Drone Photos Show Thousands at Keith Urban’s Surprise Buc-ee’s Parking Lot Concert
Keith Urban, one of the biggest names in country music, turned a quiet evening in Athens, Alabama, into an unforgettable night with a pop-up concert in an unlikely location—right in the parking lot of a Buc-ee's convenience store.
The impromptu show happened this past Friday evening (Aug. 16), with Urban giving fans just a few hours' notice before the event. The concert, which kicked off at 8 p.m., was announced via social media around 4 p.m. that day, sending fans into a frenzy.
“I came down to this Buc-ee's about a month ago, and when I left, I went, ‘It’d be kind of fun to do a show there,’” Urban shared with the crowd during the concert, according to a video posted by WAFF-TV. The singer, known for hits like "Days Go By" and "Better Life," explained that his spontaneous idea quickly turned into reality, much to the delight of his fans.
What started as a modest plan to entertain a small group of people turned into a massive event, with over 5,000 fans filling the parking lot of the beloved convenience store chain. Urban, who had expected only a few hundred attendees, was blown away by the turnout.
“I swear to you, I thought maybe 100, 200 people,” Urban said, visibly surprised by the size of the crowd.
But the music wasn't the only thing that had fans buzzing. Before taking the stage, Urban spent some time working behind the food counter at Buc-ee’s. Sporting a Buc-ee's T-shirt and apron, the country star served up the store's famous chopped brisket, carefully pouring barbecue sauce over the meat and calling out to customers, “Fresh sauce on the board!”
Fans like Cindy Wilson, who happened to hear about the concert while at work, were thrilled by the unique experience. “I was at work and we heard it on the radio that there was going to be a surprise concert at Buc-ee’s in Athens,” she told FOX 54 WZDX-TV. “And I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s on my way home.’ And it’s 15 minutes from my house. So I couldn’t believe it.”
As for the music, Urban didn't disappoint. He performed his new single, “Go Home W U,” from his upcoming album *High*, set to release on September 20th, and paid homage to the local crowd with a rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” much to the delight of the Alabama fans in attendance.
This pop-up concert is just another example of how Urban and many other artists across genres continue to connect with fans in unexpected and unforgettable ways. For those who were lucky enough to be there (maybe just for gas and beaver nuggets), it was a night at Buc-ee's they won’t soon forget.