Braves Country Fest has home run debut with Ella Langley, Cody Johnson
On Saturday, as the Atlanta Braves played an away game against the New York Mets (winning 3-1), thousands of fans still packed out Truist Park for an entirely different celebration.
Attendees of all ages, wearing everything from cowboy boots and hats to plaid shirts and wild rags, braved the 90-degree weather for the Braves Country Fest. The inaugural event, featuring stars Ella Langley and Cody Johnson, didn’t disappoint.
“This experience is incredible, especially being in the shade and having these seats to watch Ella Langley,” said 32-year-old Calhoun resident Morgan Bradley, who, along with her husband, purchased last-minute tickets and sat in a section close to the floor with a clear view of the stage.
Braves Country Fest, announced in January, was hosted by the Braves in partnership with Live Nation. The event offered free activations and performances earlier in the day, including mechanical bull rides and an emerging artist showcase. Mackenzie Carpenter, Ernest, Langley and Johnson headlined the festival’s main concert inside the ballpark, which was ticketed.
Only resale tickets were available for the marquee show, which Hannah Basinger, the Braves’ vice president of operations, cited as a success amid Saturday’s scorching heat. She said festival planning began last fall, with a desire to bring more nonbaseball events to Braves fans, affectionately dubbed Braves Country.
“We wanted people to feel like they could come hang out here all day,” Basinger said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution during the festival.
A portion of festival proceeds will go to the Atlanta Braves Foundation, which helps provide equity and access in sports, health and education. When asked, Basinger didn’t immediately know how much money would be dedicated to the nonprofit, but she noted that adding a community element was crucial.
Basinger said her team is planning for the festival to be a recurring event.
“We’ll see how long we can keep it going.”
In case you missed it, here’s a roundup of main-stage performances at the first Braves Country Fest.
Mackenzie Carpenter
Around 5 p.m., Carpenter opened the show. The Hull-bred singer and songwriter, who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, proved to be a hearty introduction for the concert — even with a modest crowd. As guests trickled in, Carpenter’s 40-minute set weaved humor and frequent crowd engagement for songs like “Jesus I’m Jealous” and “Don’t Mess With Your Exes.”
For the latter, the 27-year-old recalled meeting her now-husband for the first time at a Georgia Tech baseball game while she was in another relationship: “Don’t let you boyfriend keep you from meeting your husband,” she joked with the audience.
Carpenter described her festival appearance as a “dream come true.”
Ernest
Donning a Braves hat and plaid shirt, Ernest hit the stage around 6:15 p.m.
“Growing up in Nashville, I grew up as a Braves fan by proxy,” he told the crowd at the beginning of his set.
His hourlong show was filled with patriotism, dedicating a few minutes of it to perform the national anthem. The moment was met with roaring applause and attendees tipping their cowboy hats in solidarity. The crowd remained on their feet for songs like “Flower Shops” and “Cowgirls,” a Morgan Wallen track that features Ernest on the recorded version.
Ella Langley
Breakout country star Langley began her set at 7:47 p.m. with “Dandelion,” a standout from her recent album of the same name. For an hour, she wooed the audience with her traditional country blues on songs like “Be Her” and “Broken.” The latter ended with an electrifying drum and guitar solo that proved Langley and her band’s live performances are a must-see.
Toward the end of her show, which included many references to her faith in God, she sang her record-breaking No. 1 hit “Choosin’ Texas.” In turn, the crowd’s unrelenting energy and excitement for the singer reflected why everyone is choosin’ Langley right now.
“At the end of the day, I’m just a lady, and all ladies are looking for love,” the Alabama native shared with the audience.
Last month, Langley swept all seven of the Academy of Country Music Awards for which she was nominated, adding to her skyrocketing fame. Basinger described Langley’s presence at the Braves Country Fest during a pivotal moment of her career as “great timing.”
“There was some speculation that her rise was going to accelerate over these last few months,” Basinger told the AJC.
Cody Johnson
At 9:20 p.m., Johnson took the stage with a boisterous ode to his home state, performing “That’s Texas.” For over an hour, Johnson’s set kept attendees on their feet.
There were ballads (“Human,” “Dear Rodeo”), party anthems (“Dance Her Home”) and cozy romantic croons (“Nothin’ On You,” “The Painter”). He also performed a new song “Horseback,” a single from his new album “Banks of the Trinity,” which is out later this month.
Elsewhere in his set, Johnson celebrated police officers, first responders, nurses and veterans, thanking them for their service. His speech was met with “USA” chants from the crowd, aligning with the festival’s patriotic tone.
“There are three things that bind us together: red, white and blue,” Johnson, who won entertainer of the year at last month’s Academy of Country Music Awards, affirmed during the show.
Around 11 p.m., Langley joined Johnson on stage for a cover of Reba McEntire’s “Whoever’s in New England,” ending the show.
Jessica Agbo, who attended the festival with her friend, said she appreciated Johnson’s performance — and, by extension, the camaraderie the festival created, although she’s not a country music fan.
“I really enjoyed interacting with other people here,” the 25-year-old Lithonia resident said. “I think this is just another event that’ll be part of Atlanta culture and make everyone come together.”