The ACM New Faces Show was held on May 16, 2005 in the Mandalay Bay Ballroom. The show consists of performances from the artists that are nominated for the "ACM New Artist Award." This year's nominees are Gretchen Wilson, Josh Turner, Julie Roberts, Josh Gracin, and Big & Rich.
I attended this show last year, but last year, in order to attend, you had to join the ACM Associate program, which cost to join. This year, you had to be an Associate, but the membership was free. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at the increase in attendees to the show. I think last year the show had maybe 1200 people in attendance. This year there were probably 1200 people in line in front of me and another 1000 - 1200 behind me.
The Mandalay Bay Ballroom is a huge room, so no problems seating this many people. I searched around and located a place in the front row way on the right side. What luck!
Last year's host was Cledus T. Judd. This year we had a comedian named Ned Dex, or something. Unfortunately, I didn't write his name down, and I'm sorry I forgot, because he was really a great host. He does sound effect comedy. He'd do some standup while the road crew set up the stage for the first artist, which was Gretchen Wilson.
I was kind of surprised that Gretchen was first to perform. I would have thought she'd have been last. Looks like maybe they decided on reverse alphabetical order? Not sure. Anyway, she opened with the first single, and title cut from her upcoming album, All Jacked Up, which will be out on September 27, 2005. The song really got the crowd going, and people immediately started packing the area in front of the stage as Gretchen sang.
Not a normal-length concert, each artist would play approximately 5-6 songs. Gretchen continued her set with "Homewrecker," then she gave us another taste of what to expect from All Jacked Up, by playing a song she recorded with Merle Haggard called "Politically Uncorrect."
Gretchen said she couldn't let a show go by without mentioning rednecks, and asked "Are there any rednecks out there?" Of course, this was the lead in to her smash hit, "Redneck Woman." The crowd was most definitely into it as choruses of "Hell Yeah" were repeated at the correct moments in the song.
The final song for the night was the title track of her current album, Here for the Party. I have to say I was disappointed that she didn't sing "When I Think About Cheating," but Gretchen most certainly knows how to entertain, and even in the brief set, that is evident.
As the crew changed the stage, Ned came back out to entertain. He certainly helped the time between sets go by, as he was really funny. Before you knew it, it was time for the next act to come out.
Josh Turner was the next to perform, and he started his set with a Waylon cover, "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?" From there he played an album cut off his Long Black Train cd, called "Backwoods Boy."
Josh has been in the studio recording his sophomore release, and he played a song off the album, which will be due out this Fall, called "Granted." It's a ballad and very nice to hear him sing those low notes.
The next song I didn't recognize. I think it was called "Just To Be Your Man." And, of course he closed out his set with his smash hit, "Long Black Train." Josh really put on a great show, and I hope I to see him perform at the CMA Music Fest this year. I would have liked to have heard "In My Dreams," rather than the Waylon cover, but that's just me.
Time for Ned to fill some time with his sound effect comedy. The third artist to perform was the second female, Julie Roberts. Like Josh before her, she would sing a cover song too, however the remaining songs were all from her current self-titled album, so fans would recognize everything she sang. Sometimes it's a double-edged sword when you play new music. You want to keep the momentum going from getting the crowd into your songs, and when you play something new, it could bomb or it could be a hit. Julie started out with an album cut called "You Ain't Down Home." She's got a sensual bluesy quality to her voice that I really love.
Julie sang her recent single, "Wake Up Older" next. Then, she told of her idol, whom she would love to have a musical career like, and said she'd like to sing one of her songs. She proceeded to belt out an awesome version of "Sweet Dreams," of course by the late Patsy Cline.
Julie sang another album track, "No Way Out," and closed her set with her big single, "Break Down Here." She's very personable and very appreciative of her "New Artist" nomination this year.