The 9th annual 93.7 JR Country’s Boots & Babes Ball was held at the Commodore Ballroom.
You gotta give it to a country crowd, they know how to have a good time. When I got there, just in the nick of time to catch the opener, Ashley Cooke, the place was already jumpin’ to the tunes being played by the DJ on stage. They were singing and dancing their hearts out.
Thanks to a couple of women at the front of the stage, I was able to scoot in for a couple of songs to get the shots I needed, as there was no pit/barricade for the show. The stage taking double duty as both a performance area and a resting place for the copious drinks being enjoyed by the crowd.
Up first was Florida Native, Ashley Cooke. She got a raucous applause from the crowd, most if not all of the sold out Commodore crowd was already there, primed and ready. They danced and sang their hearts out to the American. Cooke, who effortlessly traversed the stage, interacting with the crowd, even taking selfies, mid-set. For someone so new, she looked completely at ease up on the stage, a natural.
After Ashley Cooke left the stage, there was still about 45 minutes until the Reklaws took the stage at 10:30. There was no breath taken by the buzzed (in more ways than one) crowd. They partied to the DJ. Singing like there was no tomorrow, to every song that was played. Old classics like, “The Gambler” and “Sweet Caroline” had the crowd of all ages going, as well as newer songs and everything in between (admittedly my country knowledge isn’t the most vast, to give myself A LOT of slack). Somehow, the Spice Girls “Wannabe” made it on the speakers, and it didn’t deter. Though the one man, who kept on catching my eye due to the absolute ball he was having, including singing along enthusiastically with his wife to Taylor Swift, did take a pass on the Spice Girls. It’s amazing the crowd had enough to give, by the time the headliners took the stage. Especially the women of the crowd, who were pulled up on stage, (and ones who invited themselves up), when the DJ played “Man I Feel Like A Woman.” The babes moved and grooved in their boots, until the last beat of the song where they took their spots back in crowd.
Then it was time for the ones they’d been waiting for. It was time to boot scoot and boogey to The Reklaws.
Were you at the show? What did you think?
Consider checking out the Tenille Townes gallery, here.