PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — Having sold out Lincoln Financial Field in March, adding tickets and selling those out, too, Kenny Chesney recognizes the longstanding passion the City of Brotherly Love has for his kind of hard-driving American music. Knowing how many people wanted tickets, he worked to put more chairs on the floor – and make space “for anyone who wants to come out, sing these songs with us and have the time of their summer.”
Hitting an unheard-of personal record of 56,292 members of No Shoes Nation at the home of the Philadelphia Eagles, Chesney came in hot – knowing they’d bring their “A” game. What the eight-time Entertainer of the Year and man the Los Angeles Times called “The People’s Superstar” wasn’t counting on was being stricken with a bronchial infection that landed fast and dug in.
“Some cities you just look forward to, and Philadelphia is always one of them,” Chesney said after the 90+ minute show. “When I felt it settling in my chest, I refused to even consider the possibility of not doing this show. From the moment it sold out and we added a few thousand more tickets, I could feel the love and excitement – and I wasn’t going to let people down.”
Not only did he not let people down, the people raised their voices with his to bolster the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar when he would step away from the mic in a coughing spasm. Tea was drunk, sweat poured off the high-energy performer, but mostly it was love being exchanged and songs shared with every bit of verve and fervor.
“There were a couple times where I wasn’t sure, and then I’d hear No Shoes Nation come rolling at the stage with everything they had, and I couldn’t help but smile. Their wanting to sing along really lifted me up and kept me going. And when I couldn’t they did, and it was absolutely the greatest feeling in the world. With fans like that, I’ll always bring everything we’ve got.”
In addition to adding “Guitars and Tiki Bars” to the show, “Setting the World on Fire,” his nightly duet with Austin-based bass player Harmoni Kelley, had a particular spark. And Uncle Kracker’s return to the stage for the one, two punch of their five-week No. 1 duet “When the Sun Goes Down” and Kracker’s record-shattering 28-week Adult Contemporary No. 1 “Drift Away” delighted fans. With the audience in fine voice, it was a love fest and singalong.
“No Shoes Nation shows up early, tailgates like they mean it, then brings all that heart into the stadium. Just their normal response to my songs is incredible, but when they could tell I was using every last ounce of energy, they pulled together and lifted me up. It was awesome.”
With a St. Louis amphitheater date this Thursday, June 13, and Chicago’s Soldier Field on tap for next Saturday, June 15, Chesney is going to spend the week resting up and getting ready to get back out there, playing hard and bringing the songs No Shoes Nation lives by, for and through to life. Once again, presented by Blue Chair Bay Rum, the Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour brings all the high velocity energy and songs people know by heart back to America’s favorite football stadiums.
KENNY CHESNEY’S SUN GOES DOWN TOUR DATES
with Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney & Uncle Kracker June 13 | Maryland Heights, Mo. || Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre^ June 15 | Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field June 20 | Noblesville, Ind. || Ruoff Music Center^ June 22 | Milwaukee, Wisc. || American Family Field June 27 | Darien Center, N.Y. || Darien Lake Amphitheater^ June 29 | Cincinnati, Ohio || TQL Stadium* July 6 | Kansas City, Mo. || GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium July 11 | Boise, Idaho || Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater^ July 13 | Seattle, Wash. || Lumen Field July 16 | Salt Lake City, Utah || America First Field* July 18 | Wheatland, Calif. || Toyota Amphitheatre^ July 20 | Los Angeles, Calif. || SoFi Stadium July 24 | Phoenix, Ariz. || Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre^ July 27 | Denver, Colo. || Empower Field at Mile High Stadium Aug. 3 | Nashville, Tenn. || Nissan Stadium Aug. 8 | Columbus, Ohio || Historic Crew Stadium* Aug. 10 | Detroit, Mich. || Ford Field Aug. 15 | Bangor, Maine || Maine Savings Amphitheater^ Aug. 17 | East Rutherford, N.J. || MetLife Stadium Aug. 23 | Foxborough, Mass. || Gillette Stadium Aug. 24 | Foxborough, Mass. || Gillette Stadium Aug. 25 | Foxborough, Mass. || Gillette Stadium * Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker only ^ Megan Moroney only
“…because everything gets hotter when the sun goes down…”
