I WENT TO A MAX MCNOWN CONCERT WITHOUT KNOWING HIS MUSIC AND LEFT A FAN

I went into the concert knowing almost none of the music. By the end of the night, my Apple Music library looked a little different.

Sometimes the best concerts are the ones you don't really plan on going to.

When a friend invited me to see Max McNown on Sept. 30 after getting free tickets from a coworker, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I knew McNown was a country artist, and as someone who already likes country music, that was enough to convince me to go. I had heard some of his songs floating around TikTok before, but I had never actually taken the time to dive into his music.

I knew even less about his opener, Ashley Anne.

So, I walked on Ninth Street in downtown Columbia, Mo. to The Blue Note. I was expecting a smaller folk-country show filled with emotional, well-written songs and good live vocals. I got all of that, but I wasn't expecting to be nearly as entertained as I was.

ASHLEY ANNE STARTED THE NIGHT ON A HIGH NOTE

Before McNown ever took the stage, Ashley Anne had the task of winning over a crowd that wasn't necessarily there to see her, including me.

She did it pretty quickly.

If I had to compare her sound and presence to someone more familiar, she gave me the energy of an up-and-coming Megan Moroney. She had a great voice, but what stood out even more was how comfortable she seemed onstage. She interacted with the crowd and didn't make her opening set feel like something we were just waiting to get through before the headliner.

One of my favorite songs from her set was "I'd Break Up With Me Too," but the moment that really sold me was her cover of "Fishin' in the Dark."

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band original is already the kind of song that is nearly impossible not to sing along to, and hearing it live immediately got the crowd involved. Even without knowing most of Ashley Anne's original music beforehand, I could still enjoy her set, which is probably one of the best things an opener can accomplish.

MAX MCNOWN HAD THE CROWD FROM THE BEGINNING

Once Max McNown took the stage, the energy shifted immediately.

While this might have been a spur-of-the-moment concert for me, it definitely wasn't for most of the people in the room. The crowd was a mixture of college-age fans, middle-aged concertgoers, and older fans. Some people were completely immersed in every song while others seemed happy to just hang back and listen.

Plenty of people knew every word to every song.

McNown had an immediate stage presence, and his band only added to it. His voice translated extremely well live, and the acoustic elements of the show fit perfectly with his music. Going into the night, I expected a smaller folk-country feeling, and he definitely delivered that Think an up-and-coming blend of Zach Bryan, or even Noah Kahan, but with more energy than I had anticipated.

There were several songs throughout the night that caught my attention, despite the fact that I had never intentionally listened to them before. "Love Me Back," "Done For," "Azalea Place," "Something to Someone," and "First Born Daughter" all stood out enough that I ended up adding them to my Apple Music library after the show.

Then there was "Better Me for You (Brown Eyes)."

Apparently, I was one of the few people who didn't already know that one.

The crowd's reaction made it obvious that the song meant something to a lot of the people around me. By that point, I was starting to understand why.

SOME SONGS HIT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU’RE STANDING NEXT TO SOMEONE

Going into a concert without knowing the music creates an interesting experience. Instead of waiting for your favorite song, you're hearing the lyrics and stories for what feels like the first time.

A few of McNown's songs felt unexpectedly personal to me that night, especially "Better Me for You (Brown Eyes)" and "Something to Someone." I was at the concert with someone I care about, and hearing those songs standing next to him gave the tracks meaning that I hadn't walked into the show expecting them to have.

McNown also took a few moments throughout the show to speak to the audience. Most notably  when he talked about religion and the importance of not changing yourself just to fit the views of the world around you.

That message especially stood out coming from a musician. The entertainment industry can put a lot of pressure on artists to become whatever will sell, and there was something refreshing about hearing a newer artist speak about holding onto his own beliefs and identity instead.

Those moments also made me wish we had gotten a little more of that side of McNown.

MY ONE COMPLAINT? GIVE THE SONGS A LITTLE ROOM TO BREATHE

If there was one thing I would have changed about the show, it was the pacing.

At times, the songs felt extremely back-to-back. While that kept the music going and prevented the energy from dropping, it also made portions of the concert feel slightly rushed.

For an artist whose music is so heavily centered around storytelling and emotion, I would have loved to hear more about McNown himself and the experiences behind some of the songs. Some of my favorite moments came when he did stop and talk to the crowd, so having a little more context between songs could have made the performance feel even more personal.

Both McNown and Ashley Anne are still relatively new artists, and the concert felt like it in a way that I actually enjoyed. It wasn't a massive, overly produced stadium show. The interactions were more casual, the atmosphere was intimate with a feeling that both artists were building relationships with their audiences.

There is something pretty cool about watching artists during that stage of their careers.

SO, DID GOING IN BLIND TURN ME INTO A FAN?

Considering I walked onto Ninth Street without a single Max McNown song saved and left with several songs added to my Apple Music library, I'd say the concert did its job.

I'd see McNown live again without hesitation.

Going into a concert without knowing the artist's discography is a completely different experience from seeing someone you've listened to for years. There isn't a song you're desperately waiting for or a setlist you're mentally checking off. Instead, the artist has to convince you in real time that their music is worth listening to again once you leave.

McNown did.

The show wasn't perfect. I would've liked a little more breathing room between songs with more storytelling from McNown himself. But between Ashley Anne's opening set, McNown's vocals, his band's performance and the unexpected personal moments throughout the night, the concert was far more entertaining than I expected walking in.

For a concert I attended because someone happened to have an extra free ticket, an 8 out of 10, and six new songs in my library, isn't bad at all.