2012 MN State Fair Grandstand Concerts

The Minnesota State Fair announced its 2012 Grandstand Concert Series. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 19. Here are the concerts coming to the MN State Fair (there is some great country music representation)!

An Evening with Anita Baker 8pm Sunday, Aug. 28

Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller 630pm Monday, Sept. 3

Journey 7pm Saturday, Sept. 1

Other grandstand shows available now are:

Bonnie Raitt with Mavis Staples 8/23
Alan Jackson 8/24 The Happy Together Tour 8/27
Kiss and Motley Crue 8/29
Rascal Flatts w/ Little Big Town, Eli Young Band & Edens Edge 8/30

Rascal Flatts at Xcel Energy Center

On Friday, January 21, 2011, the hit country band Rascal Flatts will be performing at the Xcel Energy Center. The band consists of Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, and Joe Don Rooney. The Rascal Flatts have been performing since 2000 and are based out of Columbus, Ohio. The Rascal Flatts have released 7 studio albums and have gained worldwide recognition as one of the most popular country bands of all time.

The Rascal Flatts have released twenty-seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including ten Number Ones. They have won numerous awards across the board for country music. They have also been widely considered as one of the best live performance artists. Don't miss your chance and see the Rascal Flatts live at the Xcel Energy Center! Purchase your Rascal Flatts tickets today!

Country Band of the Decade

After writing my list of best country songs of the decade I starting thinking about who was my favorite country band of the decade. It took me about 30 seconds to come up with the answer...Rascal Flatts! Rascal Flatts accomplished so much in the 2000's and released a lot of amazing music! I know there are millions of country fans that love Rascal Flatts just as much as I do and the main reason is because of all their great songs they have sang in the past 10 years...

Rascal Flatts(2000)-has sold 2,303,000 copies
"Prayin' For Daylight"
"This Everyday Love"
"While You Loved Me"
"I'm Movin' On"

Melt(2002)-has sold 3,073,000 copies
"These Days"
"I Melt"
"Mayberry"
"Love You Out Loud"

Feels Like Today(2004)-has sold 5,149,000 copies
"Feels Like Today"
"Bless the Broken Road"
"Fast Cars and Freedom"
"Skin"
"Here's To You"

Me and My Gang-has sold 4,796,000 copies
"Stand"
"What Hurts the Most"
"I Feel Bad"
"My Wish"
"Me and My Gang"

Still Feels Good
"Take Me There"
"Here"
"Bob That Head"
"Winner at a Losing Game"
"Everyday"
"She Goes All the Way"

Unstoppable(2009)-has sold 1,030,796 copies
"Here Comes Goodbye"
"Summer Nights"
"Why"

Another reason fans love Rascal Flatts so much is because they put on an unbelievable concert. I have been lucky enough to see them three times in concert and I would love to see them many more times! Rascal Flatts has headlined 6 major tours which were:

I Melt(2002-2003)
Here's to You(2004-2005)
Me and My Gang(2006-2007)
Still Feels Good(2007-2008)
Bob That Head(2008-2009)
American Living Unstoppable(2009-2010)

From 2001-2005 Rascal Flatts made $26.3 million and sold 777,384 tickets. In 2006, they made $46.2 million with their tour and sold over a million tickets. In 2007, Rascal Flatts made $34 million and sold 588,009 tickets. I know that Rascal Flatts won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I can't wait to hear all the songs they release in the future and see them in concert anytime they come to Minnesota!

Rascal Flatts new single "Why" off of their Unstoppable CD

As I have mentioned multiple times Rascal Flatts is by far my favorite country band. They have sang songs about love, friendship, good times, many types of heartbreak and even about a girl with cancer. I have absolutely loved every song they have released no matter what it is about until I heard their latest single "Why." If you haven't heard it yet "Why" is a slow song about a 17 year old that committed suicide. The main line in the song is "Oh God only knows what went wrong and why you would leave the stage in the middle of a song." I know a lot of people have been affected by suicide including the members of Rascal Flatts because Jay and Gary's Uncle killed himself and Joe Don had a friend in high school that killed himself. But, there is just something about this song that makes me feel really uncomfortable and its a type of song I never expected to hear from Rascal Flatts. The members of Rascal Flatts have said that they have released this song to help people realize that there is other options besides suicide but I just can't see this as a song that should be playing on K102 or other country stations. I might be completely wrong about this one but let me know what you think.

