Stagecoach Festival Indio, California: Day 2

Here we are in the lovely city of Indio, California for Day 2 of the Stagecoach Festival. The line up is top notch. Fans were beaming with excitement as they awaited the artists they have waited months to see. From Mo Pitney to Carrie Underwood, Center Stage Magazine was in the thick of it all.

After our first day of the festival, we were better prepared and spent our day tightly packed with as many performances as we could capture in between interviews. As I sit here writing this, Old Dominion just walked in. Yes, I am allowed to pause. These guys are on point and prepared for the day, looking determined to have a damn good time. More on them tomorrow. Interview opportunity? Perhaps. You will have to wait and see.

Starting out our second day of this glorious festival was Mo Pitney. I cannot tell you what a breath of fresh air this young man is. His voice is rich and strong. His looks are splendid as well, but sorry ladies, he is a newly happily married man. Staying true to himself shines through Pitney's music. His lyrics are real and his delivery is honest.

Next on my victim list was none other than Sam Palladio from the hit TV show, Nashville. WOW is all I can say. This man can sing and charm the pants off of anyone he meets. His voice will seduce you. Palladio packed the Palomino Stage with rabid Nashville fans. The screams and cheering that poured out of that stage were heard from afar. They went wild for the British actor/singer/songwriter and his boyish good looks.

One of my highlights of the festival so far was having an amazing conversation with Aaron Watson. His music has no boundaries. He is real, passionate and has one of the most genuine and funny personalities. I was blessed to be able to get personal with him during our conversation about his career and family. After catching him on stage, I noticed something interesting on his guitar. Watson surprised us with his explanation, so stay tuned for more on that in our upcoming article.

Also performing on the Palomino Stage was Lee Ann Womack. Giving fans a stunning performance, this breathtakingly beautiful woman of country music belted out each song with power and grace. Her skirt was gorgeous and her legs, killer. I am completely jealous of her beauty and poise. I simply stood in awe, taking it all in.

We caught Rodney Crowell at the Mustang Stage entertaining fans of all ages. Women were line dancing. Men were singing along. Everyone was having a great time. Crowell knew exactly what his fans wanted and he delivered.

Next up were the Main Stage performances by Chris Stapleton, Joe Nichols, The Band Perry and Carrie Underwood. The crowd was ignited. The women were looking hot., The men were loving it and everyone was ready to get wild and crazy. For some, they were intoxicated every way possible. Stagecoach is a big family party and attendees were determined to make some unforgettable memories.

Stapleton immediately had the audience on their feet. His voice is one of the most powerful voices in country music today. His rugged style, real personality, and exceptional songwriting skills have drawn in fans by the thousands. The audience erupted with excitement from the start, giving Stapleton their complete approval of a remarkable performance.

Next up was Nichols. I will try to remain calm as I write this though I am such a huge fan with a slight crush. I mean, look at those arms combined with that deep, sexy voice. It was a good thing it was a cool day as Nichols definitely heated things up. Many fans know that Nichols is a traditional country music performer, but few know he can rock out Sir Mix-a-Lot's, "Baby's Got Back." The crowd went absolutely nuts for this cover. In true Nichols' fashion, he made this song his own and totally countrified it. Just when I thought his performance could not get any more wild, female fans began throwing their bras and panties on stage. Maybe it was the Tequila that made their clothes fall off, but it could have been the beer.

Following the spectacular performance Nichols gave, The Band Perry took the stage as if they had something to prove. They were no joke. The fans reacted exactly how they should. With the amount of energy flowing from the stage and from the entire crowd, the state of California could have been powered for months.

While catching the last two performances of the night from the front row, I met some of the greatest fans attending Stagecoach. I would like to thank them for welcoming me to their fun group and for feeding me some amazing Kettle Corn. Erin Sasse, Dianna Lee, Josh and Debbie Cortez, Ed and Leslie Mitchell, thank you for including me. I had a blast.

Rounding out day two was none other than the hottest act in country music, Carrie Underwood. If I could only say one thing about this exemplary artist it would be "Flawless." She is so natural on the stage and remains true to herself and her fans. Underwood has left everyone with long lasting memories of an amazing night. She is beautiful and engaging and one of the nicest artists in the industry.  

More to come ... ~Missy