Learning The Ropes At CMA Fest 2024 – Day 2

I was much more prepared on day 2 as I had a rough idea of location (although I was still getting lost) and knew what was possible to squeeze into a day.

Still, not having been as far as the riverfront (and having to switch hotels due to a booking issue), I had ruled out seeing Gavin DeGraw, which was a mistake. If I could go back in time, I could have made this work – or maybe I would have just bought a pass to see him at the Ascend Amphitheater instead (I didn’t know this was an option at the time).

Again, learn from my mistakes.

Navigation Advice

The CMA Fest footprint extends a little over two square miles, so the most efficient way to get around is by foot (complimentary shuttles are also available). Maps are located around Broadway to help with navigation (although I still found this confusing). The best advice I can give (as someone who isn’t used to streets with north and south sides) is to pay attention to the signs. I know it sounds simple, easy and common sense but if you see N – 2nd Ave – S, for example, that means that if you go left you’ll be on 2nd Ave North and right 2nd Ave South.

The street name running adjacent to you when facing forward is the street you are on. I spent more time looking at offline google maps (as I didn’t have internet on my phone) than just looking up. It’s not CMA Fest if you don’t get lost but it’s easy once you understand it.

Day 2… continued

I had decided that morning to buy a Fan Fair X pass and do the Tyler Braden meet and greet. As well as exclusive Q&As, CMA Close Up Stage and Spotlight Stage, the pass also allows you to meet some of country music’s finest. There are numerous meet and greets happening at one time so you have to be on the ball checking the schedules to make sure you don’t miss anybody. I got there early to line up but artists nearing the end of their scheduled times had no wait time.

I considered meeting Frank Ray who I hadn’t realised ahead of time was doing a meet and greet. At this stage, I hadn’t viewed the actual schedule on the app* (I only knew about Braden having clicked on his name via the app). Ray’s Streetlights was one of my favourite songs of 2021, but I sadly didn’t have time to stick around and wait, especially being at the same time as Braden’s. Looking back now, the opportunity for meet and greets is HUGE!

App Advice

*If you open the app and click on ‘lineups and schedules’ you’ll see ‘lineup’ (which shows all the artists appearing officially at CMA Fest), ‘stage schedules’ (which lists what artist is appearing when and where), ‘meet and greet schedules’ (which lists where you can meet every artist available for a meet and greet, even if they’re not officially performing) and ‘events around town’ (well, that’s self-explanatory, although there are more events than are listed.)

Note: Remember my trip was booked last minute so all this was very new to me. I also landed in Nashville at 11.30pm on the Wednesday after around 30 hours of flying and three nights of minimum sleep. Jet lagged, with the festival starting the following day, common sense didn’t exactly come easy at the beginning so sorry if I sound like a dummy.

Day 2… continued

Arriving at Fan Fair X was incredible. As well as many food and drink options, there were stalls selling clothes, jewellery and accessories. There were also games and a Dolly Parton exhibit where you could buy exclusive merchandise (it was free but there was a wait to get in). You could also bid on signed items or buy your favourite artist’s used clothes (with money going to charity). I had my eye on a few Lauren Alaina numbers which were, shockingly, at an affordable price.

I maybe waited for around 20 minutes to meet Braden. He was lovely. While others in front of me got a photo and left, he and I spoke about Australia and Australian food. He seemed legitimately like he wanted to chat, but I was conscious of the line behind me, so we got a photo together and he gave me a signed postcard (as he did everyone).

Around the same time, Cody Johnson was doing a Q&A nearby on the CMA Close Up Stage so I watched a bit of that before heading to the Spotlight Stage to see Taylor Moss perform.

The only female Australian artist officially appearing on stage as part of CMA Fest, Moss flew to Nashville following Buckle and Boots festival in the UK. She has been a powerhouse in the country music scene with her singles Get It Girl and Country Proud reaching number one of the Australian charts. Her latest release Gone Fishin’ dropped the same day as her CMA performance.

