Dillon Carmichael

March 31, 2022 7 PM

at The Bluestone

Columbus, Ohio

About Dillon Carmichael:

FOR DILLON CARMICHAEL, THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN A WHIRLWIND, TO SAY THE LEAST.

Since unleashing his critically acclaimed 2018 debut, Hell On An Angel, he’s toured with everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Trace Adkins to Dwight Yoakam and Justin Moore, written a song for Travis Tritt’s latest album, racked up millions of streams on Spotify, gone viral on TikTok, and even gotten engaged. And while you might have expected the cancellation of a year’s worth of tour dates to finally slow him down, Carmichael instead used his pandemic downtime to head right back into the studio and record Hot Beer, a brand new collection of high-energy, feel-good country.

“I felt like my catalog could use a little more fun in it,” says Carmichael. “After putting out a record as heavy as Hell On An Angel, I wanted to make something faster, something looser, something that’d leave you with a smile on your face.”

Recorded with producers Jon Pardi and Ryan Gore, Dan Huff, and Phil O’Donnell, Hot Beer is all sly humor and raw heart, with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and double entendres lurking around every corner. Carmichael’s rich, velvety baritone is still very much front and center here, but there’s a newfound playfulness to his delivery that manages to offer up a knowing wink even as it breaks your heart. It’s a delicate tightrope for any artist to walk, but if Hot Beer proves anything, it’s that Dillon Carmichael is a songwriter who knows how to take his fun seriously.

“Whether I’m singing a tear jerker or a party tune, the only thing that really matters to me is that it’s a great song,” Carmichael says. “And great songs are honest songs.”

Growing up in the small town of Burgin, KY, Carmichael inherited his passion for honest music through familial osmosis: his father and uncles performed in a Southern Gospel Quartet, his mother sang all over the eastern part of the state, and her brothers (John Michael and Eddie Montgomery) both enjoyed massive chart success. As a kid, Carmichael fell in love with country legends like Waylon Jennings and Vern Gosdin alongside the rock and roll he heard on the radio, and by the time he hit his teens, he was writing his own songs and performing live.

“I didn’t at any point consciously decide I was going to be a musician,” says Carmichael. “It just happened naturally. I found a kind of truth in country music that I couldn’t get anywhere else.”

After finishing high school, Carmichael relocated to Nashville, where he earned a publishing deal at the tender age of 18. It was his first taste of life outside of rural Kentucky, and the discovery of a whole city full of like-minded artists whose lives revolved around making music thrilled him. Buoyed by his early success, Carmichael began collaborating all over town with some of most revered writers in the business, but no Nashville resident had a bigger influence on him than producer Dave Cobb, whose stewardship helped guide Hell On An Angel from a dream to a reality.

“Dave just immediately understood my vision,” says Carmichael. “He helped me zero in on my truth.”

Merging a sonically progressive palette with a tasteful reverence for the past, Hell On An Angel was at once old school and modern, traditional and contemporary, timeless and timely. The New York Times compared Carmichael to Randy Travis and said his voice “moves with the heft and certainty of a tractor-trailer,” while NPR praised his “deep holler,” and Parade raved that “Carmichael defines pure country.” He landed on Artist To Watch lists from Billboard, Rolling Stone, Taste of Country, Pandora, and more, reached #2 at country radio’s Most Added chart with his debut single, “Dancing Away With My Heart,” and electrified festival crowds from Seven Peaks to Faster Horses.

“One of the things I learned getting to play big festivals and arenas and theaters was that it doesn’t matter if there’s 200 people or 20,000 people in the audience,” says Carmichael. “They’re there to hear country music and have a good time. It’s that simple.”

And so Carmichael began plotting his follow-up to Hell On Angel with those good times in mind. Reaching back to the lighthearted 90s country that had always held a special place in his heart, he began cutting a series of lively, uptempo, sometimes hilarious tunes full of mischief and innuendo. Lead single “Hot Beer,” written by Carmichael’s good friend HARDY, rattles off a list of everything the singer would rather do than get back together with his cheating ex (“I’d rather drink a hot beer / Build a fire in the pouring rain / Burn all of my fishing gear / Then set sail in a hurricane”), while the anthemic “Big Truck,” written with David Lee Murphy and Jessi Alexander, questions the true source of his partner’s affection, and the bawdy “Sawin’ Logs” spins a tale of two lovers on very different pages.

“Phil sent me that song last year and it was our summer jam,” says Carmichael. “We rocked out to it all the time, and I posted an acoustic version to TikTok just for fun one day. It ended up getting millions and millions of views and everyone started singing along to it at my shows, so I knew I had to record it.”

Not everything on Hot Beer is quite so irreverent, though. The sweetly sincere “Since You’ve Been In It” celebrates the kind of love that makes everything better; the bittersweet “Somewhere She Ain’t” reckons with the ghosts of a lost love that just won’t fade away; and the grateful “Lucky Man” takes stock of the little things that add up to a beautiful life.

“My uncle Eddie originally recorded ‘Lucky Man’ with Troy Gentry back in 2006,” says Carmichael, “and I thought putting my own spin on it would be a nice nod to my family legacy, as well as a tribute to Troy, who passed away in 2017. I’ve loved that song ever since I heard them sing it for the first time, and I’m honored be able to share my version of it.”

