Keith Urban live at Saratoga: Too early for beer, Too late to Sleep.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - It was too early in the day for beer and too late to go back to sleep.

By the time the sun rose over the Saratoga Gaming and Raceway Thursday morning, the restaurant perched high above the harness track, was already filling up with country music fans.
It was 6:10 a.m. when Sean McMaster and Richie Phillips, morning hosts of WGNA Radio station, turned on the microphones.

'Hello? Is this thing on?'

The crowd swelled from the intimate gathering who assembled at dawn to include several dozen fans as the morning wore on. They came to hear music and to be part of the live radio broadcast announcing the lineup of performers for this year's Countryfest.
In its 11th year, the event has grown into the biggest one-day country music festival in the Northeast. This year's affair will include Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Terri Clark, Sherrie Austin and Craig Morton. The festival takes place July 10 at the raceway. In the past, about 25,000 people from all over North America have come to party at the one-day festival.

Fans had come in the pre-dawn darkness to be part of Thursday's announcement party.
The morning hosts meanwhile, played tunes, read horoscopes and took in the atmosphere.

Overlooking the raceway, a mix of mottled snow and infield green framed a rider in red windbreaker who bounced along in a sulky around the track.
Birds flew into a blue morning sky. An American flag waved from atop a pole.
What brought people to the raceway on this morning was the purely American invention of country music.

'Outside the window, we're watching the snow melt. It's spring, baby!' announced Richie,
looking out over the track, his signal carried from the microphone, through a thin coil wire
and out over the airwaves where anyone who cared to listen could hear his words.

The fans enjoyed the morning eggs and orange juice, French toast and sausages - all for $1.07 - copying the station's call numbers. Many keept an eye on the clock as it neared opening time
for the gaming rooms.

The first gaming facility in the state sat waiting with its 1,323 video gaming machines, their names ranging from the mystical (Enchanted Forest and Magic Garden) to the obvious (Reel 'em In, Loco Loot and Cash-a-doodle do), just in case you were to forget where you were.

With the clock inching closer to 10 a.m. lines started at the doors to the machines. But not before they left with the sound of the twangy tune in their spirit and looking forward to
that day in July to celebrate their music.

SARATOGA SPRINGS- 'Are y'all ready to partyyyyy?' Paratrooper turned country music performer Craig Morgan sounded the rallying cry early in the afternoon as he sang his songs about America and about the 'good Lord above.'

Six acts appeared on stage Saturday at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway in WGNA's annual Countryfest celebration, drawing more than 20,000 fans.

When American Idol star Josh Gracin got stuck in traffic, Australian-born performer Sherrie Austin took over the task of opening the day with the national anthem, then delivered a set of her own countrified hits.

With the gates open at dawn Saturday, the grounds of the raceway quickly filled with fans ranging from low-rise jeans-wearing youths to groovin' grannies in 10-gallon hats. Families sprawled along the half-mile track with lawn chairs and blankets. Many in the brigade of bare bellies were turning a sun-scorched cherry-red by day's end.

And while vendors manned food tents that read French fries, London broil and turkey legs, this was a day of celebrating American music, despite the fact that half of the day's six acts hailed from elsewhere.

Terri Clark, the first female Canadian singer to be invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, launched into a medley of tunes from an upcoming greatest hits album. After performing 'When Boy Meets Girl,' she said she was going to do a song especially for those in the crowd who were in love. 'If you're not in love, then it's a good time to go pee and use the beer tent,' she quipped. 'And I guarantee you, you'll find love in there.'

Clark also dropped snippets of popular songs of music's past. She covered Warren Zevon's
'Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,' Rod Stewart's rock classic 'Stay with Me' and parts of Neil Young's
'Heart of Gold' and the Allman Brothers' 'Jessica' as she clanged on a cowbell and did a
Chuck Berry-like duckwalk across the stage.

Then she hoisted a toast to Saratoga with a bottle of Tequila and belted out her party song
'I Wanna Do it All,' much to the delight of the crowd.

Keith Urban led his band of barnyard stompers through a rock set that alternated with softer acoustic moments. He connected with the local fans by telling them he had spent the early part of the day on his motorbike taking in the sights of the Spa City.

He payed tribute to Johnny Cash with his rendition of 'I Walk the Line.' When he sang
'I'm going to love somebody like you' during one ballad, it seemed at least half the crowd thought Urban was singing directly to them.

Mike Bennett, guitarist for area band Bluecreek, kicked off the day's activities at 11 a.m. and was impressed. 'It was a real rush. For 20 years, you're playing in local bars, and to play here to all these great people on a great day is awesome,' Bennett said.

It was left to Brad Paisley, part-time actor, recreational fisherman and full-time celebrity since bursting onto the country music scene five years ago, to close the show. Paisley, who lives in a small Alabama town - population 200 - took the stage overlooking a swarm of fans. He strapped on a blue Telecaster and led his six-piece band that included a banjo, pedal steel, fiddle and a red, white and blue bass guitar.

Looking out at the crowd, he dedicated one tune to 'all you rednecks like me who won't be able to find your truck tonight' as fans held up signs saying 'Brad - let me sing 'Whisky' with you,' 'Gone Fishing' and 'Can I Have Your Hat?'

During the show, Paisley threw out guitar picks, covered ZZ Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man' and shared relationship tips he said he picked up from 'Dr. Phil.' And when he played his hit 'We Danced,' many did just that, swaying happily into the night.

pictures and words by Thomas Dimopoulos
text published in The Saratogian, July, 2004