For Bostonians, we have all been waiting for the “country” music scene to make its way back to Fenway, so move on over Neil Diamond and James Taylor! Bailey Zimmerman and Parker McCollum are the two country stars that we have been waiting for.
The new MGM music hall on Lansdowne is a great venue, but since it opened in late August, it has been missing something; that thing is a country music presence. Luckily, we all finally got our wish with the Parker McCollum and Bailey Zimmerman show last weekend. In one’s own opinion, I have never seen a greater opening act than the one that Bailey Zimmerman put on. Zimmerman is not new to country music stardom, but with the release of his “Leave The Light On” EP on October 14th, we have seen Zimmerman take the next step to becoming the truest of household names. The stage presence that Bailey Zimmerman brings to his shows is amazing. He makes the crowd part of the show, and it almost seems like there is no stage separating the two. Singing some of his most popular hits, like, “Where It Ends” and “Rock and A Hard Place”, Zimmerman had a great set that felt like the end of a show. But luckily, it was only the beginning of better things to come.
With the lights dimmed and the crowd uneasy in their seats, boom! Here comes Parker McCollum, blasting onto the stage. The headliner at the MGM was an unforgettable show. If there is one thing I now know, it is that country stars understand how to put on a great show. Parker McCollum is known for his “twangy” heartbreak hits, but this is not how the show presented itself, it almost felt like a 1980’s rock show. McCollum has a sort of pizazz that is needed to be a great stage performer, carrying himself with great confidence, he was able to keep the crowd in his back pocket while singing every one of his lyrics. McCollum is like Zimmerman in the way they have recently risen to fame. Parker McCollum is known for his soft songs and melodies. The music he plays is very different than “normal” country that people expect but, in my opinion, it is much better than the rest. McCollum gaining recognition in 2015 allowed him to quickly to grow and with his release of ‘Gold Chain Cowboy’ in 2021, we saw him take the next big leap to a country star.
Parker McCollum and Bailey Zimmerman are two of the truest showmen. Boston is not known for its country music scene, but if there is one thing that I now understand, it is that Bostonians want more country. With the opening of the MGM music hall and it being right across the street from Loretta’s Last Call, hopefully Boston can turn into a “Little Nashville” for country music .
PHOTO GALLERY BY Cole Degnan
IG: @coledegnan97
