LAUREN WATKINS

Opry Plaza Summer Concert Series Powered by Whiskey Jam

Friday July 21, 2023

@ Grand Ole Opry House Plaza in Nashville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis)

Though Nashville’s a city in constant motion that’s seemingly changing by the minute as new buildings go up and hundreds of people move here by the day, there’s still those certain spots in town that carry a tremendous amount of music history within their walls; places such as Tootsie’s, RCA Studio B, the Station Inn, and the Ryman Auditorium.

But there’s an unexplainable feeling that overwhelms you whenever you draw near to the Grand Ole Opry House.

With a Friday night crowd buzzing around the vast Opry Plaza an hour and half before the doors for that night’s Opry show opened on a night that would welcome Vince Gill, Gene Watson, and debut performance from Jake Worthington to the famed circle, just a mere fifty yards away the Opry Plaza Summer Concert Series Powered by Whiskey Jam welcomed to their stage, Nashville native, Big Loud recording artist, and recently named SiriusXM Highway Find, Lauren Watkins.

Immediately swarming the gathering crowd with her insatiably 90’s country infused style, Watkins slid into the groove of “County Line” to open her hour long set as she energetically danced in rhythm across the front of the stage, punching her naturally gritty flavor into the upbeat hip shaker.

Continuing to pour into the upbeat side of her aura as the crowd began to quickly gather in front of the stage, she tilted into her country sweetheart vibe as she drove through the moving on sass of “Stuck In My Ways” before hitting the crowd with “Dark Places,” the first selection of the night from her Introducing: Lauren Watkins album, keeping her modern 90’s infused style radiating the plaza as her most faithful fans sang along with the popular cut as it shined light as much on her honky-tonk influences as it did those of artists such as Sheryl Crow.

“I’m gonna play some songs here tonight that I wrote, and some country music that I just like,” told Watkins to a great ovation as she dove into Chris Stapleton’s “You Should Probably Leave,” sticking closely to the popular version of the song that we all know and love while adding a distinctively different flavor through her female vocal perspective flooding the lyric as the crowd of Opry goers sang along.

“I write a lot of songs and a lot of ‘em are really honest,” shared Lauren as the original music loving crowd let out a rousing approval. “This one is about a younger time in life,” she introduced as “Camel Blues” softened the pace, utilizing her voice to strike the proper emotional tug as she pulled us into the ultra-relatable lyric of finding comfort in Camel cigarettes during the down moments of life when every other vice fails to satisfy.

“Well, the sun ain't out anymore but I’m still gonna play this one,” Lauren smiled as the cloud cover from the impending rain hid the setting sun while she highlighted that Sheryl Crow influence that we experienced weaved through her original songs up to this point, hitting into the melody bounce of “Soak Up the Sun” as crowd clapped and danced along with the familiarity of the irresistible summertime anthem.

Watkins humbly gushed, “this is one of my favorite songs that’s I’ve been part of writing,” slowing the pace with the masterful wordplay of “Shirley Temple,” eliciting tremendous ovation for the song that has become her breakthrough at radio and put her on the country music map as her exuberant fanbase showed up and showed out on the Opry Plaza, singing along with every heartfelt word as they swayed side to side in perfect timing with its rhythm.

Swerving away from her signature style, “Jealous of Jane” then dusted off the hi-fi as it transported us to the 1970’s with a pure jam that saw her bouncing her hips side to side as she sang through a lyric of the pure jealousy of watching an ex moving on, cleverly flipping the script as she lamented that she didn’t even understand her own feelings since she’s the one that got away and doesn’t even want him back; giving the song an interestingly unique twist that encompasses the idea of I don’t want him, but I don’t want you to have him either.

Sticking strongly to the attractive 70’s vibe but sliding out of the jam like style and into a dusty old barroom flavor, with just her and her acoustic guitar Watkins satisfied the packed Opry Plaza with a dive into her traditional country background as she metaphorically tipped her hat to the yesteryear “Cowboys On Music Row.”

“Who's ready to party?” Watkins asked to a cheer from the gathered crowd as she instantly had the whole place dancing in the groove of “Grain of Salt,” commanding the stage with the shrug of her shoulders to life’s down moments as she raised a toast to finding the silver linings, soaking in the it is what it is swagger of the lyric as the guitar onslaught slapped the crowd.

“Set My Heart On Fire,” another brand-new song, then turned up the sultry side of her arsenal as she leaned into the edge of her country atmosphere, progressing the song amongst a fury of backbeats as she lifted her impeccable voice into its powerful range through the chorus, before sliding into “White Liar” and continuing to put on a showcase of her influences as the crowd screamed out the lyrics to the Miranda Lambert favorite.

“Thank y'all so much for being here on the plaza with me tonight,” Watkins gratefully said as she slid into her closing bop “Sleeping In My Makeup,” striking into one more hip popping groove to leave a lasting impression on the stunned crowd who’s night was just about to elevate that much more as the doors for the Friday night Opry show had officially opened as Watkins and her band struck their final notes.

FULL SET LIST
1) County Line
2) Stuck In My Ways
3) Dark Places
4) You Should Probably Leave (Chris Stapleton cover)
5) Camel Blues
6) Soak Up The Sun (Sheryl Crow cover)
7) Shirley Temple
8) Jealous of Jane
9) Cowboys On Music Row
10) Grain of Salt
11) Set My Heart On Fire
12) White Liar (Miranda Lambert cover)
13) Anybody But You
14) Sleeping In My Makeup

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