Why lyrics:

You must have been in a place so dark
You couldn't feel the light
Reaching for you through that stormy cloud
Now here we are gathered in our little home town
This cant be the way you meant to draw a crowd

Oh why, thats what Im asking
Was there anything i could have said or done
Oh I had no clue you were masking a troubled soul
God only knows what went wrong and why you'd leave the stage in the middle of a song

Now in my mind i'll keep you frozen as a 17 year old
Rounding third to score the winning run
You always played with passion no matter what the game
When you took the stage you shined just like the sun

Oh why thats what I keep asking
Was there anything I could have said or done
Oh I had no clue you were masking a troubled soul
Oh God only knows what went wrong and why you would leave the stage in the middle of a song

Now the oak trees a swaying in the early autumn breeze
The golden sun is shining on my face
Tangled thoughts i hear the mocking bird sing this old world really aint that bad a place

Oh I theres no comprehending and who am i to try judge or explain
But I do have one burning question
Who told you life wasnt worth the fight
They were wrong
They lied
Now your gone and we cry
Its just not like you to walk away in the middle of a song
Your beautiful song
Your absolutely beautiful song

Rascal Flatts concert in Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center

Rascal Flatts are coming back to Minnesota and I couldn't be more excited! Rascal Flatts is hands down my favorite country group and I am so excited to get the chance to see them for the third time at the Xcel Energy Center on September 19, 2009. I have been a huge fan of Rascal Flatts since their 1st single "Prayin' For Daylight" was released in 2000. One of the first tattoos I ever got was "God Bless The Broken Road" on the back of my leg because that is such an amazing song sang by an even more amazing band. I can't wait to hear all my favorite songs live again like "While You Loved Me", "I'm Moving On", "Melt", "Feels Like Today", "What Hurts the Most", "Love You Out Loud", "Take Me There", "Every Day", "Bob That Head" and of course their newest hit "Here Comes Goodbye." The first time I saw Rascal Flatts was when I sneaked into the Rascal Flatts concert at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand (which I don't recommend) but I just wanted to see them so badly and the Rascal Flatts tickets were sold out. The second time I saw them was at WeFest (I actually paid for these tickets). Both times I saw them they put on the best country concerts I have ever seen. All the members of the band have great energy and make you feel like you are part of the show no matter where you are sitting. I can not wait to see Rascal Flatts again and this time I will make sure to get Xcel Energy Center tickets before they are sold out!

Country Music Festivels: Country Splash

Country Splash is almost here and I am so excited! It is June 18-20 on the Apple River in Wisconsin. The artist that will be performing are: Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Travis Tritt, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, SheDaisy, Clay Walker, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts! I really can't believe that almost all of my favorite country artist will be at one place over 3 days and I get to see them all!

Country Music Video: "Here Comes Goodbye"

I have a favor I need to ask all of you out there. I have loved Rascal Flatts new song "here Comes Goodbye" since it was first released last month. I saw the music video for "Here Comes Goodbye" for the first time last night and I don't really understand it. When I listen to this song I picture it as a girlfriend breaking up with her boyfriend. This video seems to be about a women crying about her dad and her son dying? Also, is that the same girl from the "What Hurts the Most" video? I might just be over thinking it I am just very confused and wondering if anyone can explain it to me :)

Feelin Great in '08

Since I just started this blog I thought I would get everyone caught up on my summer 2008. I went to the most amazing place this summer for the first time called WeFest. I showed up Thursday night at about 10 pm just in time to see Rascal Flatts. They put on an amazing show and it set the tone for the whole weekend. I was surrounded by thousands and thousands of people who all loved country music as much as I did, and were singing along to every Rascal song as loud as I was. Throughout the weekend I was able to see Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, and many more. My favorite moment of WeFest that will stick with me forever was listening to Sugarland perform "Stay" in the pouring rain. They sounded amazing and the rain some how added the seriousness of the song. When there weren't concerts going on I walked around the campsites meeting hundreds of people who all had the same mission, to make this weekend one that they would never want to end and would never forget. I def. saw a lot of weird things one being the pool filled with pudding, or the largest slip in slide I have ever seen! I can't wait for the next WeFest and would suggest everyone go because it is worth every cent!