ISLE OF PALMS, SC (WCBD) – Live music is back in a big way on the Isle of Palms. Country music singer Dierks Bentley took the stage at The Windjammer a little after 7 p.m. Tuesday night, marking another milestone in getting back to normal.
Bentley kicked off their “High Times and Hangovers” tour at the Windjammer. This is the first leg of a tour of several small venues across the country, marking his return to touring and live concerts. People say no distance was too far to travel and see a concert in person.
“I came down from New Jersey, you know I got tickets, how are you not going to come down to see a concert in person, be with people,” says Frank Luna. “You know, a lot of Dierks’ music is about rebirth and going through tough times.”
A return to live music is something fans need as much as the star country singer and his band.
In an interview with Country Taste of Music, Bentley said he was both scared and excited to get back on stage in front of the fans. He said the “High Times and Hangovers” tour, a dive bar tour, was going on just for the “heck.”
Fans were equally excited to see a performer take the stage.
“I’ve never been to the Isle of Palms before, but what a beautiful place, what a fun place,” says Luna. “Looks like a little beach bar that Dierks is going to blow the roof off.”
For the Windjammer, everyone will be on deck. Between the security measures and all the staff, after more than a year of interruption of an event of this scale, they were ready to welcome the country star.
“Probably all the staff are here, you know the bar backs and the sanitizers, the restroom attendees, you only know the 9s,” says Nicki Nelson, bartender at the bar.
The event was Bentley’s first concert in front of fans since before the pandemic. The capacity was not one hundred percent, the number of fans still reached hundreds.
“We’ve cut that kind of half and a bit, but we’ve just watched that over the months and the year, but we’re not at full capacity,” Nelson explains.
In a year when so many bars and restaurants have been forced to close, Nelson says she hopes this paves the way for more big-name gigs to make it to the Windjammer.
“We hope this is a great start and a big step for us,” Nelson said. “We hope everything goes well, it will be a great evening. A fun concert and we hope to continue it.
More than music in the air on the Isle of Palms, but excitement and hope for a summer close to some form of normalcy.
“I loved discovering this city, having lunch and spending my money here,” says Luna. “You know people need to go out and support the local economy.”
Bentley will make stops in Greenville and Charlotte on Wednesday and Thursday before leaving the Carolinas to continue the tour.
