Alvord: As a country music fan Luke Bryan was a treat

When I heard Luke Bryan was making his way to Conway Township to play for about 20,000 people, I think I was in a state of shock.

It sounded like a dream - filling a cornfield with a stage, 20,000 fans and a country music superstar. As a country music fan since my kindergarten days, I couldn't miss the opportunity to go to the concert, even if it was for work.

Over the last year, my friends and I have made our rounds at country concerts at Pine Knob Music Theater formerly, DTE Energy Music Theater, and The Fillmore.

We've seen some big names in the country music world, like Brad Paisley, Randy Houser, Joe Nichols, Brooks & Dunn, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line. We've seen some up-and-coming artists, such as Parker McCollum, Lauren Alaina, Shy Carter, Hardy, Lainey Wilson, Chase Rice, Walker Hayes, Tyler Rich, Tenille Townes, Scotty McCreery, Jordan Davis, Conner Smith, LoCash and Ingrid Andress.

Now add to the list Jameson Rodgers, The Peach Pickers and Riley Green, who were warmup acts Saturday night on the Kubiak Family Farm, near Webberville, for Bryan.

Over the years, I've also seen Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Eli Young Band, Olivia Lane, Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, Jordan Rager, Drew Baldridge, Chris Lane, Chris Young, Frankie Ballard and Dustin Lynch - just to name a few.

This concert was different.

At outdoor venues like Pine Knob, it's hard to gauge how many people are there, but in Conway Township, it was apparent with seemingly endlessrows and rows of cars, people playing beer pong and cornhole, and blaring music having a good time on a hot, sunny day.

The chemistry was electric, like one big party in the middle of a cornfield. Everyone was friendly and having a good time.

Although the Saturday night party was in a cornfield, it felt familiar, even knowing everything would be gone the next day. Thousands of people stood, myself included, in a line that stretched far and wide, for about two hours, with the sun beating down on us, but the crowd was calm, although anxious to get inside. Beers were passed around in line from stranger to stranger and the crowd cheered as the gates opened.

Everyone strolled inside and made their way across a field, somewith lawn chairs in hand. There was, of course, no assigned seating, but plenty of portable toilets.

As time went by, the venue became more and more crowded. By the time the sun went down, we were all elbow to elbow with people raising their drinks in the air and screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs.

Jameson Rodgers played his hit "Cold Beer Calling My Name," which features Luke Combs, and fans raised their beers and other beverages in the air. He also took on Chris Lane's hit "I Don't Know About You," which he wrote, as well as his debut single "Some Girls," which echoed across the field.

It wasn't Rodgers, Riley Green or even Luke Bryan who took me by surprise. It was the Peach Pickers, featuring Thomas Rhett's dad, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip.

The trio sang 12 different songs they've either hada hand in writing or just felt like covering, including "What's Your Country Song?" by Thomas Rhett, "Runnin' Out of Moonlight" by Randy Houser, "Honeybee" and "Boys Round Here" by Blake Shelton, "Dirt on my Boots" by Jon Pardi, "Silverado For Sale" by Morgan Wallen, "Small Town Boy" by Dustin Lynch, "Backroad Song" by Granger Smith, "That Ain't My Truck" by Rhett Akins and "One of Them Girls" by Lee Brice, among others.

Riley Green got fans excited about Luke Bryan's arrival, but had attendees screaming out lyrics "Half of Me," written by him and Thomas Rhett, as well as his hit, "There Was This Girl." Hours of anticipation led up to Bryan's arrival and the whole venue shook with excitement as he belted into "I Don't Want This Night To End" from his 2011 album "Tailgates & Tanlines," along with "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye".

He ran the gamut, singing "Kick The Dust Up" from his 2015 album "Kill The Lights," "Knockin' Boots" and "One Margarita from his 2020 album "Born Here Live Here Die Here" and Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset" from his 2017 album "What Makes You Country," among others.

As a fan of his since hearing "All My Friends Say" from his 2007 album "I'll Stay Me" I was overjoyed to get to see him in person and he delivered. I hope to have the opportunity again if he decides to make his way back to the Kubiak Family Farm in Conway Townshipfor a third straight year next year.

Contact Livingston Daily reporter Patricia Alvord at palvord@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Alvord: As a country music fan Luke Bryan was a treat