Swift, Chesney headline 2010 Superfest

• By JOHN WIRT
• Advocate music critic
• Published: Oct 22, 2009 - Page: 1A

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Country music stars Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney are coming to Tiger Stadium during Memorial Day weekend 2010.

Bayou Country Superfest unveiled the inaugural line-up Wednesday for what organizers project will be a major annual country music festival in Baton Rouge.

Swift, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter whose songs have reached No. 1 on the country and pop charts, headlines Bayou Country Superfest on May 29.

Chesney, a four-time winner of the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year honor who’s sold one million concert tickets annually for the past eight years, headlines May 30.

Also on the Superfest bill are music’s best-selling duo Brooks and Dunn, who’ll be performing their farewell “Last Rodeo” tour next year, Grammy-winner Keith Urban, “American Idol” contestant-turned country star Kellie Pickler and rising stars Jason Aldean, David Nail, Jake Owen, Gloriana and Justin Moore.

Bayou Country Superfest seating will include 9,000 premium-priced seats on the stadium field.

With potential attendance including 92,400 seats in the stadium stands, the event will be promoted throughout Louisiana and in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi.

Echoing the campus-wide tailgating that accompanies LSU football games, a fan fest and tailgate party featuring country music, food and more is planned for just outside of Tiger Stadium.

Fireworks displays will follow both nights of music.

Ticket prices, starting at $40 per day for upper deck seats and rising to $250 stage-front, standing-room-only spots, go on sale Nov. 5.

The November start date for advance ticket sales may seem far in advance of the event, Quint Davis, producer-director of the Bayou Country Superfest and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, said Wednesday at Tiger Stadium, “but if you know the history of Taylor’s shows and Kenny’s shows, they do sell and they sell quickly.”

Much like the Jazz and Heritage Festival does each year, Davis predicted that Bayou Country Superfest will bring national attention to Baton Rouge and make the city a major travel and tourism destination during Memorial Day weekend.

“As far as doing country, this is the biggest show in America,” Davis said.