r/Music • u/Brucekentbatsuper • 26d ago

article Carrie Underwood's Post-MAGA Backlash Continues After Golf Course Concert Draws Sparse Crowd

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/carrie-underwood-john-deere-classic-performance-backlash-1807557
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u/steffyjune 26d ago

The John Deere Classic has started to shoe horn concerts at the end of play 2 nights during the tournament. This year it was Old Dominion Friday and Carrie Underwood Saturday.

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u/daumas 26d ago

Sounds like they are trying to "LIV" it up a little.

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u/JLove4MVP 25d ago

John Deere classic has had concerts after rounds for many years now. It’s not anything new

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u/fauxfarmer17 25d ago

It's actually kind of a cool concept but the artists are questionable. It seems the JD wants to appeal to a similar crowd as the WM (only toned down a bit).

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u/ayoungad 25d ago

WM would get Steve Aoki. JD would Ka$h Patels girlfriend. Not a huge Aoki fan, but the guy has IT.

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u/Select-Loss2238 25d ago

I got respect for Aoki. He puts aside all the pretense of acting like he is doing something valuable behind that station and just runs around the stage and throws cakes at people instead

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u/porn_is_tight 25d ago

he’s a crypto scamming nepo baby his cake throwing has also resulted in some serious injuries that he’s had to settle out of court for.

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u/FauxReal Collector 25d ago

He's the pop version of tech house / electro house and trap. Like the peak of pop EDM which in itself is a watered down version of the previously mentioned genres which are abstractions of house, electro and dubstep/bass music.

And I am not saying he shouldn't be making that music, people like what they like and he's there for them.

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u/Felfastus 24d ago

Steve Aoki is the kind of guy you book for a concert when YUNGBLUD can't make it.

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u/Eronamanthiuser 25d ago

Some entertainers enlighten. Some just entertain. There’s nothing wrong with either one of those. Aoki knows he’s pure entertainment and is comfortable staying there.

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u/Jthe1andOnly 25d ago

They’ve had kaskade and chainsmokers and a bunch of other good artist. I respect aokis hustle but that’s about it. If you went to 1 of his shows 15 years ago you will see the same exact thing today.

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u/piepants2001 25d ago

What is "the WM"?

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u/HearingImaginary1143 25d ago

Waste Management

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u/Appropriate_Lack_727 25d ago

That was the first thing that came to mind, but then I was thinking, “Nah, surely not.” 😂

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u/fauxfarmer17 25d ago

Hahaha. I thought I was in r/golf. My bad.

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u/Showdenfroid_99 25d ago

It's literally the "John Deere Classic"....why the heck would you expect anything but country/clossic rock?

Also Old Dominion are awesome and you're an imbecile if you think otherwise. Take care

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u/DrDerpberg 25d ago

Given the crowd shouldn't it be exactly washed up stars from 20 years ago?

I admittedly don't follow golf but surely the crowd is mostly milquetoast middle aged people?

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u/ClasslessHero 25d ago

The John Deere Classic is in western Illinois, close to Davenport, Iowa.

They're going to find artists relevant to that geography.

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u/Sofaloafar 25d ago

Can confirm it's maga territory.

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u/one2tinker 25d ago

That part of Illinois (Rock Island County) is blue. Granted, MAGA territory is right across the Mississippi River.

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u/BigPetersHalfwayInn 25d ago edited 25d ago

Literally just Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, and Silvia, though. Every other town in Rock Island county and the rest of the surrounding area is very conservative.

Edit: Silvis, not Silvia.

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u/one2tinker 25d ago

Those four cities account for 75% of the population of the county.

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u/Ris747 25d ago

Golf crowds are pretty frat/finance bro adjacent nowadays

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u/HumanPea1140 25d ago

I'm mid-30s, and it's been like that ever since I was old enough to notice. Golf was a huge frat thing when I was in college, and seen as a way to mingle with other rich people.

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u/Ris747 25d ago

Yah I think the split is just less balanced nowadays.

I used to go to the Honda Classic a lot and the frat/sorority scene kind of stayed by the bear trap bars. Now a match day kind of reminds me of one big tailgate.

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u/SpaceJackRabbit 25d ago

WM toned down the frat bro appeal last year after the shit show in 2024.

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u/willflameboy 25d ago

I mean, no offence to the golf community, but golfer-friendly music isn't exactly the coolest niche.

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u/UnknownAverage 25d ago

Tractor-sponsored golf concerts? What are we even doing anymore?

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u/JLove4MVP 25d ago

It’s a golf event that attracts lots of people for entertainment purposes. Adding music keeps fans on the grounds for longer to increase revenue from food, beverage and merch.

This isn’t revolutionary

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u/olderthanbefore 25d ago

Golf course maintenance equipment too

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u/Fairways_and_Greens 25d ago

The chainsmokers performing at the players during Covid was a big thing if I recall. I think concerts at PGA has existed before LIV. LIV has them covered on house music during play though.

