Luke Bryan Reigns At Spring Break Panama City

COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR^® 2010
PRESENTED BY ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK
SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES IN FLORIDA

WEEKEND SHOWS WOW COUNTRY FANS
AS STELLAR REVIEWS APPEAR
REVISED STAGE AND SET TIMES ANNOUNCED 

ERIC CHURCH MOVES TO MAIN STAGE DUE TO FAN DEMAND 

COUNTRY THROWDOWN ON TV:
GAC TV TO AIR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE, PREMIERING ON
GAC’s “TOP 20” FRIDAY, MAY 21 AT 8:00PM ET
AND
“GAC NIGHTS” WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 AT 8:00PM ET

“…the future of Nashville presented itself as loud, raw and reckless. Yeehaw, and pass the bail money.”
--Sean Daly, TAMPA TRIBUNE (Country Throwdown live review, May 16, 2010) 

Montgomery Gentry perform at Country Throwdown Tour in Jacksonville, FL. Photo credit: John Davisson.

This past weekend--Friday, May 14, Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16--music enthusiasts descended on Florida for the COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR^® Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink--the first annual multi-stage country tour from 4 FINI, Inc., producers/creators of the successful Vans Warped Tour and promoted by Live Nation.  COUNTRY THROWDOWN mixes top country music artists with emerging singer-songwriters; the festival offers a relaxing atmosphere where fans enjoy a constant stream of music on multiple stages all day long (doors open daily at 1:00pm, the show goes until 11:00pm). 

Andy Stearn of Reax Magazine (5/15/10) noted about COUNTRY THROWDOWN, “The brainchild of Kevin Lyman, creator of summer staples, the Vans Warped Tour and Mayhem Festival, Throwdown is country music’s answer to what masses of ‘Alternative’ music fans have enjoyed for years. A day long festival of both radio favorites, as well as up and coming musicians who get access to much needed exposure normally out of their grasp.” Elsewhere, in Tampa Bay, writer Dan Sullivan stated, ”Although most came for the music, many turned out for the various country-themed festivities that preceded the concert in the amphitheater's grassy parking lot. Even before the event's official 1 p.m. start time, the lot filled with people who drank beer in the backs of trucks while sound systems blared the songs of Montgomery Gentry and the concert's other headlining artists” (5/15/10).

Due to massive fan response, Eric Church will now move to the main stage. The tour responded quickly after a groundswell of attention appeared from fans over the weekend. Eric will perform his renowned super-charged set daily with his full band--just before Little Big Town--on the main stage. "As always our fans proved to be the most passionate fans out there and demanded us to be on the Main Stage. Your response to our intimate shows on the ‘Outlaw’ stage was awesome and we’re looking forward to plugging back in and cranking it up.” As a result of Eric’s main stage shift, Heidi Newfield will now headline the “Outlaw” stage where she’s expected to close it out with a bang. In addition, Tyler Reeve has been added to the tour. Reeve will serve as the tour’s official “BBQ Band”--a long-standing tradition on 4FINI tours. Reeve and his band open at each stop on one of the side stages and then fire up the grill at the end of the night to serve food for the rest of the artists on the tour. 

“The first weekend out at the Throwdown Tour was an off the hook crazy time!,” says Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry. “And that’s how I think live music should be, everybody there was having so much fun and it didn’t cost the fans a whole lot of money.” 

“I loved it....I LOVED it.  It’s the closest thing to a traveling circus I’ve ever been a part of," notes Jack Ingram. “The vibe is organic, fun, inspiring and exciting.  It’s everything an artist would want and more importantly it’s everything country music fans need.” 

 “The opening weekend of Throwdown delivered in spades,“ says Brian O’Connell, President of Country Music Touring for Live Nation and promoter for the tour. “Throwdown is everything we expected, a fan-friendly, artist accessible festival show that is a great value for the greatest fans in the world....country music fans!”  

In TV news, tune in to GAC TV for exclusive artist interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and much more live from the COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR. GAC TV’s tour coverage will premiere Friday, May 21 on “Top 20” at 8:00pm ET and repeating Friday at midnight ET; Saturday, May 22 at 10a & 6p ET; Sunday, May 23 at Noon ET; and Monday, May 24 at 10a ET. Tune in next Wednesday, May 26 to “GAC Nights” at 8:00pm ET to catch more tour coverage from your favorite Throwdown artists. “GAC Nights” will repeat on Thursday, May 27 at Noon ET. For more information, visit: http://www.gactv.com/. 

COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR headliners include: Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram.  Other main stage artists include: Eric Church, The Lost Trailers, the Eli Young Band, Heidi Newfield, Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove, Emily West and Tyler Reeve. In addition, nine emerging singer-songwriters are featured in the Bluebird Café Tent: Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Cory Branan, Dave Pahanish, Jedd Hughes, Sarah Buxton, Troy Olsen, Heather Morgan and Walker Hayes.  

The nationwide amphitheater trek features a full day and evening of music with a diverse lineup bringing together established and emerging artists in the country music scene, as well as a full concourse of lifestyle attractions and vendors--all with an affordable ticket price. Fans are encouraged to come early and join in the pre-show festivities onsite during the day including: the Throwdown Happy Hour; meet-and-greets with their favorite Throwdown artists; and the chance to watch intimate “In the Round” or “Guitar Pull”-type sets--whereby musicians take turns performing together throughout the day on the Bluebird Café stage.  

Check out video of from the COUNTRY THROWDOWN kick off in Tampa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ifoP5BDUM. 

Following are the full stage line-up and set times for the COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR: 

BLUEBIRD CAFÉ STAGE: 1:15-6:00p Bluebird Café Artists, times revolve daily between: ASHLEY RAY, BRAD TURSI, CORY BRANAN, DAVE PAHANISH, JEDD HUGHES, SARAH BUXTON, TROY OLSEN, HEATHER MORGAN and WALKER HAYES. 

OUTLAW STAGE: 1:15-1:40P TYLER REEVE (25m), 1:55p-2:25p EMILY WEST (30m), 2:55p-3:25p JONATHAN SINGLETON & THE GROVE (30m), 3:55p- 4:25p HEIDI NEWFIELD (30m). 

MAIN STAGE: 2:25p-2:55p LOST TRAILERS (30m), 3:25p-3:55p RYAN BINGHAM & THE DEAD HORSES (30m), 4:25p-5:05p ELI YOUNG BAND (40m), 5:25p – 6:10p JACK INGRAM (45m), 6:30p-7:10 ERIC CHURCH (40m), 7:30p-8:15p LITTLE BIG TOWN (45m), 8:35p-9:25p JAMEY JOHNSON (50m), 9:50p-10:50p MONTGOMERY GENTRY (60m).   

Check out the up-to-the-minute website: www.countrythrowdown.com for videos, free songs and tickets. 

Catch the COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR out on the road through June: 

DATE                          CITY                                      VENUE
Fri        5/21                Cincinnati, OH                       Riverbend Music Center
Sat       5/22                Chicago, IL                            First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sun      5/23                Indianapolis, IN                      Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu      5/27                Charlotte, NC                        Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri        5/28                Raleigh, NC                           Time Warner Cable Pavilion
Sat       5/29                Pittsburgh, PA                       Post Gazette Pavilion
Sun      5/30                Saratoga Springs, NY            SPAC Amphitheatre
Mon     5/31                Gilford, NH                             Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion
Fri        6/4                  Virginia Beach, VA                Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sat       6/5                  Philadelphia, PA                    Susquehanna Amphitheatre
Sun      6/6                  Bristow, VA                            Jiffy Lube Live
Wed     6/9                  Houston, TX                           Sam Houston Racepark
Thu      6/10                Dallas, TX                              Superpages.com Center
Sat       6/12                Salt Lake City, UT                  USANA Amphitheatre
Sun      6/13                Denver, CO                            Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Wed     6/16                Bakersfield, CA                      Rabobank Arena
Thu      6/17                San Diego, CA                       Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri        6/18                Phoenix, AZ                            Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Sat       6/19                Irvine, CA                               Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun      6/20                Mountain View, CA                 Shoreline Amphitheatre 

The COUNTRY THROWDOWN TOUR® is made possible through the support of presenting sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink, supporting sponsors such as: Wrangler, media sponsors GAC TV and PEOPLE Country, NAMM, BMI, Capitol, Warner Bros Nashville and Show Dog Universal.