Yung Gravy and Tayler Holder compete in the Summer Country Showdown

On Friday, Aug. 24, whether attendees paid $40 for their tickets or picked up free ones from the LLC Information Desk, the first night of the Summer Country Showdown commenced in the ICCU Arena. With multicolored lights flashing, Tayler Holder, the former TikTok star turned country artist, opened for Yung Gravy to an audience of rowdy college students.  

While the turnout may have been less than expected, a substantial crowd filled the floor beneath the stage, many close enough to make physical contact with the artists. Yung Gravy and Tayler Holder’s engagement with the audience added charm and a sense of intimacy to the performance. Even with lesser-known songs, a collective rhythm flowed through each person, transforming into dancing and cheering. The sound of the amp rattled the floor, each beat drop pounding into the chest of the listeners. The noise was carried whether one was on the floor or in the bathrooms. The atmosphere favored the electric feeling of anticipation that comes with a concert. 

Holder rushed onto the stage with his band already set up and excitedly kicked off the concert, clearly grateful to be performing. After admitting to previously being known for his TikTok thirst traps, he entertained the crowd with his obvious passion for the craft. He also personalized the performance, addressing the crowd directly and mentioning Moscow’s love for potatoes and drinking. Despite evident pride in his own work, he catered his playlist to incorporate more recognizable country hits such as “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean and “When It Rains It Pours” by Luke Combs. The crowd flourished more with the recognizable lyrics, witnessing Holder’s guitarist’s raw vocal talent as he performed solos in the extra songs. While openers commonly come second to the main act, Holder and his crew did well.   

After Holder exited the stage, the buzz started circulating amongst the audience, with multiple people asking, “How long until Gravy comes out?” Well-known for his unique singing style and a strange affinity for mothers, Yung Gravy took the stage with a sense of swag and confidence. Despite his recent exploration into country music, his signature genres continue to be hip-hop and trap, which are featured in his performance. Some attendees questioned his selection for the Country Music Showdown, but he performed nonetheless. For any lack of country music talent, he attempted to make up by catering his stage props to a hungry college crowd. After being warmed up with some Zebra Cakes, the crowd screamed lyrics along with him, more familiar with the words sung. The entire arena seemed to be in sync with Gravy, following his beat and motion.  

The challenge of the event was the Showdown aspect, meaning it was up to Yung Gravy and Tayler Holder to outshine Clint Black, Craig Morgan, and Mackenzie Carpenter. It is fair to say that performance-wise, Gravy and Holder held their own. However, if they used classical country music standards, they were at a disadvantage to the other performers. Holder’s debut into country as a genre was in 2023, and Gravy’s was even more recent. Black and Morgan have been in the game since many students’ parents were college-age.  Despite this, the concert brought together all kinds of students in the name of country music and did not disappoint. 

Macy Gilbert can be reached at [email protected]