**This was actually 2 weekends ago but my computer has been having issues :(
So last week was kind of crazy for me. Because of my moving there is a lot of family that I wanted to see before leaving for the great state of Georgia!
So last Tuesday/Wednesday my Dad and I drove up to Washington to visit my Dad's side of the family. It was a great visit and they all said they would come visit me in Georgia! We will see if it happens or not ;)
Then on Thursday, I don't remember what I was doing but I got a call from one of my Besties, Carissa. She asked me what I was doing that weekend and I said I had just planned on spending it in our pool. "Nope, you're coming down here and we are going to the Jamboree!" My thoughts were, "WHAT? IS THIS A JOKE?" Ha. So the Oregon Jamboree is a 3 Day outdoor Country concert in Sweet Home. 2 Stages, 22 Shows, 3 Headliners!
I had originally planned on buying a ticket as soon as I learned that Brantley Gilbert was going to be playing. However when I learned that I was moving to Georgia I just knew I couldn't afford it before moving. I was really bummed because I fell in love with Brantley Gilbert 2 years ago when I first lived in Georgia and had been dying to see him ever since.
I was so excited when Carissa told me I would be going. She and her Husband, Shaun, agreed to buy me a ticket as a Thank you for all I did for their wedding recently and as a going away present. I was so thankful and couldn't believe it because tickets aren't cheap.
So Friday morning I had plans for lunch with my cousin but afterwards I headed South for the concert. Friday night we made it in time for Charlie Daniels Band...
The last song they played of course was Devil Went Down to Georgia and it was great. Unfortunately because we were so late Friday night we were way in the back but the 3 screens let you see really well. Carissa had her son Cohen (4) with us the whole weekend. This is the only photo of the three of us that I got.
Does anybody know how to make iPhone pictures not so pixil-y at night?
After Charlie Daniels Band there was an hour break and as we were waiting for the next band the moon was rising behind the stage. It was so much better in person but this is the best shot I got.
The headliner of Friday night was.....RASCAL FLATTS!!!
My nighttime photos didn't turn out that well unfortunately. Now I've seen them in concert before and they are great but this night was so much better than I'd ever seen. They didn't play off a set list. They asked the audience which songs we wanted to hear and they played them. I thought that was great! Cohen's favorite movie is Cars and he was so excited to hear "Life is a Highway" but he fell asleep before they played it. So we woke him up when they started playing it and he was all mad at us at first and then he realized what was playing. He was so cute dancing, smiling, and singing to the song. He was so happy and they played parts of the movie on the screen so that got him excited. Rascal Flatts was a great end to Friday night.
Most people camp/RV in fields for the Jamboree but luckily Carissa and Shaun live in Sweet Home so we were able to stay at their house. Friday night we didn't get home until almost midnight and then were back up at 530 the next morning to get in line for our General Admission seats.
I tell you being in line was some of the best interaction and people watching. You definitely made friends with the people you were sitting around. I loved it.
We were actually at the beginning of the second line so not too far behind
The second day we were ready to get good seats and we definitely did. We set up our seats and then headed back to the house for showers and some Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for breakfast. We knew this day was supposed to be super hot so we tried to drink lots of water before heading back. I was itching to get back though because Saturday was when Brantley Gilbert was to play and I was hoping to accidentally run into him (wishful thinking, ha). The days line-up included Morgan Frazier (didn't see her we were still at home), The Kentucky Headhunters (you know the ones that sing..."Let's all go, down to Dumas Walker"...), Neal McCoy (he was also the MC), Brantley Gilbert, and Wynonna. It was quite the day of performances. Mind you this day was super hot....
Yup you're reading that right. 102 Degrees in Oregon. That just doesn't happen that often. Needless to say we tried everything to keep cool. Luckily they have a covered bridge that provides shade as well as a shaded kids play area. We took this guy over there a lot on Saturday...
We kept spraying his hair and him to keep him cool. He ended up losing it this day and about 6pm just started crying uncontrollably because he was so hot and tired. We laid him down on the ground with ear plugs in and he passed out. Here are a couple pictures of the performers...
Neal McCoy is hilarious! If you ever get the chance to see him you definitely should. He kept inviting himself back to the Jamboree for next year.
Oh Mr Brantley Gilbert! Loved him. I have so many pictures and videos (where I am singing horribly in the background) of him. Great performer in person! So glad I got to finally see him
Wynonna...well what can I say other than we left during her performance. It drove me nuts that she never opened her eyes.
So we left during Wynonna and were all starving so we went to McDonald's (yuck, I am not a fan but was starving). We all pretty much passed out after eating because we were gonna be back up again the next morning.
That brings us to Sunday, in line at 530am again. This time we were at the end-ish of line 1. Meeting more people and chatting with the same from the day before. At one point two tour buses and the 18 wheeler pulled in. Everyone wondered who they belonged too. I should have gone to see (more on that later). So today we got even better seats! And then again headed home for some breakfast and showers.
Sunday's line-up included Eden's Edge, Steve Holy, Chris Young, and Dierks Bentley. We knew it was going to be another hot day so we spent most of the morning/early afternoon over in the shaded kids area letting Cohen play. We ended up trying to go back over for Steve Holy but it was too hot and we went back to the shaded area. Not to mention he wasn't the best performer :(. So around 4 we headed back to our seats for Chris Young because I wanted to watch him. Let me just say, MY OH MY, I could marry that man. So glad we went back for his set. Gorgeous dimples!!!! He put on a great show. If you ever get the chance to see him don't miss out. Such high energy. And gorgeous sexy voice!!!! I fell in love, if that's even possible. And as I mentioned before about the buses...they were his. Should have gone over to see. Darn it! Ha. Dierks Bentley was AMAZING as well. I had never seen him in concert either. He said earlier in the day he took his jeep up to the lake and then to the local coffee shop. I think I would've crapped my pants (not literally, but you get it) had I seen him driving around. He puts on a great show and played for almost 2 hours. At the end of his set and the end of the concert a rainbow formed over the stage. It was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend.
My pictures from Sunday aren't that good because I only had my iPhone and it did the temperature thing and shut off and my pictures aren't very clear. But here's a couple from Sunday...
Cohen made a visor in the kids section
Gorgeous Chris Young! So sad it's so pixily
Okay Country Fans, who does this remind you of?....If you said Eric Church you are right on. This guy is in Chris Young's band. Crazy resemblence. I said something to Carissa about how he looked like Eric Church and then like 5 seconds later Chris said "My Eric Church look-a-like". Ha, great minds think alike :)
Mr Dierks Bentley! Closed down the show with 2 hours of playing! Loved it
It was an AMAZING weekend! I can't believe I have never been to the Oregon Jamboree before. If I ever am back in Oregon around this time I am definitely going again. Thank you so much Carissa and Shaun!
I've always known I've loved Country Music but this concert made me even more in love. I love Country Men and Big Trucks and fantastic MUSIC!!
Love,
Heather
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