“Why ain’t we never been to Norco before?” wondered Jon Pardi in the middle of his set at Boots in the Park Sunday night at SilverLakes.
The festival marked the end of Jon’s West Coast run of shows for the year, as well as Boots in the Park for the season (no one freak out, though – Activated Events has promised that the festival will return in 2022), and the Northern California native was clearly in high spirits, having brought his mom out to the show and asking the audience to sing “Happy Birthday” to her ahead of the official celebration on Wednesday.
Horsetown USA (and beyond) has been mourning the loss of Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, one of the Marines killed in last month’s terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, and the artists and producers of Boots in the Park celebrated his memory with tributes throughout the night; Jon Pardi dedicated “Starlight” to him, and just before his set, opening act and former Norco resident (as well as Air Force veteran and former San Bernardino Sheriff’s Deputy) Michael Austin returned to the stage (with Lance Corporal Nikoui’s family) to sing our National Anthem, as well as emotional versions of Tim McGraw’s “If You’re Reading This” and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Chris Janson was his usual infectious bundle of energy on stage, and was clearly having the most fun of everyone in attendance. The crowd was treated to not only his most popular songs, but also newer ones from the new album he has coming out in February. His performance of “Bye, Mom,” marked the second time he’s performed that particular song in California.
Newlywed Jameson Rodgers was celebrating the release of his major-label debut album, “Bet You’re From a Small Town” earlier in the weekend, and those still getting to know the “Some Girls” and “Cold Beer Calling My Name” singer got to hear the songwriter’s version of Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You.”
Drew Green’s set was warmly welcomed and with songs like “She Got That,” as well as the newly released “Cold Beer and Copenhagn,” and “John Deere Blue,” a clever play on a ‘90s favorite, one looks forward to hearing more from this singer-songwriter.
See ya next year, Boots in the Park!
Setlist:
Jon Pardi
1. Write You a Song
2. Night Shift
3. Up All Night
4. Oughta Know That
5. Cowboy Hat
6. California Sunrise
7. Get Lucky
8. She Ain’t In It
9. What I Can’t Put Down
10. Tequila Little Time
11. Happy Birthday
12. Beer Can’t Fix
13. Heartache Medication
14. Heartache on the Dancefloor
15. Me and Jack
16. Ain’t Always the Cowboy
17. Head Over Boots
18. When I’ve Been Drinking
19. Starlight
20. Dirt on My Boots
Michael Austin (tribute to Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui)
1. Star Spangled Banner
2. If You’re Reading This (Tim McGraw cover)
3. God Bless the U.S.A. (Lee Greenwood cover)
Chris Janson
1. Redneck Life
2. Everybody
3. Fix a Drink
4. Power of Positive Drinking
5. Things You Can’t Live Without
6. Keys to the Country
7. Good Vibes / What I Got (Sublime cover) / Three Little Birds (Bob Marley cover)
8. Open Minded Redneck / Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars cover)
9. Bye, Mom
10. I Love This Life
11. Piano Man (Billy Joel cover) / Don’t Stop Believing (Journey cover) / Rocket Man (Elton John cover) / Drunk Girl
12. Done
13. Buy Me a Boat
Jameson Rodgers
1. Smoke
2. Money
3. Cold Case
4. Girl with a Broken Heart
5. Cold Beer
6. Take It Easy / Life in the Fast Lane / Heartache Tonight / Seven Bridges Road (Eagles covers)
7. Missing One
8. Like You’ve Been There Before
9. You Won’t
10. Grew Up in the Country
11. One Day
12. Close to Anything
13. Good Dogs
14. Bet You’re from a Small Town
15. Midnight Daydream
16. I Don’t
17. Some Girls
Drew Green
1. Get Up and Get
2. Woods
3. Take Me
4. She Got That
5. Water Tank High
6. Right Where I Be
7. Little More
8. Dirt Boy
9. John Deere Blue
10. Cold Beer and Copenhagen
11. Rest of Our Lives
12. Dirt Money
13. Hooch