Kenny Chesney is no stranger to Columbia.
Chensey brought The Big Revival tour when he came back to Colonial Life Arena Saturday for the seventh time since the venue opened, a smash hit for country music lovers and Columbia natives alike.
It had been a year since Chesney has toured, and Columbia was one of the first stops on The Big Revival. And while Taylor Swift didn't make a guest appearance during this show, the energy that Chesney brought to the stage was more than enough to make up for any lack of international pop star.
Chesney's concerts are famous for letting fans get crazy, and whether it was an older couple wearing cowboy hats and drinking Captain Morgan or the group of college students swigging down Bud Light, every concertgoer made it a point to never let the party stop. After all, when songs like "Beer in Mexico" or "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" are playing, it's almost natural to relax and sit back, letting all the worries of the week slide out of mind, if only for a few hours.
Chesney didn't stop at just two or three hit songs. With a library as vast as his, just to play his top 10 or 15 songs would be doing him no justice. Taking the stage at around 8:30 p.m., Chesney played late into the night and made sure no hit song was left untouched. Even the casual fan knew several songs played.
Chesney's presence at Colonial Life was the perfect kickoff to the start of the summer season. Though temperatures stayed low and it seems as though summer is another world away, Chesney brought it all on stage and transformed Colonial Life into a beach bum's haven. With people in pirate costumes, songs about summer and the dancing and jovial attitudes displayed by the fans, Chesney proved that, no matter where he is, he'll bring the party.