BY SALINA SILVER
Milwaukee, WI – Nearly a foot of snow and ice had accumulated outside of Milwaukee’s UW Panther Arena, which plays host to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. This night, however, the venue was also hosting one of country music’s most talented artists, former American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.
Despite the despondent weather, the city of Milwaukee turned out en masse to support the home team and the night’s post game entertainment. A select group of devout fans made their way to center ice after the match, while nearly all the fans who were in attendance in the stands retained their seats and watched on with baited breath in anticipation of the night’s special guest making his way to the stage.
Though UW Panther Arena is grand in name and scale, the night’s concert retained an intimacy that this photographer had never seen at an arena show before. This phenomenon can be attributed, in large part, to the overwhelming charisma and stage presence of Scotty and his band. Fans were treated to a medley of his best hits and newest additions, all delivered with a tack sharp, tight musical arrangement that would make even the most proficient orchestras green with envy.
Scotty regularly lifted his guitar to the sky and belted his lines to raucous applause and adulation while the energy in the arena swelled to a fever pitch that’s still ringing your author’s ears at the time of writing this article, nearly 13 whole hours after the event’s conclusion. This is all to say that fans were treated to an artist and a hockey team who were both at their very best when it mattered most. As Scotty sang the words to his iconic ballad “I Love You This Big”, Milwaukee left no question that the feeling was mutual.
