Kacey Musgraves’, “Deeper Well World Tour” features Nickel Creek and Lord Huron

Kacey Musgraves’, “Deeper Well World Tour” features Nickel Creek and Lord Huron

By: Kevin Vickery

I must admit that when my friend, fellow columnist and Kacey Musgraves super-fan, Blaise (The Baker) Doubman told me that he had won two free tickets to see her current, “Deeper Well” tour in Columbus, OH from an internet promotion and asked me to join him, I was less than excited. Not because I have anything against her or her music, I just wasn’t that familiar with her work despite all her success over the last 20 years or so. 

That’s on me for not paying attention so never being one to shy away from a chance to widen my musical horizons, I eventually caved in and told Blaise I’d go despite the two-and-half-hour road trip each way.  I’ll say he did sell it by telling me we had VIP, front row seats in a small, intimate theater setting.

That was not true.

First of all the “intimate setting” was The Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center located on The Ohio State University campus.  It had all the intimacy of any other giant basketball area with over 19 thousand seats and is currently by capacity the largest of all arenas in the Big Ten Conference. By the way… Why do we have to say, THE Ohio State University, anyway? Just kidding – Please don’t email me to explain that because I really don’t care.

Past that, our “VIP front row seats” were actually General Admission pit passes with no actual seating at all, meaning – Yeah, we could get close to the stage, but we’d have to stand on the concrete floor for about 3 hours, packed in like sardines.

Needless to say that between the standing and the car ride, my old man knees and back were in rough shape by the time we got back. But… the parking was only $30 and a cup of fountain soda was a bargain at $12 so it wasn’t all bad.  At least the tickets were free, right?

Ok, I’ll stop complaining and talk about the actual concert.

The show started with Nickel Creek who I’ve been familiar with since they first broke out in 1993 with their debut album, “Little Cowpoke”. The band which features siblings, Sarah Watkins on fiddle and vocals and guitarist/vocalist, Sean Watkins along with front man/lead vocalist, Chris Thile on mandolin, delivered a quality performance of material from their seven album catalog which ranges from a traditional and progressive bluegrass style to a more acoustic pop and folk rock vibe at times.

My favorite part of their set was when Thile addressed the crowd from stage saying, “Music like any art is subjective, meaning you can never say anything is the best because beauty is in the eye or ear of the beholder. So, there can never be a best painting, just like there can never be a best song…. Except for this next song because it’s the best song ever.”  Then they busted out a bluegrass-rock version of Britney Spears’, “Toxic”, that had the crowd grinning from ear to ear and rocked my face off – but then again, I’m always partial to a good bluegrass cover of a rock or pop tune.

Up next was Lord Huron, an LA based band who combines country, folk, rock & roll, western, pop melodies, surf rock and a touch of new age influences to produce a sound that is heavy on mood and offers something for everyone.  The band includes frontman, Ben Schneider on guitar, vocal and harmonica, drummer, Mark Barry, bassist, Miguel Briseno, and guitarist, Tom Renault also features touring members, guitarist, Brandon Walter’s and Misty Boyce on keyboards and vocals.

I had literally never heard of them before that night but was very impressed with their extremely high energy show and overall musical sound and style. I would highly recommend checking them out if you get a chance.

A personal highlight of their show for me was a stage prop of an old pay phone that was equipped with a working microphone. Singer, Ben Schneider used that phone mic to sing a couple of tunes, attached to the old phone as if he was actually having the conversation with the person he’d written the song about. I thought it was really cool.

Their set was followed by the woman of the hour and the sell-out audience was primed and ready for her performance. By then, my knees were aching and the crowd had shifted and tightened around me to the point that I couldn’t even raise my arms to clap. My claustrophobia was kicking in hard and it took all I had in me just to stand. I could hardly breathe and each time I did I realized that I could now pick out any one of my surrounding concerts goers in a line up by smell alone – like B.O guy, patchouli chick, or cotton candy vape couple.

I really just wanted to get out of there and write this column about the first two acts that I had enjoyed but then I remembered that this was one of my friend’s favorite artists and I’d come to far to give up now. I chewed the last of my ice cubes from my $12 soda and decided to ride it out as long as I could.

Kacey Musgraves hit the stage with all the elaborate stage show effects that you’d expect from a pop mega-star. Giant video backdrops showed mystical imagery, fog machines churned out enough smoke to kill Snoop Dogg, and intense lighting set the mood as she made her grand entrance and opened the show with the song, “Cardinal” from her most recent, “Deeper Well” album.

I really like this song as she wrote it and dedicates it to the late, legendary singer/songwriter John Prine, with whom she was a friend and collaborator.  The song’s title and subject matter references the interrelation between a visit from a cardinal and how it is a spiritual connection to those we’ve lost which is an old tale that I’ve also always believed in. Her music video for that song features her levitating alone in a room which she duplicates with an on-stage trick.  It probably looked a lot more realistic from further away but we were close enough to clearly see the riser that raised and lowered her.

That was of no significance to the crowd of her die hard fans who laughed, cried, and screamed at the top of their lungs as she made her way through her biggest hits spanning from her career including, “Butterflies”, “Sway”, “Slow Burn”, “Jade Green” and “Follow Your Arrow”.  There was no doubt that her fans are dedicated and absolutely love her.

I can definitely appreciate Kacey Musgraves skills. She’s an excellent songwriter and uses catchy and clever lyrics to write songs that speak to the masses in both a traditional and modern way.  In a world where few country artists actually write their own material these days, I have a lot of respect for her in doing that. She also has a wonderful singing voice, plays guitar well and even plucks a little bit of banjo.

From stage she said, “Being from a small town in East Texas, I’ll always have one foot rooted in country music.  I really appreciate all of you for sticking with me through the years as I take my other foot and step in other directions.”

She definitely has done that and at times her sound leans a lot more towards pop and even folk. That’s probably why she has won seven Grammy Awards and received 18 nominations as well as seven CMA Awards and four ACM Awards.  Her six album catalog has sold well over two million copies.

I enjoyed her show even though I had to escape the floor for higher ground about half way through. I enjoyed it much better once I could sit, and avoid the fragrance of some of the “muskrats” that were surrounding me.  My only criticisms of the performance would be that at times she seemed a bit stiff and over rehearsed.  I realize that with a giant stage show like hers, the artist has to constantly be on their exact mark for the lighting and video crew to execute the perfect version of the production. That also seemed less noticeable once I was further away from the stage. I also thought that her band, while extremely talented had little enthusiasm while performing, especially when compared to the charisma of the two previous acts.  Maybe that’s intentional to keep the focus on her but I would have liked to have seen them having a little more fun.

With that said, I don’t think a single one of her fans in attendance would agree.  They absolutely loved the show and went crazy for her all night long.  Since I was there with my super-fan friend Blaise, it only seemed appropriate to get his thoughts.

He said, “I’ve been a fan of Kacey’s since stumbling across her “Star-Crossed” album. It was there for me during a very challenging time. Since then, I’ve grown to love her entire discography, especially “Golden Hour”, which features one of my favorites, “Happy and Sad”. Nothing beats her newest work though, “Deeper Well”. Seeing her in concert was an awesome experience. It was celestial, joy filled and spirit lifting. With how things are currently in the World and our political climate, the show was very much a welcome escape from reality.”

For more on Kacey Musgraves’ current tour schedule visit her official website at kaceymusgraves.com

To learn more about Lord Huron find them on social media or visit their official website at lordhuron.com

Keep up with Nickel Creek on their official website at nickelcreek.com or on social media.

For upcoming events at Jerome Schottenstein Center located on The Ohio State University campus visit schottensteincenter.com