ABC/Image Group LAOld Dominion‘s currently on their own headlining Make It Sweet Tour, but after several summers opening for Kenny Chesney, they’re not too proud to admit they’ve borrowed some of the superstar’s best ideas.
OD’s backstage area, particularly, is modeled after what you’d see at a Kenny show.
“I think we’ve ripped everything from Kenny!” lead singer Matthew Ramsey reveals, as the rest of the band laughs.
“We do have a cool vibe [room], yeah,” Trevor Rosen adds, “like we have these record players strategically placed and stuff.”
“The backstage vibe is sort of similar to his,” Matthew explains, “but it’s because it works so well. And it creates an environment for people to want to be there, and that’s what we want to do. It’s a long, long year, and you want people to want to be there for it.”
Even more than the comforts of the road, Matthew says Kenny showed the band how to build relationships.
“Probably the most important thing we learned from Kenny is how to treat the people that work for you,” Matthew continues, “and the people that are working with you, as far as opening acts and their crew. And that’s one thing that he really does an amazing job of.”
“So we’ve built our crew with that in mind, and it’s a family vibe, and it’s a fun vibe,” he tells ABC Radio. “It’s hard work, what these people are doing, and we want to make it as comfortable and fun as we possibly can.”
OD’s next show is Thursday, April 25 at Centurylink Arena in Boise, Idaho. Meanwhile, the song “Make It Sweet” is nearing the top of the chart.
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