The Boots & Hearts 2013 Wrap and 2014 Predictions!

The 2013 Boots & Hearts Country Music Festival has been wrapped for a couple of weeks and it’s a good time to look back at it… and forwards to 2014!

The 2013 fest was great in my eyes. Yes, there were issues with the pouring rain on Friday night and campers and ticket holders not being able to get in to see shows. And that sucks hard. But, please remember that it was not a decision made quickly and it was made by the municipality and not Republic Live.

Inside the gates the music was fantastic and in the stage area things were (soggy on Friday night) entertaining as all hell. The performances by early acts and headliners alike make people cheer and sing and dance – and that’s exactly what I was hoping and expecting to see.

Note: You may have seen some of the reviews that we posted (there were a bunch, I hope you didn’t mind) and the photos that Trish took of the acts. Special thank you goes to Trish for those photos. She got in there and took the shots she wanted (and the ones I asked for) and did an awesome job. Without those photos all we would have to share would be iPhone pics taken 50 feet from the stage. That wouldn’t have been very good. Trish’s pics were a game changer. Thank you!

It’s hard to look back at the performances and pick a favourite. It really is. The Stone Sparrows, Mackenzie Porter and Whitney Rose were all great on the Front Porch Stage which featured many emerging country artists. And on the main stage I enjoyed (and that’s putting it lightly) Dean Brody, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Joe Diffie, Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert. There was 0 let down from the 2012 lineup, and the bar needs to be met again in 2014.

Speaking of 2014… there’s 1 name that everyone is already excited for. Yes, it’s true, I was wrong about Blake Shelton showing up at the 2013 Boots & Hearts weekend. But he did make an appearance by video just before Miranda took the stage to announce that he will headlining next year in Bowmanville. The crowd went wild, as expected. Now all that’s left to do is wonder who else is going to play the main stage 12 months from now.

If I had to make some guesses… and I will… I’d be looking for:

Little Big Town – who have been on fire for the last 18 months.
Hunter Hayes – who I incorrectly guessed this year.
Kellie Pickler – who is one of the most adorable and talented people in country music.
Luke Bryan – who makes nothing but hits and has a new album out now that he will be touring.
Gord Bamford – who has been nominated for the 2013 CCMA Fans’ Choice Award.

And my longshot pick is… Lady Antebellum!

Because Hillary Scott just gave birth in late July I am hesitant to think that they will make the trip to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park next summer. But it could happen. Babies travel with their musician mamas all the time.

Could I be wrong about all of these predictions? Yup. I was wrong about most of my picks for this year. But man, it would be awesome to see those acts taking the stage a year from now.

Thanks to everyone who read our reviews of the 2013 Boots and Hearts Country Music Festival. We hope that you like the words and pics and that you’ll keep coming back for more as we start the countdown to 2014!

Work Hard, Play Harder, Be Awesome.