Show Reviews

 

NASHVILLE'S MOST WANTED

Ft. Amber Watts & Dustin Spears

Tuesday March 8, 2022

@ Scoreboard Bar & Grill in Nashville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis)

With the ACM Awards streaming into homes the night before and bringing the current crop of Top 40 country stars to television screens across the nation, the very next night in Music City was all about seeing the best emerging talents playing live and introducing a crowd of music lovers to their incredible music.

For that type of show, you travel outside of the neon lights of downtown’s Lower Broadway and go out to the Music Valley area, in the shadow of the Grand Ole Opry House, to where Cody Purvis and his Nashville’s Most Wanted show holds solid ground at Scoreboard Bar & Grill as the place to be on Tuesday nights.

Trousdale County native Amber Watts kicked off the evening with her trusty acoustic guitar and irresistible southern drawl pulling the crowd into her classic country tilted sound, while Alisa Johnson joined her on stage to provide crisp harmony vocals.

Opening with Maren Morris’ “My Church” was enough to grab the crowd’s attention and pull them away from their table conversations as Watts stellar vocals radiated throughout the venue. But it’s when she dove into her first original song of the night, “Trailer Park Cinderella,” that she elevated her set by vividly showcasing her “old soul,” which truly captured everyone’s attention – including the bartenders and wait staff.

“I wrote this song for all the little girls out there that deserve to be called a princess no matter where they live,” Watts said as she introduced the song, and continued to captivate with a Dolly-esque style that wrapped around very clever comparative lyrics that twisted in the familiar imagery of the Disney fairy tale through lines such as, “Waiting on Prince Charming.”

Tackling Eric Church’s “Drink in My Hand” then allowed her to bring a unique female perspective to the overall sound and vibe of the popular hit song, before she quickly reverted back to where she feels so much at home by delivering Loretta Lynn’s “You’re Lookin’ At Country.”

“This song’s a little bit about where I came from, so I hope you like it,” began Watts. “If you like back roads then I think you will,” she finished as she delivered her second original of the night with “Gypsy Woman,” before playing the first slower paced song of her set with “Only Time Will Tell,” another original that really allowed her lyrics to be put in the spotlight and the emotional punch of her vocals to hit the heart of the listening audience.

After encouraging a sing-along, Watts performed the uber popular Nashville staple, “Wagon Wheel,” and although most, including myself, would tell you that this song is pretty played out around town…Amber Watts, instead, used it as a brilliant way to showcase her very powerful vocals which entrapped the crowd into the song.  She hit a deeper register with her voice that hadn’t been heard up until this point during her performance, but then very impressively switched gears and reached higher notes to close the song which provided an amazing display of her incredible range and control.

“I wrote this next song about an aunt that passed away from an overdose,” Watts very openly shared as she performed the heavy, classic country tilted and lyrically driven “Mama’s Drinking Tonight,” before lightening the load with the ultra-catchy, up-tempo “Hillbilly Good Time Rhythm.”

During her rousing performance of “Hillbilly Good Time Rhythm” she dropped in a shout of "A-Y-E-E-E,” a Louisiana Cajun phrase that Opry legend Jimmy C. Newman really popularized in country music, which provided a perfect lead into her cover of Hank Williams Sr. “Jambalaya.”

“I was on TikTok yesterday and was really feeling this song when I played it, and someone told me I sounded seductive and desperate,” Watts said with a sly smile on her face. “So, I figured why not make it even more,” she finished as she shrugged her shoulders and rounded out her set with the sassy “Dirty Like Me.”

Though Amber Watts only played an acoustic set, there was a certain vibe about her stage presence as she often popped her hips side to side in rhythm with the melody and dug down to hit changing notes of her guitar several times throughout the performance, which told me she could turn loose and really rock out when a full band is cranking behind her.

Combine that intriguing aspect with great songs, and Amber Watts certainly left the crowd chomping at the bit for more! An amazing feat to accomplish during the 5 o’clock Tuesday night timeslot, but one that should see her audience growing from show to show while she continues to impress each time out the same way she did on this night. 

