Review: Tim McGraw

Photos by Allison Long/The Star

He has been a recording artist since 1992 and since then, Tim McGraw has become one of the most consistent artists in country music. Eight of his 10 studio albums have hit the top of the country charts; four of them were No. 1 on the overall Billboard chart. Seven of his albums have gone at least triple-platinum. By all measures, he ranks as one of the most popular male stars in country music over the past 20 years, up there with Garth Brooks and George Strait.

Friday night, McGraw headlined a show at the Sprint Center, his third show there in less than three years and his second in less than a year. Both of those shows were near-sellouts. This time slightly fewer than 10,000 fans showed up to hear McGraw and his two openers, Luke Bryan and the Band Perry. 

Nonetheless, he gave them the usual: more than two hours of songs, some old, some new and one made famous by someone else. In return, he got the usual: adulation for both his music and his well-maintained physique. 

He opened the show on a satellite stage at the back of the arena, singing a new song, “Halo,” off his yet-to-be released new album, “Emotional Traffic.” He followed that with two hits, both more than 10 years old: “Something Like That” and “Where the Green Grass Grows.”

For the most part, the first half of the show was a bit light-and breezy, thanks to the mid-tempo ballads like “Last Dollar (Fly Away),” “Please Remember Me, ”“Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It,” “For a Little While” and his cover of Ryan Adams’ “When the Stars Go Blue.”

He gave the crowd another new one, the jaunty “Right Back At You,” then returned to the soft-rock vibe with “Red Rag Top” and a cover of the Commodores’ “Sail On.”

He brought out his openers for guest appearances: the Band Perry on “Can’t Really Be Gone” and Bryan on the raucous “Back When.”  Bryan is of a new breed of singers who extol a certain lifestyle, one that inspires songs like “Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets” and “Waitin’ on a Deer.” His lively number with McGraw stoked the mood for most of the rest of the show.

The rest of the setlist bounced from more ballads, like “Better Than I Used to Be” and “Cowboy in Me” to the uptempo “Unbroken” and the peppy “Felt Good on My Lips,” a signature pop/rock ballad in country dressing.

McGraw, 44, is not the best singer in country music, by any stretch. He played guitar for a couple of songs, but he’s no Brad Paisley or Keith Urban.  But he is a card-carrying actor who wins over a big crowd with a combination of rugged good-looks and a charming, funny, nice-guy personae that appeals to the many women in his crowds and to the men with them.  He can still wear the snug jeans and tight T-shirt, which, along with his large black cowboy hat, have become signature elements of his brand – his act. And it helps to bring along a band as accomplished as the Dancehall Doctors, who give the live versions of his songs a light coat of fire and grit.

He ended the show with a three-song encore that generated nearly as much energy as what preceded it: “Live Like You Were Dying,” a testimonial to his late father, Tim McGraw; “Indian Outlaw”; and the closer, “I Like It, I Love It.”

By the time that was done, he’d been on stage for nearly 140 minutes.  I’m not sure how many folks wanted more of it; most left the place looking like they’d been given exactly what they wanted, even if it was for the third time in three years.

| Timothy Finn. The Star

Comments

[Stacey]

I don't understand why its always made out to seem like coming to KC so often is a bad thing. I enjoy seeing my favorites back year after year. It keeps me from having to travel somewhere else to see them. If you are tired of a certain artist, skip them. Problem solved.

[johnny]

I thought his father's name was, "Tug".

[Gary Dean]

You are right kinda....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tug_McGraw

Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (August 30, 1944 – January 5, 2004)

[Bartender]

I thought his father's name was, "Tug".
================================

No,
his father's name is "Quick Draw".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhN19EBp_b4

Whenever I used to see him
I would always ask him...
"Why the long face?"

and when he would try to bring his giraffe friends in with him, we had to tell him "HEY!!!! we dont serve long necks here"

[BigSteve]

"Well-maintained physique"? He looks anorexic.

[pellboy]

I don't care that these artists pass thru KC so often, but maybe their is something to the lament that B2R doesn't review enough of the classic rock acts (at least the less hit-friendly variety) that pass thru. Why redundant reviews of Tim McGraw/Rascall Flatts/Chesney/Interpol, what have you and nothing on two outstanding, well-attended classic rock shows (Uriah Heep and the recent Wishbone Ash) that I and many others attended within the past year? Can't remember the previous Heep performance prior to last June and Ash hadn't played the KC area since a Grand Emporium appearance in I believe '06. Why not throw a rare bone to one of these types of shows that rarely passes thru as opposed to the recycled country/indy buzzband reviews? And again, by classic rock band, I don't mean the typical statefair-like mega-lineups of faux Foreigners/Speedwagons and the like...I'm talking those "fringe" 70s acts that still stay true to their sound and have never stopped putting out albums and performances for their almost cult-like followers.

