JD Clayton Brings Stadium-Level Energy to Small Venues with His Blue Sky Sundays Tour

Friday night (September 20), saw one of the biggest names in country music taking the stage in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tens of thousands of fans flocked to Neyland Stadium to be part of the spectacle. They packed the streets and parking structures across the city. However, there was more than one gig in town that night. While the masses flocked to the stadium JD Clayton brought his Blue Sky Sundays Tour to one of the city’s more intimate venues.

In the shadow of Neyland Stadium, situated in Knoxville’s Old City sits the Pretentious Beer Co. The small bar offers an array of craft beer and other bar staples. However, the real magic happens just outside the back door on the covered patio. It was there that somewhere around 40 people gathered to see the singer/songwriter from Fort Smith, Arkansas share his stories and songs.

A Solid Start to the Evening

Opening acts can be iffy, to say the least. Sometimes, fans find a new favorite artist before the act they came to see takes the stage. Other times, the opener gives concertgoers time to get drinks, visit the merch table, or step out for a smoke so they don’t miss any of the headlining set.

Leon Majcen could have been the headlining act Friday night. While few, if any, in attendance knew his songs well enough to sing along, nearly everyone in the room was hooked. Flexing his skills as a songwriter, singer, and guitarist, Majcen had the gathered congregation hanging on every note throughout his solo acoustic set. Watch the video below to get a taste of what Majcen has to offer.

JD Clayton Brings Big Energy to a Small Stage

JD Clayton took the stage with his band—Bo Aleman (guitar), Kirby Bland (drums), and Lee Williams (bass)—moments after Majcen finished his set. Despite the name of the venue, there was no pretension in his set. He and his band played to the small room with enough intensity to electrify a much larger crowd.

At the same time, the night felt somehow spiritual. The crowd gathered like a congregation, searching for enlightenment off the beaten path. And Clayton, the son of a small-town pastor, delivered. Like a preacher delivering secret or forgotten gospels to a faithful flock, he laid down a blend of country, rock, and blues that had the eyes and ears of those gathered under the canopy of the cozy patio.

[RELATED: JD Clayton Tells the Story of Lost Love Reclaimed with New Single “Dance Another Dance”]

The set included his two latest singles—“High Hopes and Low Expectations” and “Dance Another Dance”—as well as some of the best-loved tracks from his debut record, Long Way from Home. With his band behind him, those album cuts felt fresh. They also appear on his latest recordings and are at least partially responsible for the sonic evolution he has undergone between his debut record and the recent singles.

More than possibly being a driving force behind JD Clayton’s sonic shift, his band is airtight. They played with the precision and chemistry of a band that has been on the road for decades.

The Joy of Seeing Smaller Shows

Big stadium shows with their light shows, pyro, and big screens have their place. However, the Knoxville stop on JD Clayton’s Blue Sky Sundays Tour was a great example of the joys of seeing small shows in intimate venues. There’s a kind of magic that comes from shaking the headliner’s hand at the merch table and having a brief chat that one typically won’t find after a stadium gig.

In short, if you get a chance to see an artist at a small venue, take it. Chances are, it’ll be an experience you won’t soon forget.

Featured Image by Jesse DeFlorio

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