Brad Paisley is an unlikely headliner.
He's startlingly free of charisma and his songs easily blend in with contemporary country radio fare.
Yet aided by dynamic visual effects and vocal assistance from the near-capacity audience of approximately 16,000 at Verizon Amphitheater, Paisley turned in a highly effective 90-minute
performance Friday night.
Paisley and his six-piece band stripped his songs of their Nashville sheen. Paisley's vigorous guitar work added much-needed heft to his often bland material. A rollicking Ventures-style instrumental allowed Paisley to show off his chops.
Not surprisingly, humorous novelty songs like "Alcohol" and "Ticks" made for terrific live fodder. Similarly, maudlin ballads like "She's Everything" and "We Danced" became transformative anthems as thousands of gently swaying fans sang along.
The video presentation was so masterful that when Paisley sang "Whiskey Lullaby" with a taped contribution from Alison Krauss it seemed as if the bluegrass star was on stage. The tragic ballad
provided the evening's most dramatic moments.
Paisley made a few stabs at upgrading his bland persona. He suggested that patrons "go to the beer tent and get blitzed." And during an agreeable acoustic segment, Paisley reminisced about attending similar concerts when he was in high school. Before performing a fun take of Alabama's "Dixieland Delight," Paisley said he once "made out to this song."
A line from one of Paisley's hits serves as a precise summation of the relationship Paisley's audience has with their wholesome hero. "You're one of millions," Paisley sings in "The World." "But you're
one in a million to me."
Paisley's effort followed appearances by Kelly Pickler, Jack Ingram and Taylor Swift.
Simon Cowell's appraisal of Kelly Pickler == "Kelly, you are what's known as a naughty little minx" -- seemed appropriate as the former "American Idol" contestant took the stage.
Her voice isn't extraordinary and her material is sometimes lacking, but Pickler's amazing force of personality- aided by her low-cut blouse and tight jeans- were captivating. Sher reminded the udience about her difficult past throughout her 30-minute set.
"I was a roller-skatin' waitress at Sonic Drive-In," she drawled. She seemed to fight back tears on "I Wonder," a song addressed to her absent mother.
"I'm going to suck it up and quit being a whiny heiny," Pickler confessed.
Even though she sang a well-received version of Dolly Parton's "Nine To Five," Pickler's sultry vamping is more reminiscent of Tanya Tucker.
Jack Ingram was the night's most pleasant surprise. The veteran honky tonk troubadour's aggressive style -- more Aerosmith than George Strait -- initially startled the skeptical audience. The Texan won them over by the conclusion of his 30-minute set.
"We played Davey's Uptown about a 150 times before we ever had anything played on the radio," Ingram recalled before playing his breakthrough hit "Wherever You Are."
That song, and his cover of Hinder's "Lips of An Angel" contain few traces of the grit that make Ingram a unique performer. His closing number, "Love You," finds the common ground between the music Ingram played at area clubs and the mainstream country world. It even featured four locally-based dancers.
"We've got dancers," Ingram joyfully mused. "We must have hit the big time."
Taylor Swift sounded even more mechanical and less sincere than she did opening for George Strait at Kemper Arena last March. The teen sensation remains a force to be reckoned with, although a hint of
spontaneity at her next Kansas City appearance would be refreshing.
Brad Paisley setlist: Online, Wrapped Around, Mud On the Tires, Me Neither, Better Than This, She's Everything, Celebrity, The World, When I Get Where I'm Going, We Danced, Dixieland Delight (Alabama cover), I'm Still a Guy, Whiskey Lullaby, Ticks, Alcohol, I'm Gonna Miss Her, Folsom Prison Blues.
|Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
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