Kip Moore Is The Kind Of Artist We All Need

It was perfect weather for a day at the Dutchess County Fair on Friday, made even better by a killer performance by Kip Moore.

Hundreds of thousands of people descended on Rhinebeck, NY this past week for the 173rd Dutchess County Fair. Its an event that’s become an annual tradition for our family. What’s not to love? There’s carnival rides, games, animal exhibits, live entertainment (we never miss the racing pigs or the dock-diving dogs), and of course, country music concerts. Oh, and fried dough. Always fried dough.

This year’s fair featured three nights of country shows with Chris Lane on Wednesday, Kane Brown on Thursday and Kip Moore on Friday.

Kip truly shines in having carved his own niche within the genre, delivering country music with a gravely tone and a soulful, southern rock edge. And he has one of the most dedicated and die-hard fan bases around. But what’s really special about that is he built it without having consistent radio play, without industry recognition at awards shows and without any major media attention. He built it by pouring his heart and soul into the music, by always being true to himself and by delivering stunning live performances. 

Kip Moore in Rhinebeck NY, August 24, 2018 / Photo by Shawn St. Jean

I’ve had the chance to see Kip perform countless times, from an acoustic show at a bar in Manhattan that was jam packed wall-to-wall with people, to sold out amphitheaters, to festivals with tens of thousands in attendance. The venue doesn’t matter; Kip’s going to leave it all on the stage. Every. Damn. Night.

Kip’s show in Rhinebeck was no exception, despite the fact that it was an early start for him. With no opener, he hit the stage while it was still light out – he commented that it was probably the earliest he’s had to start a headlining show in quite a while. But it didn’t matter. Fans had been lined up waiting all afternoon in hopes of getting a spot along the rail in front of the stage. And they were all kinds of fired up.

Kip’s twenty-song set featured a solid mix from the past several years. He led off with Fast Women and Sunburn, both from his latest album, 2017’s SLOWHEART, followed by crowd favorite Beer Money from 2012’s Up All Night. 

Kip Moore in Rhinebeck NY, August 24, 2018 / Photo by Shawn St. Jean

Throughout the show Kip primarily went back and forth between SLOWHEART (including More Girls Like You, The Bull and Last Shot) and 2015’s Wild Ones (including I’m To Blame, Running For You and the title track Wild Ones). And of course he performed his very first number one hit single, Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck.

If you want to see what really distinguishes Kip’s fans, watch them when he’s performing his album cuts – the ones that don’t get played on the radio. They’re singing every word. To every song. Loud. And look at the songs Kip picked for his encore: Bittersweet Company, Separate Way (from his 2016 EP  Underground) and Backseat. That crowd sang Backseat as loud, if not louder, than when he performed Truck.

During Heart’s Desire Kip took a minute to chat with the crowd:

“We live in a really crazy time right now. I’m glad that my soul has stayed in tact through everything that’s transpired through the years. I’m glad that I’ve never gotten lost in the bullshit. We’ve gone years without radio play, then we have some radio play and then we don’t, and then we do. But no matter what there’s something true and authentic that’s always happened between us, and that’s the only reason I got into playing music, was because of that. I’ve never cared about the money, I’ve never cared about the fame – I care about what’s happening right now. That’s what makes me move and what makes me go. So thank you. I was lookin’ up a minute ago and I had a moment – I was lookin’ at the ferris wheel and lookin’ at all you guys, and I’m like, shit, this is amazing, you know. I’m gonna ride that son of a bitch when we get done too.”

Kip Moore in Rhinebeck NY, August 24, 2018 / Photo by Shawn St. Jean

While the night was unforgettable for everyone, it was extra special for one couple from Massachusetts. Chelsey and her boyfriend Ryan made the long drive to Rhinebeck for the show. Chelsey didn’t know it yet, but Ryan had bigger plans. Before they left Ryan had asked her family’s permission to propose. And what better place to do it than a Kip Moore show. During Kip’s performance of Hey Pretty Girl, Ryan tapped Chelsey on the shoulder. When she turned around he was on one knee with a big smile on his face. Congratulations to the happy couple, and always remember, time moves faster than you think.

Kip will be back in the area next month as he kicks off his fall headlining After The Sunburn Tour. He’ll make stops at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom on September 21st (with The Wild Feathers and Caroline Jones) and at The Paramount in Huntington NY on September 22nd (with The Wild Feathers).

Check out all of our exclusive photos from the show in Rhinebeck:

Kip Moore / Rhinebeck NY

 
For all of the latest news and updates on Kip head over to kipmoore.net and follow his social media accounts: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

Were you at the show in Rhinebeck or have you seen Kip perform live elsewhere? Let us know what you thought of the performance in the comments section below!

Setlist from Rhinebeck NY:

1. Fast Women (SLOWHEART)
2. Sunburn (SLOWHEART)
3. Beer Money (Up All Night)
4. Wild Ones (Wild Ones)
5. Plead The Fifth (SLOWHEART)
6. Just Another Girl (SLOWHEART)
7. Come and Get It (Wild Ones)
8. I’m To Blame (Wild Ones)
9. More Girls Like You (SLOWHEART)
10. The Bull (SLOWHEART)
11. Running For You (Wild Ones)
12. That Was Us (Wild Ones)
13. Last Shot  (SLOWHEART)
14. Hey Pretty Girl (Up All Night)
15. That’s Alright With Me (Wild Ones)
16. Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck (Up All Night)
17. Hearts Desire (Wild Ones)
18. Bittersweet Company  (SLOWHEART)
19. Separate Way (Underground EP)
20. Backseat (Wild Ones)