Mitchell Tenpenny

Friday July 31st The Haven at The Wild was home to Mitchell Tenpenny and the Speed of Light tour. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again maybe one of the coolest places to view a show in the area. I mean how could you hate a show where you can also feed giraffes well some of your favorite artists are singing all their hit songs.

The night started with local Nick Stark. If you see a show at The Haven very good chance Nick will start the night off with a blend of today’s country hits to warm the crowd up for a night of fun. He also talked about all the upcoming shows coming up at the Haven including three shows this upcoming week with Lakeview on 8/6, Ryan Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry 8/7, and The Marshal Tucker Band 8/8.

Jake Banfield was up next and he welcomed the crowd by asking them for a bit of help pronouncing Chittenango. Banfield grew up in a small town of what he said 19 people later went on to play Division 1 basketball at Oklahoma University. It wasn’t until an injury during Covid he found his calling in music to help him cope with the hard times and I have to say one career came to an end but a new career is just getting started. Blending big songs ranging from Mario Let Me Love You, T-Pain Buy U A Drink to Garth Brooks Friends in Low Places, Darius Rucker Wagon Wheel and Jason Aldean She’s Country. Banfield would also play some original songs like Country Girl, Hall Of Fame which he would dedicate to all the mothers in the crowd before ending with his biggest song to date Lasso. Banfield did a good job energizing the crowd and engaging with the audience making them be apart of the show. We didn’t. manage to capture photos of him this time.

Then it was time for the man of the night Mitchell Tenpenny. Mitchell came out to To Us It Did. Night was filled with hits and laughs. After performing We Got History Mitchell took a small second to inform the crowd he was recovering from swallowing two bugs during the song. A little girl named Harper stole the show during Anything She Says while dancing with the band hitting a double backflip and the splits. Rafe Tenpenny brother of Mitchell would also get a moment to shine singing Montell Jordan This is How We Do It and Nelly’s Ride Wit Me. During an acoustic performance Mitchell asked the crowd which songs they would like to hear and played some of his more deep cuts hand crafted by the audience before welcoming the band back for the name of the tour track Speed of Light. A song originally he had written for Teddy Swims but after a drive in his truck just knew he needed to have this one. The shock of the night was instead of having a recording play metal band Underoath’s part of Demon or Ghost Mitchell performed it himself. The night capped off with Alcohol You Later, Drunk Me before ending with his rendition of Goo Goo Dolls Iris. I would highly recommend if Mitchell Tenpenny is coming to a venue near you it’s a must see. Not only is he a phenomenal singer he interacts with the crowd all night. A very down to earth artist who also during his meet & greet didn’t rush fans in and out the door. He signed stuff for them, took a moment to talk and then a photograph.

Writer : Tyler Allen

Photos: R.Johnston