With live music returning and his calendar filling up once more, Dillon Carmichael is indeed a lucky man. And with Hot Beer, it’s clear he’s ready to dive back into the whirlwind and have some serious fun.

COVID-19:

The Bluestone does not require COVID Vaccinations to enter our venue. We follow all local guidelines and cleaning procedures. The current Columbus “Mask Mandate” for an indoor event does not apply to anyone who is “ACTIVELY EATING OR DRINKING.” We kindly ask that you enter the building with a mask on. You can keep it on or remove it as long as you are actively EATING OR DRINKING! This will be a full capacity show, and it is an “ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK EVENT.”

WCLT T-100 Presents

Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners

with Tyler Booth

North to Nashville & Bim Strawser

Live in Columbus Ohio

July 2, 2022 4 PM

Things to Know! July 2, 2022 The Bluestone Parking lot party

The gate opens at 4 PM music will start at 5 PM 

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESS AND LIVE MUSIC!!

• PARKING IS AVAILABLE ALL AROUND THE VENUE. OUR PARKING IS BEING USED FOR THE SHOW BUT MANY LOTS WILL BE OPEN AROUND US.
• THE ENTRANCE TO THE SHOW IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF OUR LOT. PLEASE REVIEW THE MAP.
• ALL patrons must have a valid ticket to enter. We only guarantee tickets bought through our Eventbrite site. Tickets bought through 3rd party sites are not guaranteed.
• All patrons must receive a WRISTBAND to enter and stay on the grounds. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR WRISTBAND.
• Veterans and first responders that wish to view the concert from the VIP area must receive a VIP wristband when they enter. A valid I.D. will be required to show proof of service. We value our veterans and ask that the space is used for them and them only. 
• All patrons that purchase alcohol must have a valid I.D. no exception 
• Credit cards and debit cards will be accepted. NO ATM will be on site
• Lawn chairs are allowed but will be searched. Please remove them from any coverings when entering.
• The show is rain or shine and will only be stopped if lightning is close. If the show is stopped, We will make every effort to resume the show. 
• The Bluestone will be open to all that have a wristband. We will have tables and chairs to relax and cool off! You are welcome to purchase alcoholic drinks inside the Bluestone and bring them to the concert area. Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Truly canned drinks will be available in the concert area. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!
• We will not tolerate fighting of any kind! We are here to celebrate Independence Day and have fun. We have the right to remove any problems and we will do so without a refund. HAVE FUN AND PLEASE RESPECT YOUR NEIGHBORS!
• What can’t I bring to a show with me?
  For the safety of both concert patrons and our staff, we do not allow the following items:
  • Oversized bags or backpacks of any kind 
  • Outside food, drink, bottles or cans
  • Coolers or umbrellas
  • Recording devices, go-pros, selfie sticks, drones, phone stabilizers
  • Fireworks, candles, laser pointers, incendiary devices
  • Inline skates, skateboards, bicycles, razer scooters, helmets
  • Pets (exceptions for service dogs, etc…)
  • Any form of weapon, including knives, tasers, mace or pepper spray
  • Anything with spikes/studs on them (shoes, bracelets, rings, clothing)
  • Strollers, car seats
  • iPads and other tablets (with camera capabilities)
  • Musical instruments and promotional materials (flyers, CDs, stickers)
  • Inflatables, signs, banners
  • Illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia
  •  Our show is a general admission standing room only EVENT, which means that there is no assigned seating if there’s seating at all.. If you require ADA-accessible seating for our show, a member of our Guest Services staff can help accommodate your needs when you arrive.
• Can I bring a camera, video camera, or recording device?
  The camera policy is set by the artist. Generally, the rule is that no professional cameras or recording devices of any kind are allowed. Many artists will allow you to bring a disposable or small digital camera. If you have a question about the camera policy for the show, please contact us.
• Does my child need a ticket to get in?
  Yes. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket unless otherwise posted.
• What time is the show?
  The time listed on your ticket is the time that the doors will open for the show. Live music will usually start about an hour after the doors open, but that’s always subject to change. Also, we don’t usually know the set times, that’s up to the bands to decide.
• 

Country Music’s Aaron Lewis comes to the parking lot of The Bluestone at 583 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio July 2, 2022. Tickets for the events will go on sale Friday, February 4th at 10 AM. Aaron Lewis has played The Bluestone many times since 2012. This show is expected to sell out quickly like years before. The larger crowd, outdoors with food and brew. Come celebrate Independence day with Aaron Lewis and more artists to be announced. A day of fun, patriotism, and most of all Music!

Aaron Lewis grew up in Springfield, Vermont, listening to his grandparents’ country 8-tracks. Those roots inspired the multi-platinum frontman and founder of Staind to return to his origins and since has quietly made an impact on country music without flexing to let everyone know what a big deal he is. With a decade invested in a genre that’s seen him record with George Jones, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Mickey Raphael, the Cox Family, Ben Haggard, Dan Tyminski, and producer Buddy Cannon, he has claimed two #1 Billboard Country Album debuts for his albums Town Line and Sinner. Lewis’ single “Am I The Only One,” debuted on Billboard’s #1 Hot Country Song,” only the time a debut has topped the chart since 1958. The hard-touring, workingman’s star’s latest album Frayed at Both Ends was released in January of 2022, his most personal and unplugged work.