Last week brought two amazing, yet very different, concerts to the FedEx Forum in the heart of downtown Memphis. I am very fortunate to have awesome friends, so somehow I made it to both!
First up was the Thursday night George Strait concert, with Lee Ann Womack and Reba McEntire. Not being a huge country fan, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from such a show, as I was worried I wouldn’t know many songs. But I tried to dress the part when I broke out my suede cowboy-ish boots!
The energy in the Forum was definitely on high alert. Die-hard country fans were dressed all out, with amazing boots and cowboy hats. I was lucky enough to be in a suite, so I had a great unobstructed view of the crowd AND the stage.
Lee Ann Womack came out first and really got the crowd going with several hits and a few new songs. Towards the end, she sang one of my favorite songs of all time, I Hope You Dance. How beautiful!
Next up was Reba McEntire, the Queen of Country. Wow! What a show she put on. Moving all around the stage, singing hits, giving us a song off the new album, and dancing up a storm. She explained that at one time, if a song didn’t make people dance, they didn’t even play it. Lee Ann Womack came back out for a duet, and Melissa Peterman, her co-star from the TV sitcom, even joined her for a bit of comedy and a theme song duet.
Finally, the headliner took the stage! Playing song after song, hit after hit, George Strait gave the crowd a view into his entire repertoire of songs. I think everyone in the arena got their money’s worth, as it was a 4 and half hour show!!
Friday night was definitely exciting for me, as I had really wanted to see this show. First up though, was Happy Hour at Circa. I must say, it is a really nice place to grab a drink before a show, concert, or just a night out. They have an excellent wine selection, as well as extension liquor options and interesting beers on tap. Plus, they have delicious homemade chips to snack on!
The FedEx Forum was pretty crowded, even pre-show. Roger Daltrey took the stage first and put on quite a concert! Playing his songs plus Who songs, he jammed out on his guitar and swung his microphone all over the stage! My faves were Who Are you and the closing Baba O’Riley!
Next up was the classic Eric Clapton. He played a mix of songs spanning his career, including Layla, I Shot the Sheriff, Cocaine, and the closing Crossroads. Plus, he played a beautiful rendition of Wonderful Tonight. While mostly a slower set than Daltrey, he somehow managed to keep the energy alive and pull the crowd in to every song! What a great concert!
After the show, I ran into some friends who were heading out for a late night dinner. We joined them at Blue Fin for a huge sushi meal and several bottles of sake. I remember… most of the meal… but then definitely decided it was time to head home. What a fun night!!
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