Kenny Chesney Has 5 Guests At Record Setting Gillette Stadium Concert

08-25-2024

(EBM) Kenny Chesney broke his personal single night record with 61,484 members of the No Shoes Nation in attendance at the second show of the country music star's three-night stand at Gillette Stadium for his Sun Goes Down Tour. Here is the official recap: How one tops a mini-tractor, a mini-Chesney and a whole lot of energy is hard to imagine, but Kenny Chesney took the stage for his 23rd sold out performance at Gillette Stadium determined to drill into the heart of his Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour. With a set closing "Boys of Fall," which he performed at the stadium two months prior for Tom Brady's retirement event, it was an evening of songs people knew by heart, friendship and special guests that set a high bar for Sunday's third night.

Telling the audience early on they'd taken some liberties with the set list the night before, the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar introduced Old Dominion's Matthew Ramsey to a massive response, and the pair performed a conversationally buoyant rendition of "Save It For A Rainy Day," which Ramsey co-wrote. Shortly thereafter, Uncle Kracker expanded their crowd-pleasing duet of "When The Sun Goes Down" and his AC smash redux of Dobie Gray's "Drift Away" with "Follow Me" and "Midnight Rider" into a surging "Cowboy."

"The thing about these summers together," Chesney said post-show, "is it really is all about friendship. It's about the people out here, our road family and everyone else's road family, and how those connections grow. It's a lot, and it's precious. As things wind down, I really want to share No Shoes Nation with my friends."

For the first time all tour, Zac Brown emerged from the wings for a three song moment. Drawing on the spark of Country Music Hall of Famer's Alabama with a fiddle flying "Dixieland Delight" and closing with a mash-up of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Steve Miller's "The Joker" and Bob Markley's "Three Little Birds," the vibe was easy - and the vast range of their shared influences were on display.

Moroney's pranks were tamer. Clad in a white t-shirt with a Blue Chair Bay bottle, the pair did their moment of "All The Pretty Girls" and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy." But it was during Moroney's "Am I Okay," her team rushed the stage in matching t-shirts with the mini tractor leading the charge.

But maybe the most special guests bounded onstage during the breakdown of "American Kids." Waving to the wings with a come on out, Chesney introduced his mother and aunt to the 61,484 citizens of No Shoes Nation, who established yet another personal venue/single night best. After a perfect night under a clear sky, the fans were seeing the 8-time Entertainer of the Year signing until 11:25 pm.

"I told Tom, my stage manager, this is the best Gillette crowd we've ever had," the man the Los Angeles Times called "The People's Superstar" raved. "They were so there, so on fire. We could feel it before we hit the stage. Once we were out there, it was insane. I always say 'Sports, family, friends, music;' tonight with Zac and Megan, it was so strong, I had to bring my mom and her twin sister out to feel the crowd, too."

As noted by Robin Roberts on Thursday's "Good Morning America" entertainment round-up, this was not only an unprecedented weekend of three shows at Gillette, Chesney had surpassed 200 stadium shows. Having joined the tour in Philadelphia years ago, the Emmy winner cheered the love of No Shoes Nation.

"So many times this summer, I think it can't get any better, then something like tonight happens. From the fun of playing songs with my friends, sharing the rush with my mom and with No Shoes Nation, this is exactly the reason our refrain all summer long is: 'Who lives like we do? WE DO!' And it's each and every single person who makes it possible."