The Carrie Underwood Concert

            I had watched American Idol for the first few seasons. As the years went on, the show became overdone and kind of pointless to me. I could not remember who was in the top 12, who the judges were and most importantly, who even won that season. It always seemed that whoever got second or third place or sometimes even fourth would become more famous than the actual winner; more album sales, more movie appearances, better name recognition. I believe this is true for almost all American Idols, with a few minor exceptions, but one HUGE one: Carrie Underwood. When I heard she was coming to Penn State, I automatically rushed to my computer that hot summer morning and purchased my tickets for her concert held at the Bryce Jordan Center this fall.

            The day finally rolled around and I could not be more excited. I put on my blue and pink plaid shirt, my jean shorts and of course my cowboy hat and boots. I braided my hair to complete my “city girl gone country” look. My group of friends and I started walking towards the BJC with the mass amounts of other people ready to see Carrie rock out the stage. The rim of the Bryce Jordan Center rapidly changed colors from blues and pinks to greens and yellows. It just got me all that more excited. The center flooded with people all decked out in their country clothes ready for the opening act, Hunter Hayes. Screams erupted from the crowd as he simply just walked on stage. Every note he sang made the audience produce louder and louder screams. If Hunter Hayes ever goes on a solo tour, I’ll be sure to be first in line for tickets.

            Hayes was finished with his set and the lights began to dim. That could only mean one thing: Carrie was coming! The stage seemed to explode with life and soon Underwood was singing every note to her old and new songs perfectly. One of the coolest parts of the performance was how the back drop followed the lyrics of the song by projecting images that either meant something to the performer herself or just to the words of the song. There was even one point in the performance where the stage rose and she was lifted into the air. She sang old songs the crowd knew every word to as well as new songs from her latest album. I am not a huge concert person, but Carrie Underwood outdid herself. The concert defied my expectations and made me wish it would never end. The name of the tour is completely accurate, any one who attends will sure to be “Blown Away.”  

Shatter every window 'til it’s all blown away,

Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away

'Til there’s nothing left standing, nothing left of yesterday

Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away,

Blown away