MUSIC

Exclusive: In second Lone Star edition, CMT Awards set pays homage to Austin landmark

American-Statesman Staff

Austin American-Statesman

Saddle up, Texas. Country Music Television is back at Austin's Moody Center for the CMT Awards.

Festivities for the fan-voted awards show kicked off Wednesday, with a sneak peak performance at the UT Tower on the University of Texas campus. Clips from that concert will air during the show, but the tower won't be the only familiar Austin location you'll see as CMT celebrates its second rodeo in the Texas capital.

Production designer Anne Brahic and lucki designs inc., who have designed the CMT Music Awards for 15 consecutive years, took inspiration from Austin's Congress Avenue "bat bridge" as they created a towering structure that spans the back of the stage, framing massive video screens. With multiple staging areas for presenters and performers, the set aims to "make fans feel close to their favorite artists, whether they’re in the room or watching at home," Brahic said in a news release about the set.

A rendering of the design shows how the set for the CMT Music Awards pays tribute to Austin's iconic bat bridge.

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Unlike more formal awards shows where stars and fans are seated at tables, the CMT Awards ceremony includes a standing audience on the arena floor. The crowd "makes the show feel electric and our goal is to embrace that energy," Brahic said.

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Recreating an iconic Austin landmark lends the set an "added layer of excitement to being in the Live Music Capital," she said.

Kelsea Ballerini performs at the 2023 CMT Awards at the Moody Center in Austin. Ballerini will return as a host and performer this year.

How do I watch the CMT Awards?

The 2024 CMT Awards show is hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and will feature performances by Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and many more. Trisha Yearwood, who was recently inducted into the "Austin City Limits" Hall of Fame, will receive the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, and Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson, Lukas Nelson, Roger Clemens and Sammy Hagar will take part in an All-Star Tribute to Toby Keith.

You can tune into the ceremony live at 7 p.m. CST on CBS. It will also stream live on Paramount+. There will be an encore presentation of the event Thursday at 7 p.m. CST on CMT.