LAUREN ALAINA

Tuesday September 7, 2021

Sitting Pretty On Top Of The World Album Release Party @ Ole Red in Nashville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis)

The music industry is always in constant motion and changing how they deliver music to audiences. Streaming services overtook compact discs, vinyl is making a strong comeback, and podcasts and livestreams became the only way for artists to reach their fans over the past year during the pandemic.

However, as much as things may change, one thing that remains the same is the idea of a live performance for an album release party. There’s just something electric about seeing an artist patrolling the stage, introducing their new material in an uncontrolled environment, and allowing you – the fan - to be an up close and personal part of it! 

That’s exactly what country star Lauren Alaina did when she brought her album release party for her latest album Sitting Pretty On Top Of The World to the famed Lower Broadway in Nashville and into popular hotspot Ole Red.

With Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” blasting out through the PA speakers to set the good-time atmosphere revved up, Alaina’s band (sans Lauren) hit the stage and tuned up their instruments before kicking into the set with “Run,” the first of 6 new songs that Alaina would offer on this night. 

Lauren bounced across the front of the stage, swaying back and forth, and leaning out into the crowd as their arms bounced through their air along with the melody and they shouted back the lyrics to her as she held the microphone out over them while encouraging them to sing along.

“Thank y’all so much for being here,” began Alaina. “I worked really hard on this new album. I am so, so proud of it. We’re gonna play a couple new ones tonight!” she finished as she launched into “If The World Was A Small Town” followed by “When The Party’s Over,” a song which she described as being really fun as she kicked up the sass while strolling to all sides of the stage and engaging her entire audience throughout the performance as they clapped along with her during its final chorus.

“This next song is one of my favorites on the album,” said Alaina of “Good Ole Boy.” “When I wrote this song it was a really good moment for me. I had been through a couple breakups, and I was seeing this guy and I realized it wasn’t going to work out. I walked away from that,” she explained before encouraging, “Girls…and guys…for whoever you’re trying to love. If they’re not treating you the way that you deserve and you think they could be the right one someday…that someday ain’t today; walk away! They need to be treating you how you deserve to be treated right now!” 

After sharing a happy birthday moment with the entire crowd for an audience member who was turning 70 years old, Alaina introduced “It Was Me” by explaining, “This is my favorite song I’ve ever written. I wrote it with Hillary Lindsey, and it was a really important thing for me to say on this record. The other person isn’t always the bad guy. Sometimes we’re the bad guy. Sometimes we’re the one that messes up and it’s us that walks away.”

During the softer paced song, the simple acoustic instrumentation offered Alaina the opportunity for her incredible vocals stand brightly in the spotlight and deliver the intended impact of the lyrics.

“I feel pretty confident that you’re gonna know these next couple of songs,” Alaina said with a big smile on her face.  “This was my 3^rd #1. It went #1 in the middle of his pandemic, and so I just started playing it live. I’m gonna let you sing it for me,” she said as she led the crowd;

“One beer turns into a lit cigarette….” And they took it over from there!” as the band kicked into the uber-popular Hardy song, “One Beer,” which Alaina was featured on alongside Devin Dawson. Just as during the intro to the song, Alaina allowed the crowd to carry the final chorus by themselves, bookending their enthusiasm for the #1.

“This is our current single and I think we’re at 35 or 36 on the charts,” said Alaina as the crowd let out a cheer. “If you’re getting over someone then this is the song for you. Now, Jon Pardi isn’t here tonight so I’m gonna sing both parts,” she finished as she jumped into “Getting Over Him” – walking across the front of the stage with that same familiar sass that we saw earlier while slapping high fives with audience members near the front of the stage.

“And now for the song that changed my life!” Alaina quickly stated as she jumped into “The Road Less Traveled,” which during it she encouraged the audience to put their hands in air with their cell phones lit up while singing the final “whoa oh’s” of the song.

“This last song we’re gonna play is a really special one to me. I sing it with a guy named Kane Brown,” Alaina said as she paused for the ovation as they knew “What If’s” was coming next. “This was his first #1 at country radio and it was my 2^nd. We grew up together. We were in middle school choir class together in 6^th grade and we both found our way to Nashville and we recorded this song…and it worked out for us,” she said before encouraging the audience one last time,” so you could be whatever you want to be!”

FULL SET LIST

1) Run

2) If The World Was A Small Town

3) When The Party’s Over

4) Good Ole Boy

5) It Was Me

6) One Beer

7) Getting Over Him

8) The Road Less Traveled

9) What If’s

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