Lindsey Riley is a senior journalism major and writes ‘Lindsey’s Picks’ for The Daily News. Her views do not necessarily with those of the newspaper. Write to Lindsey at lnriley@bsu.edu
Earlier in the semester, I put together a picks list of events visiting John R. Emens Auditorium during the fall. I recommended shows such as “The Price Is Right Live!,” “Hello Dolly!” and the Florida Georgia Line concert.
Also on that list was Martina McBride’s “Joy of Christmas” show, which visited Thursday. On my list, I said the show sounded interesting, but I was hesitant to spend $40-$60 on a ticket.
Despite that, this show gave me a deeper appreciation for McBride and her breathtaking voice, and I felt even more excited for the holidays once it was over. It was a very personable experience that made me a bigger fan of this legendary entertainer.
Going into the show, I expected a rowdy crowd and a country music take on Christmas classics. Once I got to Emens, I quickly realized that this would be a calmer setting — something that I am not very used to when I go to concerts. The music played was very classical and had a beautiful tone, nothing twangy, which I was grateful for.
Then again, I’m not sure that a 12-piece band that included a piano and violins could really pull off twangy successfully. Simply put, you definitely do not have to be a country music fan to appreciate this performance.
While I enjoyed hearing my holiday favorites such as “Silver Bells” and “Winter Wonderland,” my favorite part of the night was hearing McBride sing her hit single “This One’s for the Girls.”
Sure, it isn’t a Christmas song, but it’s catchy, fun and a blast to sing along to. It was one of four songs she played that weren’t holiday tunes, and this was one of the only songs of the night that had members of the audience up and dancing.
Another interesting part of the night was when McBride went out into the crowd and talked with members of the audience about their holiday traditions. While some people talked about their favorite dishes to make, others told her what they wanted for Christmas.
Fans also told her how much her music meant to them and requested some of her new and old music to be performed. I laughed with everyone else when some guys called McBride their celebrity crush and asked her to take pictures with them, and when she asked someone to explain a seven fish dish meal that they make at Christmas. But I felt like this part of the show dragged on a little too long.
McBride called the crowd a chatty bunch, and while she liked it, I wanted to hear the music and less chatting from the audience.
After all is said and done, I would recommend McBride’s show as something to celebrate the holiday season with great music from one of country music’s leading ladies.
The only major turnoff I had about the show was that the ticket prices seem a little steep for nothing more than two-and-a-half hours of holiday music and festivities. It is, however, a nice show to experience with family, and I felt very fortunate to be there with mine.
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