Chris Young Prepares to Play to Hometown Crowd: ‘You Want It to Be the Biggest Show You Can Make It’

Chris Young will headline a show at Nashville's new Ascend Amphitheater on Wednesday (Sept. 30), and the singer admits that it's both exciting and intimidating to be taking the stage in front of a hometown crowd.

"Nashville’s interesting because the last thing you want to do is trip and fall down in front of everyone you know and everyone you work with. Literally and figuratively," the Middle Tennessee native tells The Boot. "Just as much as you want to make sure you sell tickets and do well, a big part of this business is perception. You want it to be the biggest show you can make it."

The concert, which also includes opening acts Jerrod Niemann and Cam, is part of Young's I'm Comin' Over World Tour, which will take the singer into larger venues than he has previously played and includes several overseas dates.

"I think it’s the right time," he says. "I told somebody not too long ago, with me and this tour and everything else, it’s kind of that time of, it’s my fifth album. I feel like this album is me taking a step forward musically, [and] that has to be tandem with your touring career. I’ve done some headlining stuff before, but this is the first time we’re really going into some bigger arenas and amphitheaters.

"I’m excited for it," Young adds. "I think it’s the right time. I’m just excited to play it."

The Ascend Amphitheater, Music City's new outdoor venue, has already hosted numerous events, including two back-to-back acoustic shows by Eric Church, who played the very first dates after the venue opened in July.

"If people haven’t been, one, it’s a great excuse, because it’s gorgeous," Young says of the amphitheater. "You can see the Nashville skyline behind the stage.

" ... People always ask you as an artist -- especially if you’re from here, like I am -- people are always like, ‘When are you going to play Nashville?’" Young continues. "People don’t play here as much, because it is a little bit daunting."

Young's upcoming album, I'm Comin' Over, is set for release on Nov. 13. A list of all of Young's upcoming shows is available on his website.

Do You See the Resemblance Between Chris Young + His Mom?