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26 Jan Scotty McCreery Sparks the Stage with Electrifying Performance at the Rialto
Scotty McCreery
Spencer Crandall
Rialto Square Theatre
Joliet, IL
Thursday, January 23rd, 2025 at 7:30pm
McCreery’s first show of the year was off to an exhilarating start as anxious fans poured into the Rialto, eager for the night ahead. Spencer Crandall kicked off the night, energizing the crowd in anticipation for McCreery’s performance.
Cheers erupted as Spencer Crandall took the stage. Crandall is a new artist described as one of Country’s most progressive talents. Growing up in Denver, Crandall has a tight knit family where he learned dedication and how to follow his passions. In college, Crandall played football before injuries strayed him away from the field. He later picked up a guitar and was hooked. Now, the singer-songwriter lives in Nashville living out his dreams and getting to perform amongst some of country’s favorite artists. He has released three albums and made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2022. Crandall has become a successful rising country artist.
Amongst his set, Crandall shared his upbringing and life story between his songs and created a relationship with the crowd. “The Right One,” “My Person,” and “Girls Like You.” Were just a few of his songs in his set. Crandall had an infectious energy on stage and had the audience laughing along with him and his jokes. He spent part of his set covering some of his favorite songs, such as “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker, “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band, and “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban. Fans were sad to see Crandall’s set close, but he left a lasting impression on the crowd. He built the excitement and anticipation in the crowd in preparation for McCreery to take the stage.
The dramatic opening of McCreery’s show began when the theatre lights dimmed, and the spotlights came on, showcasing McCreery’s band members. As the audience cheered, McCreery entered the stage and opened with his song “Can’t Pass the Bar.” His setlist included many of his hit songs: “In Between,” “You Time,” and “Five More Minutes.” Fans cheered as they heard the opening notes of McCreery’s song “Cab in A Solo,” which is his most recent single that has peaked at number two on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart. McCreery brought a laid-back presence to the stage, which highlighted how comfortable and connectable of an artist he is. He spent time telling stories to the audience about his life growing up with his wife, who he has known since they were both five years old.
McCreery was born in North Carolina and got his start on American Idol, winning season 10 back in 2011. His debut album was released in 2011 and was certified platinum in the United States. He has been nominated for 14 awards throughout his career and has won six, his most recent at the 2019 BMI Country Awards in 2019 with his song “This Is It.” One of his greatest dreams became a reality in 2024. McCreery received one of the biggest achievements in country music, which was being inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on April 20th by his childhood hero, Josh Turner.
Reminiscing on the day his son was born; he shared stories of the song he wrote in the hospital room while he was awaiting to meet his new baby boy. McCreery had the audience falling in love with his story, followed by the performance of “Love Like This,” which was the song that was created that day. “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and “The Chair” by George Strait were two of the covers that McCreery chose to sing, having the fans feeling nostalgic and singing along. McCreery debuted new song “Slow Dance” from his most recent album release titled Rise and Fall, which had couples standing and slow dancing the entire song.
With his amazing light display and visual effects, McCreery had the crowd electrified and as they sang along with him all night long. McCreery is known as a performer that makes his audience feel at ease and excited for the upbeat music to come. He closed out his set by performing one of his hit songs “See You Tonight,” leaving the crowd anticipating an encore with a fan favorite song in mind.
The lights came back up as McCreery and his band came back to the stage and played the anticipated song “Damn Strait,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Country Airplay Charts, holding the position for three weeks. Based upon one of his heroes, George Strait, McCreery knew in his heart he wanted to record this song. As McCreery closed out the night, fans slowly left the theatre with a sense of euphoria and exhilaration that is brought upon in McCreery’s shows.
For additional information on these artists and events coming to the Rialto, please visit:
Scotty McCreery- https://www.scottymccreery.com
Spencer Crandall- http://spencercrandallmusic.com
Rialto Square Theatre- https://rialtosquare.com
Additional Images:
Photographs and writing by Jaclyn Duske
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