Florida Georgia Line flashes country credentials at NASCAR concert

Florida Georgia Line finally showed off its “FGL Fest” concept Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where stormy weather wiped out  last year’s attempt at the multi-act, multi-genre concert.

This time, sunny and mild conditions prevailed for 25,000 attendees inside Turn 4 at the track. Music competed with the untamed roar of NASCAR’s Indiana 250 race during the show’s early acts, but Florida Georgia Line, Dan & Shay and Nelly performed after Kyle Busch captured the checkered flag.

Florida Georgia Line singers Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley showcased material from 2019 album “Can’t Say I Ain’t Country,” a rebuttal to conventional wisdom labeling the duo as something other than “authentic” country since they arrived on the scene with smash hit “Cruise” in 2012.

The pop-leaning pair signaled no resentment toward the task of proving their Nashville credibility, and Florida Georgia Line charged out of the gate with enjoyable rural swagger.

An inflatable water tower and an actual ATV decorated the stage when Hubbard and Kelley opened with "Can't Say I Ain't Country" selection "Colorado," which conveys appreciation for marijuana available in the Rocky Mountain state and alcohol produced in Tennessee.

"Y'all Boys" celebrated “hangin’ somethin’ that you hunted on the wall," and NASCAR video highlights accompanied the song "Speed of Love." During a rendition of "Can't Say I Ain't Country's" title track, audience members watched video excerpts of monster trucks, fishing, country icon Alan Jackson and — for reasons not entirely clear — Kanye West playing keyboards during one of his "Sunday Service" events.

It's difficult to gauge the sincerity of Florida Georgia Line's move toward "real" country, but the increased presence of Kelley's low-register drawl is welcomed and these songs at least stem the tide of FGL's "bro country" cliches.

On that topic, Saturday's performance lost momentum in a bundle of forgettable songs recorded in the pre-"Can't Say I Ain't Country" era: "Round Here," "Hell Raisin' Heat of the Summer" and "Smooth."

Consider the chorus of 2014's "Anything Goes": "Get your party right, it's a Friday night."

Anyway, Nelly returned to the stage to deliver his "Cruise" verse in person.

Earlier, the rapper stormed through a no-nonsense hit parade of “E.I.,” “Batter Up” and “Air Force Ones." Nelly embraced the day's setting by wearing a Denny Hamlin sleeveless T-shirt and by covering Thomas Rhett's "Die a Happy Man."

Female voices in the crowd were loud and clear when Nelly performed "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma" back to back.

Even if Nelly has fallen off your radar, the St. Louis star still gets paid. As he rapped during a rendition of 2013 tune "100K," “50K today a 100 more tomorrow.”

Big paydays seem to be in the future for Blanco Brown, the hip-hop-meets-country act who performed as part of the FGL Fest undercard. In addition to leading a mass dance-along to his chart-topping "The Git Up," Brown revealed impressive vocals by opening with a combo cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" and country standard "Tennessee Whiskey."

There's no question Dan & Shay vocalist Shay Mooney can sing. He aced comfortable R&B jam "What Keeps You Up at Night," and no song was better received Saturday than Dan & Shay's "Tequila." But it's also OK to wonder where a watered-down Rascal Flatts fits in the context of country music — even on FGL Fest's no-boundaries bill. 

Canaan Smith did his part to represent aggressive country at FGL Fest. He opened with country rocker "Poor Decisions" and continued the barroom theme with "Beer Drinkin' Weather." Born in Dillsboro, Indiana, 40 miles west of Cincinnati, Smith is a former Mercury Records artist taking a new shot at stardom on Florida Georgia Line's boutique label, Round Here.

Today's Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line NASCAR race begins at 2 p.m.

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.