Country And Rock Music at Crystal Grand Music Theatre
Crystal Grand Music Theatre in Wisconsin Dells has been an amazing venue for almost 30 years with thousands of acts and artists who have performed here. We’ve had a few comedians and 90’s bands on this stage, but our bread and butter of entertainment is Country and Rock Artists.
On paper, Country and Rock couldn’t be two more different genres, but we love the artists and music that come with it. We wanted to talk about the similarities and differences of each genre and show how amazing they are at the Crystal Grand.
Country:
Country music is basically American Music. According to American Heritage, country music was once associated with the working class. People would bring country music when they moved from rural areas to the cities. The songs reminded them of a quiet, gentle time, and the land around them.
Traditional country music songs focused on things that working-class people cared about, including, but not limited to failed romances, difficult jobs, family, farms, and beloved animals. Modern country music strays a bit from this model. They talk about feminism and society and don’t touch on tractors and children.
Country music mainly focuses on guitar and bass instruments. The acoustic guitar tends to be preferred vs electric guitar. As you dig into the history of country music, you’ll predominantly hear the acoustic guitar used in songs, but as time has gone on, you’ll hear that the electric guitar has started to play a bigger role in modern country music. Additional instruments that are used are: fiddle, mandolin, banjo, steel guitar, and slide guitar. Traditionally, drums weren’t ever heard in country music, but as the genre has modernized, you’ll see them on almost every country performer’s stage.
Country music is based on a more simple rhythm and a simple chord progression. Traditional country songs are so simple, hence their popularity and evolution.
There are so many famous country artists, and we are lucky to have had many of them perform at Crystal Grand. Some of these stars include: Clint Black, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton, Justin Moore, Sara Evans, Kenny Rogers, Whiskey Myers, and so many more!
Country music is a staple of American history and culture and we are honored to be able to host so many country legends in our venue.
Rock & Roll:
Rock and Roll took storm in America during the 1950s and 1960s. Legendary groups and artists like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, James Brown, and many more dominated the music game. Although the music was very popular amongst teens of the 1950s and 1960s, to many, they thought it was too loud and provocative. To the older generation, rock and roll was responsible for dismantling America ‘s traditional family, sexual, and racial customs in the 50s and 60s. But rock & Roll was about so much more than sex & drugs… It was about expressing oneself, creating new and exciting rhythms on instruments, and changing the mindsets of people everywhere to create a more inclusive and cohesive community.
Rock music is characterized by electric guitar, backed with rhythm guitar and electric bass. The sounds are also aligned with percussion from a drum set. Other instruments used to back up the sound include piano, hi-hat cymbals, bass drum kick pedals(single or double), and other organs. Since the focus of rock music is on electric drum sets, the instruments are made to be as loud as possible.
Rock music uses a more complex rhythm, as the sounds are often based on old musical modes. Early rock music was based on the 12-bar blues structure, and its harmonies could range anywhere.
Crystal Grand has had a plethora of rock legends walk through these doors. Styx, Joan Jett, REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Quiet Riot, Night Ranger, Molly Hatchet and so many more have performed at this theatre.
Conclusion:
Rock & Roll and Country music may be different, but it’s totally okay to love them both! We sure do. They have both made giant waves in the music industry, American culture, and society. Not to mention they both have such an incredible and unique sound, that being a fan of both will keep you going to concert after concert. We can’t wait to keep seeing country and rock artists come to Crystal Grand Music Theatre.