Excuse my rant and just do yourselves a favor and expand the B2R love to some overlooked, but still vital rock acts.

[Musicgal]

Amen, pellboy. I've seen some shows that were absolutley outstanding at a small venue with a small crowd. While I'm happy to have such an intimate setting and be up close, I wish that B2R would review these shows so that maybe more people would show up the next time after reading a (hopefully) great review. I feel bad for the band when I go to a show and there's hardly anyone there, but they're playing like there's a full house. I support live music and want those musicians to keep coming back to KC. I would also say that the people who go see the Tim McGraw's and the Taylor Swift's are probably not reading B2R anyway.

[Clint]

For the most part, the reviews are from Sprint Center, Starlight or some bigger venues. I am not sure how you increase attendance for a group that doesn't have what you think is the correct audience size. Maybe a guest reviewer spot for people shows that Tim can't attend? I enjoy reading reviews of shows I would never attend, just to hear what it was like.

I just think this blog is full of people who comment that don't like anything that is popular.

[BTR]

" I would also say that the people who go see the Tim McGraw's and the Taylor Swift's are probably not reading B2R anyway.

Posted by: Musicga"

and you would be wrong. Have seen Tim in concert 5 times, going back to '97. Sandstone twice, Arrowhead with George Strait, Sprint Center with Jason Aldean, and Mizzou Arena with Lady A.

Truth of the matter is that while I like to read the reviews of shows I attend, what I equally like is to be able to read reviews of all of the shows I do not attend. TF and company do a good job of covering every genre

[ROCKER]

""TF and company do a good job of covering every genre""

x2 on that and dont forget Bill Brownlee, who (as I have said many times) deserves a medal for some the shows he reviews....

of course I will grumble (with hopes of getting them to attend/review)(sometimes it works)(it finally worked getting TF to attend my DKM) when shows I want them to reivew are skipped, but I 100%understand that we are lucky to have this group here in KC......

ps
I hope the imploding conditon of the Star deos not affect this place.... maybe someone needs to start selling ads specific to this site to keep it up and rolling, no matter what.

PPS
Thank you again TF, BB and everyone else who posts reviews and moderates this board, it is unique on the web.

[pellboy]

Oh, don't get me wrong, didn't mean to imply that TF and the other reviewers don't do an excellent job and I concur that their coverage is pretty broad. I'm also one that reads ALL the reviews so my "complaint" was only with the redundancy of reviews for those oft-repeated shows that seem to be boring the reviewers themselves and to a lesser degree, fans of those acts, whose attendance seems to dwindle with each seasonal pass thru town. And again, not asking them attend shows where only the artist's immediate family seems to be present...the shows I referenced earlier were both well-attended and with 30-40 years worth of fanbase, I would think there might be some legitimate interest in a review following their rare area performances. Again, not really a complaint, more of a suggestion.

[Squeeky]

Oh.... you're just pissed that they missed wishbone ash, like I used to bitch about them missing my DKMs (but I wont insult Wishbone Ash as being unworthy of a review, as many here did of my DKMs) but.... all my bitching paid off, and TF went his year and from the review he "gets it" now.... proving, once again, the squeeeeeeky wheeeeeeel gets the grease.

[Sqeeeky]

PS in case anyone missed it,
off topic, but sad:(

RIP Paul Slittorff, KC Royals

RIP Mark Haines, CNBC

I hate death, ImagonnakickitsAZZ!!

[pellboy]

Perhaps, Squeeky, but at least with the DKMs, there were more opportunities for reviews as they tour KC more often. If I have to wait another 5 years for Wishbone Ash, Andy Powell might be playing his Flying V from a wheelchair. :)

[squeeeeky]

Thanks for making my point, of all the more reason to be disappointed they kept skipping reviewing them, with so many chances, while never missing these cuntryfk shows...... but oh well, it is what it is.... I aint mad....

....but dont it kind of suck when it is YOUR band that they skip, eh skippy? and you did remind them 4-5 times...... be sure to have sympathy for others.

[TORNADO!!!]

HOLY CRAP TORNADOS ARE ATTACKING KC, 135TH - 119TH NALL SPINNING CLOUDS!!!!!

ALERT!! DO YOUR THING!!!!

[Kurt]

I haven't seen a review of Trans-Siberian Orchestra for several years now. It's because TSO has done a winter tour each year since, 1999 and that's 12 years in a row. That's a lot of touring. TSO puts on an excellent show and deserves to be reviewed.