Jim’s Big State Wrap-up: Sunday

Concluding our post-event coverage of the 2007 Big State Country Music Festival, here is the second half of my weekend wrap-up.

Sunday:

Colin Gilmore, 11:15.
The son of Texas icon Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Colin played to a small but very enthusiastic crowd at the BMI stage. Admittedly, I only had chance to stick around for about three songs, but I was impressed by the polished and eclectic sound that I heard.

Ashley Ray, 11:45.
I had never heard of Ashley Ray prior to Big State, and when I saw her uber-sexy promo shot in the festival’s program, I expected a performance that pushed style over substance. I was way, way off the mark. Ray’s songs were, by far, the freshest new material I heard all weekend. This is an artist to watch.

Eric Michael Hopper, 11:45.
Hopper earned his way onto the John Deere stage by winning the fan-voted Big State Star Contest. I think I want a re-count.

Kelly Willis, 12:30.
Willis has been one of my favorite artists since I was old enough to realize that “Shania Twain” wasn’t a complete definition of Country Music. Sitting off-stage in the VIP lounge, eating a ham sandwich, and listening to her bittersweet vocals was as close to a surreal experience as I’ve had in quite a while, and it made me realize how sorry I am for anyone who has never had the pleasure of hearing this lady sing in person.

Kevin Fowler, 2:00.
Where do I begin…pelvic thrusts? Check. Tasteless jokes? Check. Sexual innuendo? Check. And all of that just from the crowd as it waited for Fowler to take the stage. One of Texas Country’s favorite sons, Fowler has some very, very good songs, but I have a hard time taking him seriously as an artist when he continuously acts like a hormone-driven twelve year old.

Sunny Sweeney, 3:30.
Sweeney seems to feel the need to bombard us with the fact that she’s a traditionalist. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose? It just feels like she’s trying too hard to be the personification of what she sees as the “ideal” artist performing “real” Country Music.

Gary Allan, 4:00.
Is Gary Allan the most underrated artist in Country Music? This guy is a hell of a performer with a body of startlingly excellent work.

Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, The Flatlanders.
I had a few loose-ends to tie up on Sunday evening, so I didn’t get to spend more than a couple of minutes at each of these shows. The chatter from everyone I talked with post-event, however, was the The Flatlanders lived up to every ounce of their reputation.

Tim McGraw, 8:30.
Did anyone else notice that Tim performed a ton of covers? Did anyone else notice that few, if any, of them were country? Did anyone else care? The flock of sheeple went gonzo with applause and admiration as McGraw offered up a string of mediocre vocal performances (mediocre is generous, in some cases–his opening number, “The Joker” was awkward and painful to hear). I wonder: has McGraw reached the level where his image means more than his music?

Bruce and Charlie Robison, Timeless.
Unbelievably awesome. A testament to everything that is good about Country Music.