Sure, you’ve seen your favorite country artists rock out onstage, but what goes on before the curtain comes up?
Plenty of stars have a special pre-show ritual they’ve got to do before heading out onstage to start their sets. From sweet to alcohol-fueled to a little silly, these traditions keep artists amped up and the show running smoothly throughout the night.
For example, when they were just heading out on their first headlining tours, Zac Brown Band said they picked up the habit of huddling up and yelling “ooh, girl!” before taking the stage. Hey, whatever works, right?
Then there’s veteran road warrior Darius Rucker, who makes it a point to bump fists and shake hands with his band and crew, saying “Let’s go get ‘em!” every night.
There’s a whole list of country stars who start their sets with a shot of something strong, but few are quite as specific about it as the Pistol Annies: All three members of the trio down a shot of Fireball Cinnamon Whisky before taking the stage.
So huddle up — or bottoms up, as the case may be — and get excited: It’s almost time for summer touring season to kick off.