Pepsi’s Rock The South Festival, billed as “the biggest party in the south,” took over Cullman, Alabama this weekend, for a two-day offering of great music to crowds of over 40,000. Brantley Gilbert and Alan Jackson closed nights one and two respectively, with a lead-up lineup including stellar performers such as Eric Paslay, Tyler Farr, Sara Evans, and Travis Tritt.
Friday’s performances included Downsouth, the Chris Weaver Band, and Big Smo, with Paslay, Farr, and Gilbert concluding the evening. The Chris Weaver Band entertained with a gritty vocal and a rock-infused vibe, followed by Big Smo, who provided a sharp contrast with ‘hick-hop’ songs like “Hick Ross” and “Redneck Rich.” Paslay brought out a great number of crowd favorites, from his emotive “She Don’t Love You” to his closing number, the uptempo “Friday Night.” Paslay first gained recognition in Nashville as a songwriter before launching his artist career, and his set on Friday paid homage to that, playing his song “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” which went #1 for recording artist Jake Owen. Paslay also kicked up the tempo with a cover of “Satisfaction,” which built the energy but didn’t totally click for the artist.
Tyler Farr took the stage after Paslay, pouring energy and emotion into hits like “Redneck Crazy,” “A Guy Walks Into A Bar,” and his latest, “Withdrawals.” Farr was classically trained as an opera singer growing up, and the skill shows, as his vocals stood out strongly. Farr also included a medley cover of Foo Fighters’ “My Hero / Best of You,” which, unlike Paslay’s cover, seemed a much more natural fit for the singer.
Brantley Gilbert closed the night, including the songs he wrote that became hits for Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem” and “My Kinda Party,” in his set. Gilbert has built his brand as one of country’s biggest badasses, and his rowdy set was no exception. “I like controversy… It gives lazy people something to do,” he said, introducing his song “Read Me My Rights,” a track which the singer says has gotten him in trouble for its unabashed lawbreaking. From start to finish, Gilbert’s set packed a high-energy punch that was unbridled without being fully unruly. “I bought a farm in this state so I feel like it’s my second home,” the Georgia native, who sports brass knuckles attached to his microphone, told the Alabama crowd.
Saturday continued the fun balance between traditional country and rock-heavy sets with a day jam packed with performances from Andrew Leahey & The Homestead, Jessica Meuse, Mary Sarah, Jon Pardi, Corey Smith, Blackberry Smoke, Evans, Tritt and Jackson.
Jon Pardi lived up to his name, as his twang-filled drinking songs brought the crowd to their feat, despite the high temperatures. Corey Smith followed with a suave acoustic-driven set provided that provided nice contrast to Pardi’s rowdy one.
Sara Evans gracefully powered through her hits as the sun began to set, including “Suds in the Bucket,” “A Real Fine Place to Start,” and “My Heart Can’t Tell You No.” Her crystal clear voice cut straight through the dense Alabama humidity, sounding like an exact replica of the recorded versions.
Alan Jackson received the loudest welcome of the day, as he sauntered onto the stage with a solo cup in hand waving to the crowd to close out the two-day extravaganza. In contrast to some of the top entertainers today, like Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, who are great performers in their ability to work absolutely every aspect of the stage, Jackson is an entertainer in that his approach is so natural that it’s easy to forget that he’s performing. Watching him on stage feels like sitting on the back porch, telling stories with an old friend. His geographically tailored stories and additions to the song certainly contributed to the set’s personalized feel. He told the audience about making trips to Alabama from his hometown in Georgia during the summer as a young man, and made sure to toss in the state’s name into songs, as appropriate.
Amidst all of the weekend fun, the festival carried forth its tradition of giving back to the community. The event was founded to help rebuild areas of the state impacted by its 2011 tornado, and this year $30,000 so far have been presented to No White Flags for Cancer/The Children’s Hospital of Alabama.