Dylan Scott Sells Out Springfield!
Cover Photo By: Getty ImagesDylan Scott brought his band to a sold-out show in Springfield, Illinois. Mackenzie Carpenter was along for this leg of shows. Mackenzie Carpenter has been making a name for herself recently putting out an EP last year, duetting with Megan Moroney, and opening up for big names like Jake Owen and Cole Swindell. Even with all that going on she found time to get married this year too. I have been waiting to see Mackenzie Carpenter again since I got to meet her on Jake Owen’s tour and she did not disappoint. Mackenzie was decked out in denim, rhinestones, and fringe when she stepped on stage. Carpenter opened with the unreleased song “Boots On.” She got fans moving with her latest release “Country Girls (Just Wanna Have Fun)” which samples from Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Favorites of the night included “Jesus, I’m Jealous” and “Huntin’ Season” which she wrote about her aunt and uncle’s relationship. She continued to build her fan base by meeting new supporters at her merch table at the end of her set.
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The crowd of Illinoisans were a rowdy bunch as it was St. Patrick’s Day weekend and the University of Illinois had just advanced in the Big 10 tournament. Scott brought the energy the crowd was wanting by opening with “Livin’ My Best Life” followed by “Hooked.” The lighting, his band’s animation, and Dylan’s laid-back humor added to the spirit of the room. He played the recent Sirus XM hit “Boys Back Home” without his Dylan Squared counterpart, Dylan Marlowe. He performed unreleased “What I’ll Never Have” which is his wife’s favorite love song he’s written so far.
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Unfortunately, Dylan had to stop mid-song during his medley of cover songs to call out two men fighting in the crowd and told them to either “sing some songs or take it out to the parking.” I appreciate artists who stop their performances to address crowd concerns. Safety first always. Along that same note, I have been to about 100 concerts in my lifetime and this is the first time that I had to get security for someone who clearly had too much to drink and needed medical attention. (They did recover and are alright.) If you see someone having an emergency in the crowd, please go get a medic, security, a bartender, or anyone who works at the venue. I’ve always said a crowd can make or break your experience and I had a night where the crowd tainted what would have been a great night. Be respectful of others and the artist, drink responsibly, and don’t be that person everyone in the crowd is giving a side eye to. Now back to the regularly scheduled recap.
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Once the show was able to reconvene, Dylan played a medley of 90’s country including “Check Yes or No” and “Fishin’ in the Dark.” Before performing “My Girl,” Dylan shared that Illinois holds a special place in his heart not only for his countless sold-out shows but that he scored his biggest buck last year in the great state of Illinois. Dylan closed with photos of him and his wife projected in the background for “My Girl.”
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Dylan took a play out of Garth Brooks playbook and tried to make eye contact with as many people in the audience as he could. Even if it is only for a brief moment, that connection between a fan and an artist is hard to top and something a fan will always remember. He snapped a few photos and videos on fan’s phones, but not an excessive amount that it took away from the show. There was a girl with Down syndrome standing in front of me and the look on her face when he fist-bumped her was one of pure joy. Dylan Scott did a meet-and-greet post show which demonstrates that he is truly one for the fans. I am looking forward to new Dylan Scott and Mackenzie Carpenter music being released in the near future.
