Wednesday, January 19 2005 @ 08:13 PM CST
NASHVILLE, TN. (BNA Records) - No one's saying just where, but last year's barn-storming Keg In The Closet tour of local college bars in various and sundry SEC schools was such a success that Kenny Chesney's gonna do it again. If last year's lucky recipients were the University of Georgia, Auburn, Bama, University of Florida and Florida
State -- one can only wonder where the stripped down, sweat-soaked surprise shows will land.
"Part of the fun is no one knowing we're coming until we're right on top of them," admits the aw shucks CMA Entertainer of the Year, "We only announce these shows 24 or 48 hours ahead... so it's like the kids who're plugged into this music, into their college life are the ones who get to come on down and party with us. These people are crazy!!!!
"And I can tell you from last year, it's a lot of fun, a lot of music, a lot of getting back to the grass roots where all of us players kinda caught the fever -- because there's just something about getting back to the bars where you can really see and hear and touch those people that plugs you straight into the adrenaline on a more personal level."
Because of the nature of roll-out, at this point no one's saying just where the Keg In The Closet, Round 2 is gonna pop up. All that's being confirmed is that there will be two weekends - one will have two shows, the other will have three. There may be a repeat market, but the focus is on getting to new schools - and turning new college campuses upside down.
Again, traveling with a couple buses and one truck, it will be a stripped down, in your face, music take it all attack from the man who outsold every other act on the road last year - except Prince's acclaimed Musicology Tour - with 1.2 million tickets sold. No tricks, no bells, no whistles - well, maybe the wolf whistles of approval from the fans -- this is pure unbridled Kenny Chesney in a way that's almost impossible for him to go out and play like anymore.
"It's gotten so crazy, the only way we CAN do this is to sneak up on them," Chesney admits. "But it's so much fun, it's worth the hoops I put my team through to make it happen. When you see the look of these college students seeing you on their turf, it's just a whole different thing... You become part of their college experience, which is kind of the point of 'I Go Back,' which we had out last year.
"I mean, there are all kinds of ways to do this [play shows] that makes more sense. But I can't think of anything that's more fun... or more connected to the reason anyone - player or fan - gets hooked on music to begin with,"
For those not lucky enough to be attending a school on the Keg runs, you can catch the pride of Luttrell, TN from your living room LIVE on CMT's "Be As You Are" special this Saturday (Jan. 22) at 9 pm EST/8 pm EST - or "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Feb 1. Or you can pick up tickets for a show coming your way - starting Jan. 29, when the on-sales dates begin.
