Kenny Chesney review: Big heat, big crowd, no problem

Above: No one in popular music brings a bigger crowd than the diminutive Kenny Chesney. Photos by Chris Oberholtz/The Star

The opening act, Pat Green, defined the gist of this hellacious extravaganza when he ended his set by fusing his biggest hit, "Wave on Wave," into a much bigger one: "With Or Without You" (yes, that one). You need a hefty pair to try that trick, but it worked. Maybe the heat had something to do with that; out in Bonner Springs Valley it was hotter than hell's bowels. Or maybe it was the crowd, which was refreshingly diverse (but only musically).

Green is a country artist by trade but he's a rock fan, too, which made him the ideal opener for a show that catered to fans faithful to stations all over the radio dial.

Sugarland followed Green; they opened with a few bars of Pearl Jam's "Better Man," then segued into one of their hits, "Settlin'." A large portion of the sold-out crowd (18,500-plus) was in place by then, and most were familiar with songs like "Down in Mississippi (And Up to No Good)," "Just Might (Make Me Believe)," "Baby Girl" and "Enjoy the Ride." The song most people jumped into, however, was the brilliant bluegrass version of  Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" with accordion, mandolin and lovely harmonies, which emphasized the song's great melody.

Sugarland's singer, Jennifer Nettles, affects a manic, daffy happiness -- a personality unlike anyone else's in modern country. When she talks she sounds like Ellie May Clampett; when she sings, her voice sounds as strong and Southern (but with more twang) as Natalie Maines'. Like the Chicks, Sugarland isn't trying to deconstruct and rebuild the modern country format; it's just trying to add another wing or build an annex for fans who want something that's absolutely commercial but emits some attitude and humor. Mission accomplished.

Chesney, on the other hand, is all about toeing a line that happens to be in the sand.  I suppose he's a sex symbol; the place was packed, mostly with women. But he's neither the burly, oil-rigging stud that Toby Keith used to be nor the unwashed soap-opera idol that Keith Urban looks like. Chesney looks more like someone else's sidekick. His numbers, however, tell a completely different story. He is, by all measures, the best-selling live act in popular music, Dave Matthews included.

Why? Because he sings party-in-paradise songs that appeal to fratboys and cowboys and romantic ballads that appeal to their girlfriends and wives. On top of that, his shows keep getting more extravagant, visually and technologically. Thursday night, his stage included a dazzling triptych of giant video screens behind him, plus a few others flanking the stage. He also brought a small army of musicians (11) to accompany him, including a five-piece horn section.

Chesney's singles and album sales get logged on country charts, but he's an omni-pop artist, a guy whose music crosses (or avoids) genres. He's also a rock fan, especially classic rock. His set began with the PA system blaring "You Shook Me All Night Long"; several times his band implied or evoked the sounds of so much '70s/'80s FM fare, including Journey, AC/DC ("Live Those Songs") and Ted Nugent ("Young").

This crowd, however, was here for the muscular elfin man in the black hat, and in the rows way up front, they sang along to everything, whether it was old ("No Shoes...") or brand new ("Never Wanted Nothing More"). He finished his 95-minute show with his best-known top 10 hit: "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," his anthem to a lifestyle that he no longer lives (if he ever did). No matter. His legions of fans drank and sang along to whatever style of life or music he evoked or toasted.

| Timothy Finn, The Star         

Setlist: Beer in Mexico; Keg in the Closet; Summertime; Live Those Songs; She Was A Big Star; No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem; The Woman With You; Living in Fast Forward; Young; The Good Stuff; Never Wanted Nothing More; I Go Back; Anything But Mine; Don't Happen Twice; Old Blue Chair; Back Where I Come From; When the Sun Goes Down; How Forever Feels. Encore: She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy.

 

Comments

[Herbert Spencer is a genius]

They need to do as much to handle the traffic going into Sandstone (screw he corporate whore names) as they have the Speedway. Man was it backed up along I-70 and Highway 7.

[tim finn]

It was backed up everywhere, before and after, inside and out. The place can't handle sold-out shows like that.

[willie b]

Chesney is a spawn of Satan.God how can you listen to that crap.No self respecting man would ever be caught dead at one of his shows. Country music has been on life support for along time.Go ahead Kenny...pull the plug.

[pammyringo]

Hey Tim Finn - sounds like you're not a country music fan, but obviously with sold out concerts all over the nation, life support is not needed for country music and I don't think Kenny's gonna be pulling any plugs. I was at the concert and it was GREAT, but they do need to figure out what to do about the traffic.

[Jeffrey]

Mr Finn;
While you were suffering through heat,& corporate sponsored mass appeal "country" music to write a review that those in attendance can't read; a true rock and roll caberet was going on at Harrahs. Rufus Wainwright put on a spectacle that invoked Queen, Judy Garland, Irish folk singers....Opening act Neko Case is a true American voice (do I dare say "country" . Next time review true artists, Mr Chesney and his like do not need anymore free press.

[pammyringo]

Oops - sorry Tim, looks like its Willie B who doesn't like country.

[TK]

There was also a show devoid of mass marketing at Davey's Uptown with John Doe last night...It was just too bad I had to choose between that and Rufus/Neko; I'd have love to have been at both...Mr. Doe played 90 minutes of new and old material, including some X stuff, for a mere $12, and rocked the house down!! Some artists don't need extravagant stage shows to move the crowd...

[Laura]

My daughter and I love listening to NO Shoes No Shirt No Problems infact she has a dance routine for it, and we are planning our 2009 christmas in mexico! We would really like to know where you stayed as that is where we would like to as well! Your video sold us on Mexico!

Thanks,