Josh Turner at the Rialto
November 20, 2021 @ 7:30 p.m.
Rialto Square Theater
102 N Chicago Street
Joliet, IL 60432
On Saturday November 20th, I was given the opportunity to photograph Josh Turner at his Holiday and the Hits tour. I was so excited to photograph him and his band because I have been a huge fan of his music for years. With an almost sold-out show, the fans were very eager for Josh to take the stage. His opener for the evening was Mo Pitney, who has a very unique sound that I feel is needed in country music today. He came out on stage with only his acoustic guitar, no band to perform with him. By Mo not using his band to back him up, the crowd was able to feel the full effects of his voice throughout the arena.
After Mo sang his set, Josh Turner took the stage. He opened the show by singing some of his hits, which included “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Your Man,” “Would You Go With Me,” “Long Black Train,” and “Hometown Girl.” Josh had an amazing stage presence and kept the crowd engaged the whole show. In between his songs, he talked about the backstory to some of the songs as well as some cool experiences that he had encountered involving the songs. This was personally one of my favorite parts of concerts because we got to see more into the songs, and it helped draw out a connection to your life and the songs. I felt that it made it more of a relatable experience for the whole audience.
After Josh finished out his first set list with some of his hits, there was a brief intermission so the crew could set up for his Christmas set. A few Christmas trees were added to the stage to bring the Christmas feeling into the theatre. A few songs that were sung throughout his Christmas set were “Joy To The World,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Mele Kalikimaka My Ohana,” “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town,” and my personal favorite “Soldier’s Gift.” What made this set so special was when his 4 sons came out and performed with him.
I was so touched that his whole family got to be on stage with him performing Christmas music. Christmas is about doing what you love with your loved ones all around you, and this show brought that feeling out to the whole crowd. About halfway through his second set of the night, his sons all left the stage along with another band member, leaving Josh confused. When they came back onto the stage, Josh finally understood why they left the stage. Saturday was Josh’s birthday, so his sons went backstage to bring a cake out to him. It was a very sweet and touching moment that I was thrilled to be a part of. This concert experience certainly started off my holiday season on a high note and I am so happy that I got the opportunity to capture those moments through my photographs.
For additional information. on these musicians and the Rialto Theater schedule, please visit:
Rialto Theater – https://rialtosquare.com/
Josh Turner – https://joshturner.com
Mo Pitney – https://mopitney.com/
The Today with Hoda & Jenna – https://www.today.com/video/country-star-josh-turner-performs-holiday-song-soldier-s-gift-128200773570
Jaclyn Duske studies design and photography at the University of St. Francis. Jaclyn has had a passion for country music since childhood. In addition to her studies, she regularly takes on outreach and volunteer opportunities and spends her down time with her pets!
