THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 21, 1994 TAG: 9411210075
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music Review
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
First, Mark Chesnutt brought down the barriers. Then he brought down the house.
It was not a full house, only about 3,000, but they got their money's worth - a show from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
Its star, Chesnutt, a tell-it-like-it-is performer, told the Scope guards to remove the barriers in front of the stage, saying that he felt like an &%(*&)% with those things separating him from the audience.
Barrier removal time was immediately followed by crush time.
But time was unimportant to Chesnutt. His encore lasted as long as the regular part of his show. The Energizer bunny would have quit before he did.
Normally, he sings his hits, pays tributes to Hank Williams Sr. and George Jones, then exits.
Saturday he got onstage before 10 p.m., left at midnight. He was still going strong, but the audience was weakening.
So was his manager, who had to get him to Kentucky for a Sunday afternoon show. He was scheduled to cover for a not-too-well George Jones who once called Chesnutt the best of the new gaggle of country singers.
The Texan, who takes that salute seriously, commented on the plethora of country singers these days, complaining ``about half of them don't even know who Hank Williams (Sr.) was.''
Chesnutt then went into ``I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,'' offering much more embellishment than Hank ever thought about.
Another oldie, the '50s cajun hit ``Big Mamou,'' was ideal for his band whose members hail from Texas and Louisiana. Chesnutt refers to them as a mix of ``rednecks and Cajuns.''
That was a salute to the past. Looking to the future he offered two pieces for the first time anywhere, testing audience reaction to see if those songs should be recorded.
Did his fans approve of them? Does Kraft approve of cheese?
They approved of such hits as ``Bubba Shot the Jukebox'' and the many pretty ballads that have garnered Chesnutt the reputation as a pure country singer.
Another performer who can be described that way is talented, affable, energetic Aaron Tippin who gets an A-plus for volume, personality and showmanship.
He almost dares you not to like him - always playing to individuals in the audience by pointing at them, winking, smiling.
The guy grins constantly and laughs often, except when he gets involved in a song-with-meaning. Then he goes dramatic, acting out the lyrics.
Tippin becomes especially intense with his Merle Haggard-like idea of paying tribute to the 9-to-5 working man, even more intense when he illustrates love-of-country.
At one point, during one song, he assembled a flagpole, put a flag on it, and propped it onstage.
Did his fans approve of that? Again, does Kraft approve of cheese?
James House, who looks and moves like Dwight Yoakam, opened the show offering several of the hits he has written for himself and others. Best known as a songwriter he proves himself an impressive performer.
The cost of Saturday's offering didn't hurt either - just $17.50, a very good price these days, especially for a four-hour show. by CNB