Kenny Chesney on what to expect Saturday at FedEx Field
Kenny Chesney took a break from touring in 2009. “If I’d toured, I’d have toured with the same songs,” he said. “The whole thing needed a break.”
But, he’s back this year with a new album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” that, even by his own admission, is the heaviest and most grown-up he’s done until now.
(In a story later this week, he talks about how the album came together. Update: The full interview is here.)
Chesney, who performs Saturday at FedEx Field, said his live show has also changed dramatically from what fans remember.
“Last time I played FedEx I had 12 people with me on stage,” he said. Now, he’s downsized to a seven piece.
“Simplifying things out there has made all the difference in the world,” he said. “And in a weird way, it sounds bigger. It’s more concise. It’s more energetic.”
While his set-list will include all the blockbusters, it will also feature more new material than it has in the past, he said. There will be at least six songs off the “Whiskey” album. “That’s a lot for me,” he said. “I still believe people come to shows to sing the songs they sing in their cars or at home.”
He’s also planning on performing songs fans haven’t heard in years, though he declined to say which.
Asked about the length of the show, Chesney said he doesn’t know yet how long FedEx will be. He said it depends on the crowd. “The longest we’ve played is three hours and 15 minutes. The shortest was an hour and a half,” he said.
“It varies. Some crowds are over the top. Some nights it’s an avalanche of people and it makes you want to play forever.”
Guess you’ll have to wait until Saturday to find out what kind of Chesney show you went to.
Photo: Reuters
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
"Guess you’ll have to wait until Saturday to find out what kind of show Chesney you went to."
What?
Posted by: Dave | June 1, 2011 2:14 PM