'American Idol' winner Abi Carter announces full concert at Acrisure Arena on July 27
For the second time in less than a month, Coachella Valley Firebirds fans were treated to a performance by Abi Carter, the Indio native and most recent "American Idol" champion.
On May 31, she sang a stirring national anthem before the Firebirds played the Milwaukee Admirals, but Thursday night's performance during Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals against the Hershey Bears was something different.
During the first intermission, Carter, wearing a Firebirds jersey with her name and the No. 1 on it over a white dress, had a special performance and a special announcement. Positioned in the concourse underneath the big scoreboard, she sang a beautiful rendition of her new single "This Isn't Over." She even through a "Firebirds Here We Go" in the middle of it.
She then let the crowd know that she would be playing her own full concert at Acrisure Arena on July 27. The crowd roared their approval and she thanked them all. Tickets for that show go on sale Tuesday, but you sign up for her presale at abicartermusic.com before 5 p.m. Monday. The show is called "No Amount of Dark."
She told the crowd that since winning American Idol she's been on a whirlwind tour, from New York to Nashville to the desert, back to Nashville with Minneapolis next week and Dallas after that.
More: Firebirds lose in Game 4 Calder Cup Finals: Firebirds can't match the energy in Acrisure Arena in 3-2 loss to Bears
Carter's big moment was the second notable singing performance of the night. Pat Monahan, the lead singer of the band Train, and his son Rock sang the national anthem prior to the game. Both were wearing Firebirds jerseys. Pat started and Rock sang the second half. Both belted it out to an adoring crowd who gave a solid roar when they finished.
Monahan, the renowned fan of Seattle pro sports including the Kraken, visited the desert to perform for their AHL affiliate Firebirds. Monahan said this was the second time he had seen the Firebirds in action at Acrisure Arena.
When Carter first appeared at Acrisure Arena to perform the anthem on May 31, the Firebirds scored less than a second into the game. The players and coaches revealed after the game that her presence there and her pitch-perfect anthem did motivate them.
"It's not very often you get an 'American Idol' winner in the building to sing the national anthem, so, yeah, and she sounded unbelievable and definitely got us going," Firebirds forward Kole Lind said after the May 31 game, a 3-1 Firebirds win. "I know the boys were fired up on the bench. We were yelling at each other and excited to go. That was obviously a pretty special moment to have her in the building. Glad she came out."
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'American Idol' winner Abi Carter to play at Acrisure Arena on July 27
