On Wednesday, August 31st, Hilton HHonors members were treated to a private Kip Moore concert as part of the 2016 Hilton Concert Series. The members were greeted in true Nashville style; with a country music cover band, generous amounts of famous southern cuisine — most notably hot chicken and waffles — and, the crowd favorite, an open bar. Chilled beverages in hand, HHonors members and friends gathered around a whimsical photo booth, draped in feathers an donned with silly hats while others posed for photo ops on a brightly lit Hilton “red carpet,” all enjoying the star treatment while anxiously awaiting the show’s beginning.
The night kicked off with singer-songwriter Kelleigh Bannen giving the crowd a taste of her EP Cheap Sunglasses and performances including “Famous,” “All Good Things,” and “Landlocked,” the last of which she thanked Bobby Bones for supporting during the past year. Backed simply by an acoustic guitar, Bannen’s set allowed her to showcase her pure vocal talent and songwriting abilities.
Soon, the overhead lights dimmed and jumbo-sized screens illuminated on either side of the stage, effectively grabbing the crowd’s full attention. A cinematic narration filled the room, introducing the Hilton HHonors Concert Series and its previous headliners. Then, much to the audience’s anticipation, the omnipotent narrator boisterously announced Kip Moore to the stage. Although the private concert took place in an intimate setting, Moore and his band The Slow Hearts performed with the energy of an arena show. “Okay, Hilton Honors Members,” Moore began, getting the audience riled up, “Y’all are gathered in here so you might as well treat this [Wednesday] as the weekend.” Without hesitation, the audience toasted the band with their drinks, cheering them on with the gusto Moore was looking for.
During the hour-long set, Moore gave listeners a bit of a nostalgic show, playing more songs from his debut album Up All Night than his most recent work Wild Ones. “It’s been a while,” Moore said in preface of the sentimental set list before delving into “Drive Me Crazy.” From the crowd’s reaction, they were unopposed to Moore’s decision to bring back his old tunes — in fact, it soon became apparent that the small audience was filled with avid Kip Moore fans as they sang every song back to him. Perhaps the loudest response was to Moore’s most recent single, “Running For You.” The fans gave the song their all, nearly drowning Moore’s own vocals. Upon hearing the audience’s enthusiasm, Moore gave his fans the floor, letting them finish the song for him.
If you have seen a Kip Moore show, you know Moore’s tendency to light-heartedly poke fun at his fans and rant about nuances of the world. Mid-monologue, however, one audience member took the break in music as a chance to spout a rant of his own. Despite the unwelcome interruption, the artist didn’t let himself stay irritated long and, instead, expressed his gratitude towards his fans with Bill Wither’s “Lean On Me.” True to his usual fashion, Moore got up-close-and-personal with his fans, leaning over to sing directly to a select few in the front row, surely giving them lifelong memories. Shortly thereafter, the show wrapped up with fan-favorite “That Was Us” and a sincere thank you from Moore to the Hilton HHonors members for attending.
To learn more about the Hilton Concert Series, visit HiltonHHonors.com.