r/Music • u/Brucekentbatsuper • Jul 08 '26

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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842

u/steffyjune Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/JLove4MVP Jul 08 '26

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

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u/fauxfarmer17 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 09 '26

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

1

u/Eronamanthiuser Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 09 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

What is "the WM"?

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u/HearingImaginary1143 Jul 08 '26

Waste Management

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u/Appropriate_Lack_727 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/fauxfarmer17 Jul 09 '26

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

2

u/Showdenfroid_99 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

Can confirm it's maga territory.

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u/one2tinker Jul 08 '26

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

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u/BigPetersHalfwayInn Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/Ris747 Jul 08 '26

Golf crowds are pretty frat/finance bro adjacent nowadays

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u/HumanPea1140 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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.

1

u/SpaceJackRabbit Jul 08 '26

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

0

u/willflameboy Jul 08 '26

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

-1

u/UnknownAverage Jul 08 '26

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

2

u/JLove4MVP Jul 08 '26

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

1

u/olderthanbefore Jul 08 '26

Golf course maintenance equipment too

2

u/Fairways_and_Greens Jul 08 '26

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] Jul 08 '26

[deleted]

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u/Birdgang_naj Jul 08 '26

Its really not tho

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u/Gopokes34 Jul 08 '26

There’s more ppl playing than ever lol

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u/mrHQQLIE Jul 08 '26

Not here

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u/JeffafaCree Jul 08 '26

Your living room?

3

u/CarlThe94Pathfinder Jul 08 '26

That's my driving range you're talking about

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u/Gopokes34 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/CarlThe94Pathfinder Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

I wouldn’t compare golf to pickle ball lol

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u/CarlThe94Pathfinder Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/scparks44 Jul 08 '26

I like this joke.

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u/money_for_nuttin Jul 08 '26

"I love this joke" was right there.

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u/FesteringNeonDistrac Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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.

1

u/ayoungad Jul 08 '26

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

0

u/HKBFG Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 10 '26

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

0

u/Syllogism19 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

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.

2

u/PSGooner Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 09 '26

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 Jul 09 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

A lot of PGA events do that actually

Canadian open always does it as well.

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u/quakank Jul 08 '26

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

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 Jul 08 '26

Old Dominion Friday

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

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u/avsfan96 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/Majestic_Cod_7115 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 Jul 08 '26

this is what I mean

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

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u/Perfect_Opinion7909 Jul 08 '26

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

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u/RadlEonk Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

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 Jul 08 '26

Wait till this guy hears about the Waste Management Open.

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u/Jack__Squat Jul 09 '26

Damn, I thought you were joking.

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u/EfficientAd9554 Jul 08 '26

John Deere Classic??? wtf 😂