August in Indiana can be hot, but not as hot as the concerts on the Chevrolet Free Stage at the Indiana State Fair! Every August the fair opens and Hoosiers flock to the fairgrounds to see various exhibits, local homemade goods, carnival rides, circus, and music. Even though the fair plays host to various genres of music, its country music performances are second to none. This year, the fair hosted artists including Natalie Stovall, Randy Houser, and Hunter Hayes.
Country dynamo Natalie Stovall not only has a killer voice, but she has an even deadlier knack for the fiddle. She’s the female incarnation of Charlie Daniels.
Stovall graced the stage with blue jeans and an AC/DC shredded tee as she shredded on more than one stringed instrument. She belted out tunes new and old, from fan favorites “Mason Jar“, “Heartbreak“, and “Long Way Around” to her new one “Wine or Whiskey” then tore it up on the fiddle with a montage of covers that included some Dave Matthews Band’s “Ants Marching”, Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady” to an ever impressive cover of the master fiddler himself Charlie Daniels. To end the evening she rosined up her bow to show her skills on Daniels’ hit “Devil Went Down to Georgia” proving she not only commanded the fiddle, but the audience as well.
Country crooner Randy Houser, with his rich tenor voice that would could make an ice cube melt, stepped out on stage to a huge crowd of cheering fans.
Dressed in black with ball cap and bandanna around his neck, Houser dominated the stage with guitar in hand, belting out hits after hits, including “How Country Feels“, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight”, “Goodnight Kiss”, and his Top 5 and CMA Song of The Year “Like a Cowboy” to which the crowd stood and effortlessly singing along to every word. His delivery of each song, old and new, was effortless and flawless.
Taking it down a notch, he sang his new tender-hearted single “What Whiskey Does,” featuring Hillary Lindsey. The raw emotion of the song made the night memorable.
Last, but certainly not least, was the handsome Hunter Hayes. Donning black jeans, t-shirt, and bright yellow jacket, country music’s young gun came on stage firing popular tunes left and right on this humid rainy evening.
Stopping to chat with the crowd, Hayes took the time to acknowledge fans for their support over the years, which their fervent applause and cheers thanked him right back. He gave a commanding performance for more than hour, singing older tunes like “Storm Warning“, “Wanted”, “Somebody’s Heartbreak” and the most riveting performance of his hit “Invisible”, which he dedicated to all who’ve ever felt unworthy. He also performed his new hit single “Dear God”, a beautiful tune to brighten this stormy evening.
The crowd was receptive, belting the tunes back as loud and energetic as Hayes gleefully returning the favor. There might have been off and on rain with fans withstanding it all for hours before the show, but Hayes’ showmanship proved he was well worth it.
Another round of country concerts might be done, but fans shouldn’t get down. Counting down the days until next year’s excellent selection of music at the Indianan State Fair!
Check out our photo gallery below for some snaps from this year’s concerts:
For more information on the Indiana State Fair, visit: www.indianastatefair.com/