Tim McGraw Explains Why He’s ‘Intimidated’ By Smaller Concert Crowds
Tim McGraw opened up about what it really feels like to perform for fans–whether it be a nationwide tour or a one-off show at a music festival–and his comments may surprise you.
Before taking the stage at Audacy's Throwdown concert this past Saturday, July 8, the "Standing Room Only" crooner sat down with interviewers who inquired about his process for getting ready to put on a show–whether it be for an audience of 5,000 people or 50,000.
"I probably don't do it much different at all," McGraw began, explaining that his vision for bigger stadium shows and more intimate performances are usually identical.
However, as he went on, the 56-year-old revealed that he actually prefers playing for larger crowds because he finds smaller concerts to be "more intimidating."
"It's more intimidating with a smaller crowd, for some reason," he stated. "Because it's more intimate, you can see everybody, so it's not like you're yelling to the back rafters."
The Throwdown concert invited approximately 5,000 people to the Pacific Northwest to watch McGraw perform–which is a relatively small crowd in comparison to the massive stadium shows he's booked previously.
A portion of the concert ticket sales benefitted Audacy’s I’m Listening event partner, Northwest Battle Buddies, which supports combat Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder by providing professionally-trained service dogs. The organization even named their next service dog McGraw after the musician, who said elsewhere in the interview that he didn't have a very tough name.
Intimidation from the smaller crowd and jokes aside, McGraw was still just so happy to be a part of the event.
"Veterans hold a huge place in my heart," he shared. "I come from a family of Veterans — both of my grandfathers were in World War II, my uncle was a Vietnam Veteran, my sister was a Gulf War Veteran, so everybody in my family has been involved in service for a long time."