Brad Paisley Gives Newcomers a Chance to Shine

Brad Paisley's H20 World Tour gives more bang for the buck with six acts, including the headliner, and that was exactly what Brad wanted to give his fans. The trek, which kicked off this past weekend, also features Darius Rucker and Justin Moore on the main stage, with Easton Corbin, Steel Magnolia and Josh Thompson on the smaller outdoor stage in the water park plaza.

"I really am a believer that when somebody buys a ticket to something, they want to be pleasantly surprised," Brad tells The Boot. "Just like when you buy a new car, you want to be pleasantly surprised by the way it handles and the amenities that you didn't expect. First of all, you've got Justin and Darius, that would be plenty, but going overboard and saying, 'We've got a crop of newcomers that are fantastic.'"

Brad looks back fondly on what it was like to be one of those new artists. "I was on my first single not so long ago and I remember going out on the Alan Jackson High Mileage tour, which seemed similar to me in one way in that he had four or five new acts out, all riding the same bus, kind of a real blast. Now, it'll be different. These guys all have their own buses, that's where they've got over what I did. I almost thought of making them share buses. That's how you get to know somebody. Here's Andy Griggs and me and Sara Evans and all these people, it was hilarious.'

For the three newcomers, the tour gives them an opportunity to perform for new fans. "I think that being able to offer them the chance to play for an audience in a really unique setting, first of all it's good for them, but it's more so good for me also in the sense that I'm able to provide something for these fans of mine, and I think they will appreciate it because these guys are fantastic," explains the headliner. "I've seen several of them play. I'm very familiar with what they do. I'm fans of their music completely. Also the setting, being out there, not being on our stage in front of a third of the audience starting at 5 o'clock, I don't know how many people will be there at that point. I know that where we're gonna set them up in these plaza areas, it will be packed. People will come early. It will be an outdoor fun thing. It's better than playing that main stage, in some ways, because they've got their own thing."

Brad Paisley's H2O World Tour hits Kansas City, Mo. on Friday, May 28 and Maryland Heights, Mo., Saturday, May 29.

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