Moss’ CMA Fest performance was powerful and commanding, and the crowd enthusiastic and welcoming. In terms of quickly rising females in Australian country music, she is it.

Her performance was followed by a brief Q&A and meet and greet side stage. I said a quick hello before rushing off to the Good Molecules Reverb Stage to catch Aussie duo Zac and George.

Still relatively new to the country music game, Zac and George only released their debut single in 2022 but have since opened for Casey Barnes, James Johnston and the Wolfe Brothers, and appeared at festivals such as Ridin’ Hearts, Deni Ute Muster, Meatstock and Gympie Music Muster.

I’d seen Zac and George perform before and I always love their enthusiasm and energy. During Red Wine and Roses, they split the crowd in two (or ‘team Zac’ and ‘team George’) for a singalong. ‘Team George’ was the clear winner (I’m slightly biased as I was stood on his side).

Stopping along the way to check out a Q&A with a couple from The US Bachelor television series (one of the many extra events one can do/participate in around CMA Fest), I made my way to the Chevy Vibes Stage to watch Braden’s set. It was 1.15pm and directly under the sun so I stood in the shade up the back beside the Chevrolet cars on display. A great performance otherwise.

Again, it was too hot for my winter-loving self, so I headed back to Fan Fair X where I watched Allie Colleen and Wardel on the Spotlight Stage. Colleen was charismatic and funny (even making a joke about the air conditioning and relating it back to her initials – AC).

Wardel, however, was my favourite new discovery of the festival. Even though he was backed by a full band, he was almost a cappella, real and raw, even crying on stage as he spoke about his girlfriend and family. Blending R&B, pop, rock, and country genres, the former serviceman performed new and unreleased music (so new in fact he had to read the lyrics off his phone for one song).

Next it was back to the Good Molecules Reverb Stage to catch Casey Barnes. He was backed by Troy Kemp—singer, songwriter and one half of McAlister Kemp (with Drew McAlister) and Tailgate Drive (with Damien Baguley of the Viper Creek Band), who now lives in Nashville.

Barnes has had an incredible couple of years. He took home his first ARIA Music Award in 2022 for his seventh album, Light It Up, which also won ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Top Selling Album of the Year’ at the 2023 Golden Guitar Awards. He also took home the APRA Awards in 2023 and 2024 for ‘Most Performed Country Work of the Year’. His new album includes his latest single, Ain’t No Better Buddy Than A Beer, whose catchy chorus had me hooked.

Barnes, who also played the Reverb stage (then called the Maui Jim Reverb Stage) in 2023, has really grown in strength since I first saw him perform at RedFest in 2017. Having been performing over for twenty years now, it’s great to see him doing so well internationally – as well as CMA Fest, he also performed on the main stage at Stagecoach in California earlier this year.

I ended the second day of the festival watching Will Day at Hyatt Place (301 3rd Ave S).

I feel as though Day has been slowly gaining momentum in the background, making those right connections, and writing heartfelt, grounded and gritty songs while just waiting ever so patiently for his triumphant moment, like the Little Engine That Could. I know that’s a weird analogy to make but while he’s played large festivals such as Groundwater Country Music Festival, Texas Country Music Festival and Savannah in the Road, and had a top 5 single with Brooke Schubert called Simple Then, he hasn’t gotten the recognition he could and should have just yet.

According to Spotify he only released his first single in 2016, so I hope his experience at CMA Fest, as well as appearances at the upcoming Deni Ute Muster and Gympie Music Muster, helps give him that push and drive to take his career to the next level. His debut album Countrified, released in 2021, showcases his gift of storytelling, compelling voices and incredible potential to do amazing things in Australian country music and internationally.

I’m excited to hear what he has in store on his second album due for release in 2025 and featuring his current single Find Myself A Dirt Road. I wish I’d been able to catch his Whiskey Bent Saloon showcase the day before, but he played a wonderful cover of Marc Cohn’s Walking in Memphis at Hyatt Place, and it was one of my favourite covers that I heard at the festival.

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body. The Writer was assisted to travel through the Creative Australia Music Writers Lab pilot bursary program 2023.