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Hot Chelle Rae keeps fans on their feet
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
By Terry Whetstone Staff Writer
Hot Chelle Rae pulled into the 152nd annual Clearfield County Fair last night and had the crowd on its feet the entire time they performed, as the group took the stage for more than an hour.
Hot Chelle Rae is made up of brothers Jamie and Ryan Follese, Ian Keaggy and Nash Overstreet, brother to actor Chord Overstreet.
While people came from far and near to hear the guys perform, two young ladies made the trek from North Carolina.
Laura and Anna King, both 17, arrived in Clearfield at midnight on Monday with their mom, Linda, and made their way to the fairgrounds at 8 a.m. yesterday, where they asked security member Brian Biancuzzo which seats were theirs. They then sat in two front row seats, and just waited until it started to rain, then they moved.
Laura King said the 10-hour journey is the farthest they have traveled, so far, to see Hot Chelle Rae in concert.
Laura King said this is the ninth show they have been to this year. Next on the agenda is Kentucky and Georgia.
The girls spend their own money, which they earn by working at home.
They made 1,000 sets of lips out of paper with the words "Downtown Squirrel" written on them. Before the show started, they handed a pair of lips out to all of the fans in attendance. When the group performed the song, "Downtown Girl," the lips came out.
King said the shows are similar but the energy is certainly different.
Toward the end of the show, the band had Laura with them on stage, as she helped belt out some of the lyrics to a song. After she left the stage she told The Progress that was the second time the band had her on stage. She said she had a sign she held up that read, "I know the rap," and they let her help out.
Hot Chelle Rae has been making rounds, as they have a handful of headlining European tour dates. Earlier this year, they toured across the United States before heading to Australia in March with Taylor Swift.
"Our fans are so loyal and engaged," Nash wrote on their website. "The most fun we have playing live is when they are excited and singing along. It's really energizing to have them instantly giving it back to you. It keeps us going and hyped to carry on."
Rain throughout the afternoon kept things kind of soggy at the fairgrounds, but the band told fair public relations director Brenda Morgan it always stops raining before they hit the stage. Sure enough, it did. Morgan said they needed to take the stage earlier in the day.
"I saw them on Disney," said Maryellen Wilkinson of Osceola Mills. "They were really good and I wanted to see them in concert. I'd go to another one of their shows."
Allie Kephart of Houtzdale said the show was awesome. "I had such a good time," she said.
She said she heard them on the radio and couldn't wait to see them live.
Natalie Domanick said she typed in "unknown bands" several years ago on You Tube and that's when she heard them the first time.
"I loved the show," she said. "I just wish I'd had a closer seat." Domanick said when she thought the show was over, she went to the track and the guys came back out on stage.
"The encore was awesome," she said. "I'd love to see them again. They are one of my favorite bands."
Fair queen Misti Bruner also loved the show and said the group was better than what she expected in person, noting that some bands sound better on the radio.
"They were great," she said. "I was really surprised."
She said she was pleased to meet the guys before the show during the meet and greet. She said they are very nice and sweet.
Bruner is looking forward to Friday night, when The Band Perry comes to town.
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