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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 14 OctOber 2017

Country star Aldean resumes

tour after Vegas shooting

By ADAM KEALOHA CAU- in Las Vegas came to see and ballads with lyrics
SEY and didn’t get a chance about farm work, drinking
Associated Press to,” he said. and small-town life.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Coun- Friends Audra Miller, Lee He blasted through hits in-
try star Jason Aldean Holstein and Amanda cluding “Big Green Trac-
brought the party back Zmak were some of those tor,” ‘’Fly Over States”
Thursday in his return to the fans. They were in the au- and “She’s Country,” and
stage following the deadly dience when the shoot- popped open a can of
mass shooting that broke ing happened and ran for beer onstage after the en-
out while he was perform- cover like thousands of oth- core. Jason Aldean addresses the crowd about the shooting in Las
ing in Las Vegas, but the ers. Aldean canceled shows Vegas during his concert in Tulsa, Okla., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017.
Associated Press
fun was tempered by the They traveled from Dal- in California last week to
sting of the tragedy. las for the Tulsa show and mourn those killed Oct. 1 at
Three songs into his show in wore T-shirts they deco- the outdoor Route 91 festi-
Tulsa, Oklahoma, the singer rated themselves that said val. He resumed his tour in
launched into a five-min- “Vegas Strong,” a popular an arena where concert-
ute speech that honored meme since the attack. goers walked through met-
the 58 killed and nearly 500 Miller, 34, said Aldean al detectors, and police
hurt in the deadliest mass made them proud and presence was visible.
shooting in modern U.S. his- viewed the evening as a The singer visited shooting
tory. But Aldean took a de- triumph. victims still in a Las Vegas
fiant tone in telling concert- “It was therapeutic and hospital Sunday. The day
goers to resist living in fear, kind of like a cleansing all before, Aldean performed
and he called for more of at the same time,” she Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back
the national unity he’s seen said. “We just wanted to Down” on “Saturday Night
since the attack. represent family, friends, Live” in tribute to the vic-
“These people are going love and hope.” tims and the late rock su-
to continue to try to hold Aldean gave fans the show perstar.
us down,” Aldean said. “To they wanted. The Georgia Petty died the day after the
those people that keep try- native is one of country shooting in Los Angeles af-
ing to do that, I say (exple- music’s biggest stars, tour- ter suffering cardiac arrest.
tive) you, we don’t really ing in support of his album Authorities have said Ste-
care.” “They Don’t Know,” which phen Paddock targeted
Fans agreed. They pumped debuted atop the Bill- the country music festival,
their fists and held up board 200 in 2016. Much of opening fire from the 32nd
American flags as Aldean his catalog includes South- floor of the Mandalay Bay
continued. ern rock, pop and hip-hop hotel before killing himself.
“I want to play the show for influences, a mix of hard- They are still trying to deter-
you guys that the people charging party anthems mine a motive.q

Fans in low places: Sound woes

mar Garth Brooks stadium show

ATLANTA (AP) — Fans at the it said.
first big concert at Atlan- Fans cheered when former
ta’s gleaming new sports President Jimmy Carter
arena say a screeching took to the stage shortly
sound made it impossible after 10 p.m. Thursday
to hear country music star with Georgia native Trisha
Garth Brooks’ lyrics — even Yearwood, who also per-
though they knew all the formed at the concert.
words to his songs. Carter thanked Yearwood
Some fans left Thursday for her support of the state
night’s show early, WSB-TV and Habitat for Humanity,
reported . Others are ask- video at WSB-TV’s website
ing for refunds. showed.
Stadium officials are look- Yearwood, a Georgia na-
ing into sound quality in tive, then began singing,
sections of the upper con- “Georgia on My Mind.” In this Nov. 2, 2016 file photo,
course, Mercedes-Benz The $1.5 billion stadium Garth Brooks, winner of the
Stadium said in a state- opened this year and is award for entertainer of the
ment late Thursday. home to the National Foot- year, poses in the press room
at the 50th annual CMA
A breaker that powered ball League’s Atlanta Fal- Awards at the Bridgestone
speakers was tripped for cons and Major League Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
“a small amount of time,” Soccer’s Atlanta United. q Associated Press