COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew Stadium announced today that it will play host to Kenny Chesney's Sun City Stadium Carnival on Saturday, May 23. The show, which will be Chesney's second at Crew Stadium, also features Sugarland, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum. Ticket pricing and on-sale date will be released in the near future.
Chesney, the only artist to play to over a million fans last year - and the single biggest ticket seller in any genre - likes the energy that comes together when he and his band throw their all-day music, fun and friend fests in stadiums across the country. Chesney previously played to a sellout crowd at Crew Stadium on May 27, 2006.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome one of Country music's hottest acts back to Crew Stadium with another great lineup," said Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers. "Kenny's memorable show here in 2006 was a terrific event and we look forward to having him play on our new permanent stage this time, which promises to further enhance the experience for fans and artists alike."
The Corona Extra sponsored Sun City Carnival will travel to 12 cities overall. With initial cities being announced, the other stadium dates will be in Dallas, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Foxboro, Mass., Detroit and Indianapolis.
"There's something that happens when we're on those big stages," Chesney said. "You get to where you can really feel the back row... those people all the way back... like you were in a club on a really hot night... and there's no way to really put that into words, but those shows, they're something else. And as long as we've got cities where we know we can bring the biggest tent, then we're gonna keep doing it.
"Some cities - like Boston, where we've been four times - really want us to come back in that big way... and you know, I like changing things up, so some markets we're gonna play smaller venues and come back big... and a couple markets we're gonna throw the all-day party for the first time. But it's gonna be a really intense day of music, especially with the acts we've got this year! You've got a full day of some great songs, people who know how to engage a crowd and really have the kind of fun doing it I want to know our fans have when they come out to see us."
With "Down The Road," Chesney's duet with songwriter Mac McAnally, following "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" from Billboard's all-genre Top 200 Album Lucky Old Sun, and a performance on the 51st Grammy Awards Feb 8, the singer/songwriter from Luttrell, Tenn., is getting back to the thing that makes him feel most alive - making music for the people who love it as much as he does.
Located adjacent to the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Crew Stadium is a 20,145-seat facility, with the ability to hold up to 30,000 for concerts, that features a permanent main stage and roof structure. It is home to the MLS Cup-champion Columbus Crew and is a target destination for other marquee sports and entertainment events including U.S. Soccer matches, NFL exhibitions, NCAA soccer and concerts.
