Emoji-clad paper fans danced along Broadway as over 88,000 CMA Fest goers fruitlessly tried to cool themselves down in the hot Tennessee heat. Whether it be the Chevrolet Riverfront, Cruze Park, or new AT&T Skyview at Ascend Amphitheater stages, the fans—country and paper—were abundant and swaying to the beat of seemingly endless incredible music. From up-and-comers to big-name artists, there was music to be heard everywhere you turn and a little something for everyone.
Once named “Fan Fair,” CMA Fest connects fans and artists in ways that you can’t find outside of the country music genre; between meet and greets and admittance to intimate venues such as the HGTV Lodge where names as big as Keith Urban and Martina McBride performed for free, it is a festival that simply cannot be beat; and the fans know it, too. The Riverfront stage met its capacity before Tyler Farr and Old Dominion. Canaan Smith, after the expected adrenaline rush of being presented with a platinum plaque for “Love You Like That,” smashed his drum on stage and tossed it out to a lucky fan in the crowd. Outside of the overflowing stages throughout the city, exceedingly long lines decorated the downtown Nashville sidewalks with patrons donning colorful t-shirts advertising household names. Littered with black and silver-penned autographs, baseball caps and guitars joined the fans’ growing belongings as both an impressive ode to their dedication and a useful distraction as the unyielding summer sun scorched the pavement underneath their patient feet.
The endless supply of live music lent itself as affirmation that country music lovers were in the right place. Every stage had something to offer, including a chance for country’s sub genres—pop country, classic country, americana—to express themselves and present their music to thousands of new faces. In the same breath, fans were able to groove and be introduced to music they may not have been exposed to otherwise. They even got a deeper look into country’s most successful creative minds by performances from hit songwriters including Brett James (“Something in the Water”), Chris DeStefano (“Don’t Ya”), Jon Nite (“Whatever She’s Got”), and Deric Ruttan (“Came Here to Forget”). Either backed by Nashville’s Studio Symphony or strummed on their own acoustic guitars, the songwriters’ talent and fans’ astonishment were undeniable.
Every night, fans trekked over the Cumblerand River’s walking bridge to a dazzling Nissan Stadium, filling the air with an unmatched energy. Bright, colorful lights dashed throughout the stadium and camera flashes of soon-to-be Instagram posts flickered among the dark sea of people who cheered and buzzed in anticipation (and in a liquor-driven merriment) of their favorite artists hitting the stage. What’s even more spectacular is that each fan got to witness something truly unique: seeing a song come full-circle. Throughout the festival, visitors got a taste of songwriter’s rounds, something that makes Nashville a hub for music lovers all over the world. In the built-for-the-occasion HGTV Lodge, for example—just one of 14 stages scattered around town—they heard songwriters such as Ashley Gorley (“You Should Be Here”) shed light on their songwriting abilities with intimate performances of hit songs. Then in stark juxtaposition as the sun set and drinks were saluted to the sky, fans witnessed these very songs as performed by the artists they’ve come to love. It is these moments that pinpoint CMA Fest as a festival that truly brings fans as close to the music as they can get.
For more information and tickets for next year’s CMA Fest festivities, visit cmaworld.com