Route 91 Festival Side-Stage Artist Jordan Mitchell Recalls Hiding During Shooting

Jordan Mitchell played an early set on Sunday (Oct. 1) at the Next From Nashville stage at Route 91 Harvest Festival, just hours before a gunman open fired on a crowd of 22,000, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 500.

The Las Vegas native moved to Nashville three years ago to pursue an artist career full-time, and the festival was her first big gig back home. In an interview with Taste of Country, she checked in from the road as she and her band head back to Nashville following the massacre.

"I was backstage at [Jason] Aldean's show," Mitchell says of when she heard gunfire break out. "We were all hiding under the main stage. [Mostly] friends of artists who had backstage access. Total mix of that and musicians, crew. It was really dark because they cut all the lights but we found we were sitting among friends, like Zoltan, Muscadine Bloodline's drummer. People were putting their arms around each other and just silently listening. At that point we couldn't see anything and had no clue what was happening."

Once Mitchell and her band managed to escape the festival grounds, they spent most of the night in an airport hanger. Still in shock three days after the shooting, Mitchell admits to having survivor's guilt.

"I'm just thankful my band and I and everyone from Nashville who performed are all unharmed. It could have so easily been a very, very different story. Unbelievable," she reflects.

While Mitchell was hoping to get back on the road the following day, she wasn't able to return to the festival grounds to obtain her band's gear, as the area was on lockdown. After a few days at her parents' house in Vegas, she's back on the road.

Artists and members of all other bands who were on the Sunday lineup at Route 91 have also been reported safe.

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