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The Killers Open Headlining Freely Fest Set With Rousing “Mr. Brightside” Performance, Capping Off Epic Nashville Event
There’s no more sure fire way to get a crowd going than by playing the first few notes to “Mr. Brightside.” The Killers knew that, so they opted to play their biggest hit as the first song in their headlining Freely Fest set.
Videos by American Songwriter
The crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena went wild for the track from the first note. Every person there scream sang along to every word of the anthem.
That energy lasted throughout the band’s entire time on stage. During their set, they performed tracks including “Shot At the Night,” “Somebody Told Me,” and “Runways.”
Frontman Brandon Flowers brought the energy the whole time, running back and forth on stage, getting the crowd to participate in call-and-response, and soaking in each cheer-filled moment.
The closing set of Freely Fest ended with electrifying renditions of “All These Things That I’ve Done” and “When You Were Young.” Throughout the entirety of two tracks, the whole crowd was engaged and on their feet.
What to Know About Freely Fest
It was an epic way to cap off a successful Freely Fest. The event was a first of its kind music festival put on by Freedom Forum. It celebrated the power of music and the freedoms protected by the First Amendment.
Hours before the festival, organizers partnered with Nashville Adventures to treat select media members to a walking tour of Nashville. That tour proved why Music City was the perfect place to put on a First Amendment event.
From hosting important moments in the civil rights and suffrage movements, to being the location of early performances and songwriting from eventual legends like Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix, there’s no other place in the world where the First Amendment and music meet so soundly.
Festival goers got to experience that themselves at Freely Fest Village, which was held outside Bridgestone Arena ahead of the concert. From photo ops and a merch area to an interactive exhibit covering the role of the First Amendment in our everyday lives, there was an endless amount of information for attendees to soak in.
Freely Fest Brings the Music
When it was finally time for the show, Avery Anna got things going. She performed some sass-filled originals, as well as covers by Taylor Swift and Ozzy Osbourne.
That eclectic mix is one that could only work at an event like Freely Fest, where the genres are wide and the tastes are varied.
“The set that I’m planning for Freely Fest won’t be like any other festival set list that I have because of the multi-genre lineup,” she told American Songwriter ahead of the show. “I think it gives me a lot of freedom to play stuff that I wouldn’t normally play at a festival. It should be really fun and captivating.”
Freely Fest’s Big Names
Janelle Monáe took the stage next, delivering an unforgettable performance with songs like “Django Jane,” “Electric Jane,” and “Tightrope.” For the first time ever, Monáe even performed the viral TikTok version of her song “Yoga.”
During her set, Monáe also took time to discuss the importance of our freedoms as Americans. She told the crowd that she’s proud to stand with marginalized groups, many of which she’s personally a part of.
Gen Z got what they were waiting for when Dominic Fike arrived on the stage. He played tracks including “Phone Numbers” and “Baby Doll,” before wrapping up with “Mama’s Boy.” After his final song, Fike even leapt off the stage and into the crowd—twice!
Millennials were the target audience for the rest of the night, as T-Pain and The Killers took their turns on the stage. The former played all the hits, from “Shawty” to “Blame to It” to “Bartender.” He didn’t forget “Snap Ya Fangas” or “All I Do Is Win” either.
For the majority of his set, T-Pain was by himself, with just one or two dancers at a time, proving his spectacular ability as an entertainer. For the camo-clad rapper it proved something else, as he quipped to the crowd, “This is a lot on me. This is a f**ked up way to find out you’re out of shape.”
After T-Pain, The Killers closed out the night, capping off an epic first-ever Freely Fest.
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