Braving a downtown downpour, The Spin was cutting off cars and empty pedal taverns to make it to the Ryman on time to catch Kacey Musgraves Monday night. 'Twas the Nashville stop on the country music cool girl's tour promoting her yuletide-tinged new LP A Very Kacey Christmas, and we can safely say the experience was completely worth all the travel anxiety. The holiday-themed show was, in Musgraves' words, “festive as shit,” and authentic in every way country Christmas albums and concerts usually are not. Playing classic Christmas covers and songs from her secular solo LPs, the genuine and charming Musgraves comforted us and hyped us up with some Christmas pep talks that we never knew we needed.
While waiting for Musgraves' set to start, we did what we always do — survey (more like judge) the crowd. We counted three red tutus, seven pairs of cowgirl boots and plenty of kitschy holiday sweaters. The quirky attire felt appropriate, and the dime store cowgirl (Musgraves) certainly would have approved.
The wait also allowed some time for sentimental reflection on the beginnings of the often melancholy holiday season. Sure it's a “merry” and “bright" time for some. But as The Spin ages we grow more Scrooge-like and much less spirited. Sure the Mother Church was decorated beautifully, the café was serving hot apple cider and ads were up promoting Kenny G's upcoming holiday concert. It all sounds like a dream, right? But this is 2016. A dark cloud of negativity is hanging over America, and the Christmas spirit feels almost out of reach. No matter how hard we try, we can’t shelve our troubles until Dec. 25. Real life is a yearlong commitment.
Enter Kacey Musgraves, who knows this, and everything else. The epitome of class and cool, the Texas born-and-raised musician has never sacrificed her down-to-earth personality and bluntness for the conformist world of country-pop fame and pageant material fakery. When she took the stage in sparkly pumps and an angelic, puffy white dress the audience lost their shit and so did we. Gracefully walking out to an instrumental of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” the low-key country diva settled into her spot at center stage, ready to spread some cheer and reveal the truths of Christmas’ complexity.
Twirling around the stage with a microphone in one hand and a tambourine in the other, Musgraves (with her seven-piece backing band in tow) kicked off the set with “Christmas Don’t Be Late." From there the singer delivered one classic Christmas radio standard after the other, inspiring sing-alongs and white-people dancing. From her rendition of “Mele Kalikimaka,” the Hawaiian carol made famous by Bing Crosby, to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Musgraves proved that her beautiful-but-subtle twang, creative Western arrangements and easy-going stage presence were all she needed to make these songs we’ve all heard a thousand times sound like her own.
Cohesive and carefully curated, the set kept us absorbed in Musgraves' enchanting world. Halfway through, she played songs off her acclaimed 2015 LP Pageant Material, including “Family is Family,” “Fine,” “Late to the Party” and “Cup of Tea.” Surprisingly, these non-Christmas songs didn’t feel out of place on a stage adorned with fake snow and six Christmas trees. The personal and meditative songs might have made great Christmas records if only their lyrics referenced fireplaces, snow or reindeer. (Do they have reindeer in Texas?)
The original songs penned for A Very Kacey Christmas were the true set highlights. The Willie Nelson-inspired weed anthem, “A Willie Nice Christmas,” written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, produced the most laughs and cheers from the audience. Musgraves dedicated the song to Nelson, saying, “I don’t know where he is. … He’s probably on a cloud somewhere.”
Musgraves never shied away from the sadness she and many others feel during the holidays. “Christmas is a little heavy sometimes,” she bantered, before introducing “Christmas Makes Me Cry.” By playing a balanced set of both upbeat joyful jams and holiday laments, the singer reminded us that Christmas can be an emotionally confusing time that merits serious introspection. The memory of those we’ve lost and those who are so far away weigh heavy on our hearts, and sometimes a sad country Christmas song is exactly what it takes to lighten the load.
Once she wrapped up the slow jams and we were done crying into our ciders, Musgraves picked it up and ended on her undeniably catchy holiday hit, “Ribbons and Bows.” This song puts Mariah Carey’s entire holiday discography to shame, and its brilliance solidifies Musgrave's place in the pop Christmas carol canon. Dancing and singing along until we left, The Spin was with the country queen until the end. Walking out into the cold air, her songs still jingling in our heads, we felt the warmth of the Christmas spirit for the first time all season. Here's to hoping that it lasts.
