It was a warm and balmy night at City Place in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, October 22nd for WIRK’s free concert series featuring Tom Jackson and Chris Cagle. Set up in front of the center fountains, you couldn’t ask for a better venue to get up close and personal with your favorite artists.
The plaza was filled to capacity when Nashville recording artist and local favorite, Tom Jackson, hit the stage, kicking off the night with “Wagon Wheel,” bringing the crowd to its feet. The vibe was that of a private party with 900 of your closest friends!
photo by Delaney Brown
Tom’s ten song set kept the crowd on their feet with such songs as “East Bound and Down,” “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” and “Drivin’ My Life Away.” Tom was candid with the crowd…joking around, sharing what he stands for, and bringing a young boy out of the crowd to help him play guitar during “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” Tom has two CDs of his own and from those he played fan favorites, “Country Boy Anthem” and closed his set with “Angel Loves the Devil Out of Me.” He has a new record coming out in 2014 and he gave us a taste of what’s to come with a ballad called “Emily” and more upbeat tunes such as “In The Back of My Truck Bed” and “Crazy About You.” His new record sounds like it’s going to be another crowd pleaser!
It felt like the night was getting hotter instead of cooler as the sun set over City Place. Chris Cagle did an acoustic ten song set opening with “My Love Goes On and On” and “Laredo.” He took a moment to talk to the crowd, explaining that in 2007 he knew it was time to take a break from the business; coming back in 2012, married with three young daughters and a new record label, Bigger Picture Records. Starting the music again, his guitar struck the cords of my personal favorite, “I Breath In, I Breath Out,” then kicked it back up with “What Kind of Gone” and “Get My County On.”
photo by Delaney Brown
You felt like you were in his living room as he talked to individuals in the crowd, asking how they liked the show so far, thanking Tom Jackson, and asking if anyone wanted a beer, which he got for one lucky concert goer who spoke up loud enough.
“Miss Me Baby” was the next song he played, then moved on to “Let There Be Cowgirls” and “Dance Baby Dance,” both from his 2012 CD Back in the Saddle. Chris got choked up during “Dance Baby Dance,” actually having to pause for a moment to collect himself before sharing the story of where the song came from. He explained that he was tired one night and his daughter wanted to dance with him, but he was too beat to do so and then thought to himself, “I really need to do it because too soon the day will come where Daddy wouldn’t be the man she wanted to dance with anymore.” It is a very sentimental song; straight from his heart.
He ended the night with “What a Beautiful Day,” adding new lyrics to include his wife and daughters, and lastly, closed with an all-time favorite “Chicks Dig It.”
The small, intimate venue always offers up a great time with people being able to bring their own chairs and coolers, or standing and mingling around, getting cold drinks from the various beverage tents and restaurants located around the plaza. You can’t beat the atmosphere and how laid back it is compared to larger venues.