How much crowd is expected on country fest at altamont fairgrounds?”
Wise words from Phil Vassar, the piano playing country singer who was just one of six major acts to appear Saturday at WGNA’s Countryfest 2008. Vassar’s powerful late afternoon set at the Altamont Fairgrounds was preceded by similar outings from Ashton Shepherd, James Otto, Eric Church and Billy Currington. But Vassar clearly kicked things up a notch, working the crowd into, if not a frenzy, at least a froth. Suntanned (and sunburned) folks sang along, women danced on the grass and an endless line of admirers made their way to the stage while Vassar sang and tickled the ivories. In general he uses the piano as much as a prop as an instrument; and he made sure to stand on it, lay on it and dance around it as well as play it. Throughout his set Vassar — touring behind his new album, “Prayer of a Common Man” — showed what a debt current country owes, not to Nashville, but to New York, London and Los Angeles. It was the rock and roll references that really got the crowd roaring, and Vassar