In the Nashville area? Catch a full band show with Amber Watts & The CrossRoads at Dewaynes Bar and Grill in Murfreesboro, TN on Saturday March 26, 2022!

FULL SET LIST

1) My Church (Maren Morris cover)

2) Trailer Park Cinderella

3) Drink in My Hand (Eric Church cover)

4) You’re Lookin’ At Country (Loretta Lynn cover)

5) Gypsy Woman

6) Only Time Will Tell

7) Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show/Darius Rucker cover)

8) Mama’s Drinking Tonight

9) Hillbilly Good Time Rhythm

10) Jambalaya

11) Dirty Like Me

When we saw Dustin Spears two weeks ago, he headlined Nashville’s Most Wanted with an edgy, rocking full band behind him, but this go round was very much like the first time we caught his show a few months back.

When we were first introduced to him and his music, he had been filling in last minute for another performer with only his acoustic guitar and raw, honest vocals. Just as on that first night back in November, Spears was once again filling in last minute on this night for an act who had to cancel with only his acoustic guitar and raw, honest vocals.

However, over the past few months we’ve been able to see an incredible growth spurt from Spears, and by hearing an acoustic set right after experiencing the full band performance, we were treated to a much different dynamic that really allowed his lyrics to strike home in a completely different way.

Spears soundchecked/opened his show with the rollicking rock kissed “Sumbuck on a Horse,” before delivering his recent single “Tennessee and You,” a heartbreak song that packed a very emotional punch as his vocals were able to completely wrap around the power of the lyrics.

“I wrote all these songs with Dustin Spears; he’s a pretty good guy,” Dustin said in a witty showcase of his personality. “He’s me…I wrote all these original songs you’re gonna hear tonight,” he finished while earning a laugh from the crowd.

“I did this next song on Today In Nashville which was pretty cool,” he stated as he delivered “Still Think About You,” a mid-tempo jam that captured the audience’s attention with its feel good vibe as he reminiscent through the lyrics about the one that got away. 

“Do we got any Jelly Roll fans in here tonight?” asked Spears. “When I did this song and posted it, I got a shout-out on it from him,” he excitedly finished as he dove into “Save Me,” an ultra-popular song from Jelly Roll that Spears has uniquely been able to craft into his own and fit perfectly into his sets as one of the centerpieces of his performances.

“Broken Fool,” and his most current single “Whiskey Ain’t Working” quickly followed, the latter which saw many in the audience raising their cell phones into the air to capture a recording of it, which is a clear-cut sign that Spears’ newest single is making a strong connection.

Amid his mostly original set, Dustin also took time to dip into some of his strong country influences and satisfied the crowd’s itch for “real” country by playing Charlie Daniels “Long Haired Country Boy” and Shenandoah’s incredible “Two Dozen Roses.”

In another showcase of his witty personality, Spears noticed when a few new people walked into the venue.

“Thanks for coming in guys!” he said addressing them. “I know you were hoping to get Luke Bryan, but Ta-Da!,” he said laughing. “He does look like me though; tall and sexy!” he joked before playing “It’s Alright, the deeply thought-provoking “Hope I See You There,” and set closer, Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time.”

With more and more stage time, and his regional ‘Tennessee and You’ tour happening as we speak, Dustin Spears continues to exude confidence with each performance we’ve seen. That confidence factor gives him a certain on-stage aura that let’s concertgoers who are new to him and his music know that he’s someone to pay attention to, and once he has them captured, he really allows his great songwriting and vocal ability to stand tall in the spotlight.

FULL SET LIST

1) Sumbuck On A Horse

2) Tennessee and You

3) Still Think About You

4) Save Me (Jelly Roll cover)

5) Broken Fool

6) Whiskey Ain’t Working 

7) Long Haired Country Boy (Charlie Daniels cover)

8) Two Dozen Roses (Shenandoah cover)

9) It’s Alright

10) Hope I See You There

11) Goodbye Time (Conway Twitty cover)

 

 

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