On a jam-packed night during CMA Fest, Nashville is even more chock-full of live country music than usual. As festivalgoers flooded the pedestrian bridge on their way to Nissan Stadium, a more intimate, in-the-know crowd flocked to The Blue Room at Third Man Records. They were eager to witness a unique country music experience — one that involved soul, spirit and a hefty amount of rhinestones.
On Friday night, twin brothers Brandon and Derek Campbell, known as The Kentucky Gentlemen, hosted friends, family and fans for a celebration of their brand-new debut album, Rhinestone Revolution. The project is a cornerstone for the duo, marking their first full-length release and serving as a deep dive into their distinctive, genre-bending take on country music.
Bodies packed into The Blue Room’s outdoor patio area before the show, congregating while waiting in lines for various interactive booths. Friends chitchatted as they sifted through vintage clothing, while others posed for group photos in front of a shiny tassel backdrop. The longest preshow line led to a chainstitch-embroidery table, where guests hovered over a vintage machine, observing in real time as the team behind RangerStitch intricately stitched their names onto Western-themed bandannas.
Inside, the venue quickly turned into a fashionable mix of country glam and post-CMA Fest casual as fans found their spots within the curved, blue-tinted walls. Attendees made use of the extra space until the start of the show, line dancing and popping their complimentary Rhinestone Revolution fans to the beat as the DJ blared 803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground.”
Just after 8:45 p.m., the duo emerged onstage draped in bedazzled white denim and fringe. They immediately slid into a blazing performance of the electric, twang-filled track “Denim on Denim.” They harnessed their opening frenzied energy and ran with it, prancing, spinning and dropping as they sped through the next song, “Whiskey Does.”
“All y’all in here is a testimony that, when someone tells you you don’t fit the mold, guess what you say,” Derek said. “Fuck the mold! Baby, I am the mold.”
The atmosphere shifted for the next few songs, and the audience followed suit. Voices softened and phone flashlights turned on as the twins welcomed the Rhinestone Choir onstage and began a soft, soulful performance of “To the Moon.” They then introduced the album's opening track “To Kill Me,” reminiscing on the formidable circumstances they faced after first moving to Music City.
“My brother and I moved to Nashville … almost 12 years ago,” Derek said. “We moved into a one-bedroom apartment, and we’d rock-paper-scissors every night to see who would get the futon or who would get the bed. Those days are long gone, thankfully.”
The brothers went in for a tight side hug during a lyric break, and a sweaty Derek gazed at the ceiling as the last lines settled in.
“[There are] so many things that are out of our control,” Derek said. “And you know, we actually wouldn’t take them back because we found something beautiful in all that.”
The twins settled back into their signature feisty flamboyance for the final songs, warning the audience to get ready for some fun. They ditched the mic stands and utilized the entire stage, cowboy boots shuffling over rugs as they grooved.
They finished off with “Warning Label,” which culminated with a vigorous finale. The duo encouraged audience members to put their hands (or fans) up and dance, evoking the sort of exuberant, inclusive and carefree energy the duo has fostered throughout their career.
“I hope you see yourself in this as well,” Derek said about their music. “Because if you only see us in this, then we’re doing something wrong. I hope you see yourself in what we do.”
The Spin: The Kentucky Gentlemen at The Blue Room, 6/6/25
