Stars and new talent shine at Stagecoach

75,000 people per day descended on the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California last weekend for the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which featured breakout stars and veteran entertainers alike. Although evening headliners Eric Church, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan each put on powerful performances, the real gems of the festival shined through in “up-and-coming” performers such as Aaron Watson and Brett Young, who let their voices and stories enthrall the crowd even during the hottest part of the day.

The festival, which occupied the same fairgrounds as Coachella had over the previous two weeks, held most of its biggest shows at the centrally located Toyota Mane Stage, with smaller venues such as the Palomino and Mustang stages hosting less well-known artists as well as newcomers to country music. A beer garden, large Ferris wheel and honky-tonk dance hall all added to the sense of the festival as a three-day party, although Stagecoach also featured a special kids’ section to promote a family-friendly atmosphere.

Some of the biggest names in country music were in attendance, with breakout star Sam Hunt taking the stage Friday evening to perform his hit singles “Leave the Night on,” “House Party,” and “Ex To See” before a cheering crowd. He surprised everyone by bringing out special guests G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha to sing “Me, Myself and I,” followed by Snoop Dogg for “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Chris Young had his own surprise for the audience when he introduced Cassadee Pope to sing their duet “Think of You,” which progressed flawlessly as the two artists’ voices melded together and played off of each other onstage.

Although Saturday didn’t include any guest appearances, it impressed attendees nonetheless with performances by Chris Stapleton, Joe Nichols and The Band Perry, all of whom brought their signature sounds to Stagecoach. Nichols was particularly personable, with a smiling demeanor and casual comments to the crowd that demonstrated how much he enjoyed performing; members of The Band Perry, meanwhile, got festival-goers dancing and singing along with their hits “DONE” and “If I Die Young.”

On Sunday, the Mane Stage hosted country-rock bands Old Dominion and A Thousand Horses, followed by a performance from Dustin Lynch that stood out for its smooth sound and genuine nature. Whether crooning the love ballad “Cowboys and Angels” or getting the crowd ready to party with “One Hell of a Night,” Lynch was at his best and brightest at Stagecoach – and audience members could tell that he was grateful to be there, as when he stopped partway through his set to point out the beautiful sunset lighting up the scene behind the crowd. Following Lynch, the members of Little Big Town were in perfect harmony for “Pontoon,” “Sober” and “Your Side of the Bed,” displaying their musical talent as well as their cohesiveness.

Stagecoach’s headliners did not disappoint either, with Eric Church taking the stage Friday night in his signature no-nonsense rockstar style. As he pointed out, ten years ago he performed at Stagecoach at two in the afternoon; now, he is one of the biggest names in country music, with a gravelly voice and unique singles such as “Springsteen,” “Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Mr. Misunderstood” unashamed of their country roots but proud of their rock influences. Carrie Underwood, who first rose to fame in 2005 after winning American Idol, blew away the crowd with a performance that hit every note just right; every song had the audience singing and dancing along, and Carrie’s sunny and down-to-earth personality stood out when she took off her high-heeled shoes to sing “Blown Away,” “Heartbeat” and “Before He Cheats” barefoot. And when Luke Bryan came on Sunday night, he ramped up the party as screaming fans cheered his hits “Kick the Dust Up,” “That’s My Kind of Night,” “Crash My Party,” “Play it Again” and “Roller Coaster.” Bryan brought Lynch and Little Big Town back onstage with him for a completely unscripted rendition of Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country” and Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty,” and his signature energy got everyone dancing whether he was singing country or pop.

Despite the fact that most festival-goers came for evening performances once the heat of the day had worn off, those who took the time to get there a little earlier could discover little-known gems like Aaron Watson, who has been performing for 15 years (and just released his 12th album) but whose hit single “That Look” earned him national recognition just last year. Watson’s voice was smooth and his guitar chords were perfectly in tune, as his song “Bluebonnets” brought genuine emotion to the audience when he described the hardship he went through after the death of his daughter. By contrast, Brett Young has only been performing for a few years, but he has already built an empathetic fan base with his description of the heartbreak he experienced after ending a six-year relationship, which inspired songs such as “Like I Loved You” and “You Ain’t Here to Kiss Me” on his first EP.