You can’t be in the Land Down Under without throwing down a shoey.
The Australian tradition is as old as time. Well, maybe not that old because the shoey really took off in 2010, but actually traces its origins to much earlier… and in Germany. If you’ve ever seen a boot-shaped beer glass at your local German pub or Oktoberfest, it has a connection to the German Army, who would drink from a soldier’s boot as a hazing ritual during World War I.
But history lessons aside, it’s not right to go to Australia and not partake in this tradition, especially if you are a touring artist visiting for the first time.
Riley Green recently wrapped up a leg of shows in the Land Down Under, making stops in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
“Australia, all were awesome. I loved singing some damn country music with y’all. Even cooler to have my folks there with me. Till next time.”
Like many other artists, when they first go down to the southern continent, fans will encourage them to do a shoey.
Let us inform you if you aren’t familiar with what a shoey is. Someone (preferably the person performing the shoey) will remove their boot, fill it with a beer, and then chug said beer from the boot. Now you see why we have a preference regarding whose boot you are drinking from. No one wants foot sweat from someone they don’t know mixed in with their beer.
Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson both laid down record-time shoeys earlier this year when they toured in Australia, so it’s only right that the torch was passed to Riley Green to keep it going when he made his way down for his shows. But Green was reluctant to partake in the tradition on his first trip to the continent. Before he hopped on his plane, he told Country 95.9 that he was not planning on doing a shoey.
“I’ve sworn that I wouldn’t do a shoey. Now that being said, if we go down there and the crowd’s rowdy and we’re havin’ a good time, who knows. I’ve done things I’ve swore I wouldn’t several times before. I’ve never been to Australia.”
The crowd in Sydney must have been the right amount of rowdy because he did his first shoey on stage during that show. One of Green’s team members runs on stage and hands him a boot and bottle of beer, which is already off to a questionable start because I hope that boot is new or relatively new. Before filling the boot, Green steps up to the microphone, questioning his choice and the tradition.
“Y’all are sure, right?”
But he follows through, pouring the beer inside of the boot. After glancing inside the boot, perhaps questioning what he is about to do, Green holds it up to the crowd:
“We’re glad to be here; I appreciate y’all coming out tonight.”
And with that, he crushes the shoey. Given that a boot is not the most practical drinking vessel, he spills some of the beer, but it gets it all down. After he finishes, Green sits there, smacking his lips together for a second before tossing the used boot into the crowd.
“Tastes like the Foot Locker.”
That description alone confirmed that I will never be doing a shoey if I go to Australia. I think I’d rather keep my beer tasting like beer.
But hey, you only live once, right? So, at least Riley Green can say that he’s done a shoey and has an excuse not to do them again if he tours in Australia again.
@whiskeyriff Gotta do a shoey when you’re Down Under. @Riley Green // 🎥: @Riley Green Fans #whiskeyriff #rileygreen ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
