Carrie Underwood closed out the 4th and final day of CMA Music Fest 2013 with a set last night at LP Field. There was drama last night due to incoming stormy weather that no doubt sent the CMA crew taping for August 12’s ABC airing of CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock into a panic. After all, Carrie was set to close the actual festival, but they had already filmed (on Thursday) Little Big Town introducing Carrie as the kick-off performer with her cover of “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses, and that wasn’t the only performance of hers planned for the special.
Due to the need to get several big names including Carrie on stage for performances, most of the night’s performers played shortened sets. Earlier performers Brad Paisley and The Band Perry played only two songs apiece, and Jake Owen was restricted to one (witnesses report he made his unhappiness about this clear when leaving the stage). Carrie made it on stage for what turned out to be a 4 song set, also shortened from its intended length, but one where she brought Brad Paisley back for their hit duet “Remind Me.” Check out videos from her performance:
“Paradise City” via legallyblonde52987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2T9wPQaNhw
“Paradise City” (with outro) via Sydney Smith
“See You Again” via legallyblonde52987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YG1-n1ZXO4
Remind Me” (with Brad Paisley) via muziccitymuzic
“Before He Cheats” via Loken980
After Carrie’s set some Jake Owen fans blamed Carrie for the restrictions on Jake’s set, though the reality is this was the CMA’s call and driven by TV considerations. After seeing some of his irate fans tweeting Carrie (Carrie responded to one and made a general comment about people making stuff up), Jake Owen clarified:
On a side note… It wasn’t @carrieunderwood fault I only played one song. She rocks. ? Her.We all did what we were supposed to.
— Jake Owen (@jakeowen) June 10, 2013
Once Carrie was on stage (and the show producers ensured she got her “Paradise City” and current single “See You Again” performances in for the TV special), she tried to give fans as much of a show as possible, because there wasn’t going to be time to set up another act for a separate set. She did manage to bring Brad Paisley back on for their duet, which may also be included on the ABC special.
The ABC special will conveniently air the day before Carrie releases her Blown Away Tour DVD on August 13th. Check out more pictures of Carrie performing at LP Field last night via The Tennessean
