Pop Break Live: Drake Milligan with Brody Kean at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, Maryland on October 28, 2022
Words + Photos by David Weaver (burstmethod.com)
On Friday night October 28, country music came to Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland. While it may have been a quiet night outside, it was a party inside. Opening the evening was Brody Kean, who hails from Pasadena, Maryland. There were quite a few Pasadena natives in the crowd as, when he mentioned where he was from, cheers erupted. Brody Kean put on an acoustic concert. Just a man, his guitar, and his songs. There was a sort of purity to Brody Kean’s sound and musical delivery that you don’t often see. It was honest, personable, and refreshing.
Brody Kean put on a solid concert, focusing more on delivering musical consistency and interacting with the audience between songs, rather than incorporating showmanship. Playing a collection of songs from his album “Evermore,” including “Silverado Sunset”—which earned a cheer from the audience when it mentioned WPOC, a favorite, local radio station—as well as his latest single “Going Going Gone,” there was hardly a single head that wasn’t nodding along to his songs. While he may have been one man on a stage, he commanded it well and kept the audience’s attention.
A self-taught musician, Brody Kean’s music continues to evolve, both musically and lyrically. If his latest single “Going Going Gone,” is any indication of the direction of where his music is headed, I’m sure his path is one that is lined with success.
If you haven’t heard of Drake Milligan, you should check out his music. The 24-year-old from Mansfield, Texas is well on his way to becoming country music’s next big artist. In addition to coming in 3rd in Season 17 of America’s Got Talent, Drake Milligan’s debut full-length album Dallas/Fort Worth is ranked #1 on the iTunes All Genre and Country Top Albums charts. The album itself spans two discs and is comprised of 14 tracks—each one expertly composed both musically and lyrically. Every song is memorable, utilizing the classic country sound that Milligan grew up listening to, while putting his own, original spin on the genre. Whether it’s upbeat songs like “Sounds like Something I’d Do” and “Long Haul” or lyrically intimate ballads like “She” and “Dance of a Lifetime,” the album is full of hits. Thoughtful, relatable lyrics, combined with Drake Milligan’s smooth yet emotional delivery, backed by both modern and classic country instrumentals—it’s safe to say that his debut album has taken country music to a whole new level. Give it a listen, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Drake Milligan, who considers Elvis Presley (who he portrayed in CMT’s series, Sun Records) and George Strait his musical heroes, put on a phenomenal two-hour concert. He opened with a cover of Travis Tritt’s “T.R.O.U.B.L.E.,” which was followed up with “Kiss Goodbye All Night”—the second song on his debut album “Dallas/Fort Worth,” and a song he performed on America’s Got Talent. But it wasn’t just the mixture of original songs, seasoned with covers that pay homage to his musical roots, that made the concert a success—it was the synergy Drake Milligan had with his bandmates. Rather than remain static, his band– consisting of a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and violinist—regularly interacted with not only Drake, but with each other, exhibiting the kind of showmanship you’d see at a rock concert. During the song “Cowboy Kind of Way,” Drake’s bandmates let loose three consecutive solos—a soulfully crafted guitar solo was followed by an entrancing violin solo, and then topped off with a foot thumpin’, head noddin’ drum solo. It was effortlessly improvised and finished with Drake Milligan, his guitarist, and violinist playing together, the musical climax accompanied by the loud cheers and applause of the crowd.
Drake Milligan’s tour goes through 2022 and into July 2023. Whether you’re a fan of country music or just want to see a concert taken to the next level, to see a group who redefines what performance and showmanship is while playing some truly expertly crafted songs, I highly recommend seeing Drake Milligan live. It will, quite literally, be a night unlike any other, and one you’ll surely remember for years to come. If “Dallas/Fort Worth” is an indication of what Drake Milligan’s future holds, I’m fully confident that he’ll be playing sold out arena shows in no time.
Drake Milligan Set List:
T.R.O.U.B.L.E. (Travis Tritt cover)
Kiss Goodbye All Night
Over Drinkin’ Under Thinkin’
Slow Dancin’ to a Fast Song (unreleased song)
Baby Let’s Play House (Elvis Presley cover)
Only Want You More (Dwight Yoakam cover)
Don’t Look Down
Going Down Swingin’
If Love Ever Comes My Way Again (Ronnie Dunn cover)
Save It for a Sunny Day
Tipping Point
Bad Day to be a Beer
Devil Woman (Marty Robbins cover)
Swingin’ (John Anderson cover)
Hatin’ Everything She Tries On
She
Hearts Don’t Break Even
The Fireman (George Strait cover)
Cowboy Kind of Way
Long Haul
Sounds like Something I’d Do
