trailers, country music newcomer Julianne Hough had the crowd on their feet with a performance that included hits like “That Song in my Head” and “My Hallelujah Song”.
And the party was just getting started.
Country music staple Joe Nichols, followed Hough with a set including “Tequila Make Her Clothes Fall Off” and “Brokenheartsville”. Between songs, Nichols mentioned he will be releasing a new album soon. His awesome voice and style, kept it real, real country that is.
Country music sweetheart Kellie Picker, although hard to say because all of the performances were excellent, quite possibly stole the show Friday night. The former American Idol contestant’s set was full of fun and energy. Even after a slight wardrobe malfunction, she had the audience in laughs and tears with her ever popular songs, “Red High Heals” and “I Wonder”. She is just off the release of her sophomore, self-titled album.
Headlining Friday night’s show was Jason Aldean, who really brought it home with his hit songs like, “Why”, “Relentless” and “Johnny Cash”. Aldean remarked that WinterFest was his first tour in 2009 and his enthusiasm and renewed energy showed and left the audience with the evening’s final performance to remember.
A special thanks to Pheasant Run and AStar Promotions, who have the right idea. If you bring a truckload of country music stars to the Chicago suburbs, in the middle of January, they will come. What looked like a packed Mega Center at Pheasant Run became the perfect venue for this two-day, high energy indoor country music festival. The event, prepared with food and of course, beer was a far cry away from the fridge temperature outside. If you closed your eyes, it could easily be a warm, summer night until you left but for some, they had a short walk to their waiting first-class hotel room connected directly to the Mega Center.
We look forward to seeing more shows like this in St. Charles, and we will. Tonight is WinterFest’s second night of country music fun. LeAnn Rimes, Phil Vassar, Darryl Worley, Trent Tomlinson and Jonathon Singleton are on-tap for the second night and next month we will be back for Illinois native Gretchen Wilson, John Rich (of Big & Rich) Cowboy Troy and friends for “Country’s Hottest Party 2009″ on February 28.
CMC
Tickets for WinterFest range from $49.00 – $89.00 and are available through Ticketmaster and the Pheasant Run Box Office.
Tickets for “Country’s Hottest Party 2009″ can be purchased through Ticketmaster or the Pheasant Run Box Office 630-584-6342. Overnight packages are available though the Pheasant Run website.
Stay tuned to CountryMusicChicago.com for more country music concert updates from Pheasant Run. Sign up for insider e-mail updates.