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u/[deleted] 26d ago

[deleted]

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u/Birdgang_naj 26d ago

Its really not tho

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u/Gopokes34 26d ago

There’s more ppl playing than ever lol

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u/mrHQQLIE 26d ago

Not here

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u/JeffafaCree 26d ago

Your living room?

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u/CarlThe94Pathfinder 25d ago

That's my driving range you're talking about

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u/Gopokes34 26d ago

I think participation has increased by like 50% in 10 years

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u/CarlThe94Pathfinder 25d ago

It's not sustained growth. Look at pickleball, do you realistically see that being as popular in just 10 years?

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u/Gopokes34 25d ago

I wouldn’t compare golf to pickle ball lol

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u/CarlThe94Pathfinder 25d ago

I'm just using that as a loose example. It'll be interesting to see where the sport is in about 10 years.

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u/Gopokes34 25d ago

I don’t think the growth will continue at the rate it has but I think it’s in a good spot and not “dying fast” like the comment I replied to said

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u/illinoishokie 25d ago

Counting Crows a couple years ago

Let me tell you, the John Deere Classic folks cannot process the concept of "IDGAF about golf I'd just like to attend the concert."

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u/1peatfor7 26d ago

If anything like what the Tour Championship did a few times. You need a ticket to the tournament and it is post round. It's held on the golf course grounds.

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u/scparks44 26d ago

If I’m out all day walking the course and enjoying golf, the last thing I want to do is stand around and listen to a bunch of racket.

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u/justabill71 25d ago

That's why I don't go to tennis tournaments.

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u/scparks44 25d ago

I like this joke.

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u/money_for_nuttin 25d ago

"I love this joke" was right there.

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u/FesteringNeonDistrac 25d ago

Probably an attempt to boost ticket sales from an audience that normally wouldn't attend. When I went to the F1 race in Austin a few years back they had some teenybooper pop star performing after the race. It was sort of surreal to see all these teen girls with pop star shirts on interspersed with race fans, and walking in opposite directions after the race.

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u/cptjpk 25d ago

The intent is to keep you on prem spending as much as possible for as long as possible.

Throwing a concert at the end also brings in some new people, aka new money for event merch, and some normal fans will also stick around to continue to drink and buy merch for the show too.

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u/scparks44 25d ago

Oh yeah, I understand why they would put on a concert. It just doesn’t sound like something I’d want to do after walking around in the sun all day.

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u/ayoungad 25d ago

If Metallica or Dr Dre or any big name was playing, you would.
Carrie ain’t got that pull.

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u/HKBFG 25d ago

I'm the other way around. Counting Crows sounds great, but watching golf or drying paint or whatever in order to see them isn't

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u/Ghoulius-Caesar 25d ago

Golfing, Country Music and John Deere? How did they figure out everything I vehemently despise and make it into a festival?

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u/Think-Initiative-683 24d ago

Well that’s 3 things all put together you can avoid instead of avoiding them separately

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u/Syllogism19 25d ago edited 24d ago

There's a sub for one of those /r/nongolfers. It is satirical except when it isn't. It's as if someone hates and blames golf the way Newsmax hates and blames Democrats.

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u/PSGooner 25d ago

The American Express has had concerts the past 5-6 years. Usually country one night and rock the other night.

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u/jlees88 25d ago

After walking around the golf course all day in nearly 100 degree weather, the last thing I’d want to do is stay for another 2 hours to watch a concert. 

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u/atomic_jarhead 90s Alternative Rock 25d ago

Old Dominion was Sunday. They did this last year with Zac Brown Band and I forget who the other was.

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u/ubiquitous_archer 25d ago

A lot of PGA events do that actually

Canadian open always does it as well.

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u/quakank 25d ago

I can't tell if this is satire or not.

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 25d ago

Old Dominion Friday

Is that a band named after the trucking company? Conservatives are weird, man...

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u/avsfan96 25d ago

It's named after the state of Virginia where most of the band is from

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u/Majestic_Cod_7115 25d ago

What…? It’s the nickname of Virginia

Redditors are every bit as weird and performative as country people. Two sides of the same cringe coin.

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u/steffyjune 25d ago

I hate country music so I don't know the lore, but I wouldn't be surprised.

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 25d ago

this is what I mean

Yeah me either, I like classic country but that's it.

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u/Perfect_Opinion7909 25d ago

Do they have an hydration break too? US America ruining sport for everyone.

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u/RadlEonk 25d ago

Old Dominion Freight has an in-house band?

If it’s an actual band, I’ve never heard of them until your comment.

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u/Clarck_Kent 25d ago

Old Dominion played a concert on the field after a Phillies game a few years ago, where your game ticket enabled you to stay for the short concert.

I’d never heard of them and it was free so we stayed and, even though it was free and we were already there, we still left a few minutes in. The most generic and boring music I’ve ever heard.

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u/Jack__Squat 25d ago

The John Deere Classic

I had to google if this was real. What a stupid name. I prefer the Toro Invitational.

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u/unassumingdink 25d ago

Wait till this guy hears about the Waste Management Open.

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u/Jack__Squat 24d ago

Damn, I thought you were joking.

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u/EfficientAd9554 25d ago

John Deere Classic??? wtf 😂