It's a little after a quarter past when we leave the border of Dallas and Collin Counties. We're heading north on US-75 to see Lainey Wilson.
We pass McKinney, pass Melissa, pass Anna and make our way out of Collin County into Grayson County, where we make a quick dinner pitstop. Back on the road, the sun sets in the West. Orange burns over the horizon. My son shuffles through country music on his playlist.
I love live music. In my late teens and early 20s, I saw show after show. That might've been local shows in Deep Ellum, sneaking back home real late but making it to high school in time for the first bell, or while in college, taking road trips to New York and Toronto. Coming back to Texas meant concerts like Billy Joel at big venues like AT&T Stadium — yes, a truly fantastic place to see a show.
But, as we cross into Oklahoma, I keep thinking about the parts of the experience that I'm always less than enthused about, namely the traffic and parking situation. The drive has been quick and painless. At 7:26 p.m., we arrive at Choctaw, circle the parking lot, find a spot and park, free of charge. Within minutes, we're inside for the 8 o'clock show.
The theater is packed. Last night, Megan Moroney graced the stage. Tonight, it's Lainey Wilson's turn. Two of the biggest performers in country music, here, back to back. Incredible. Both, along with Foreigner, are headliners for Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant's first-ever Choctaw Music Fest.
"Country's cool again," Lainey Wilson says on stage at Choctaw's Grand Theater. It is. As a kid in Texas, I remember listening and liking country music. But after my middle son fell hard for country, I started listening.
Wilson, bell bottoms and all, kicks into gear for a powerful show, singing tracks like "Wildflowers and Wild Horses," "Things a Man Oughta Know," "Watermelon Moonshine," and, of course, "Heart Like a Truck" — the last of which, she sang from a rotating truck on stage against a projected screen depicting a variety of rural American landscapes.
Song after song is highlight after highlight, but one of the night's most moving and intimate moments is when Wilson does an acoustic version of "Save Me," the Jelly Roll song on which she's featured.
When the lights come up, and we shuffle out after a moving show, I think about the incredible performance we just saw. I think about the last time I saw a show at Choctaw and how special that was. I think about how this venue is truly making a name for itself as a place to see not only incredible country music performers, but performers, period. And I think of all the traffic we avoided as we get in the car, circle outside the parking lot and within minutes are back on the road home.
We thank Choctaw Casino & Resort - Durant for hosting us. The Grand Theater is located at 4216 US-69 in Durant, Oklahoma.
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