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LIVE: KEITH URBAN wsg LINDSAY ELL – August 28, 2021

| 2 September 2021 | Reply

Venue: Soaring Eagle Casino

City: Mount Pleasant, MI

Date: August 28, 2021

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

In the day and age of tours being added, postponed, cancelled, and more, it was a bonus to see a date pop up from Keith Urban, even if it was almost 2-1/2 hours away.  I was able to see him years ago open a show and became a fan instantly and have followed him since waiting for the opportunity to review, photograph, and just enjoy a show from him that didn’t conflict with tax season (damn day job), my travel schedule, and other calendar conflicts.  A hot and humid Saturday in late August fit the bill for an evening of fun.  Add to the perfect alignment, Lindsay Ell – out promoting her latest release 2020’s Heart Theory – was added as the show’s opening band.  She wasted no time with formalities and launched her set with “Criminal” and we were off and running.  Lindsay knows her way around a guitar and makes it known that she is no one-trick pony behind the mic.  The next few songs were pulled from the 2020 release, with “Want Me Back,” “Body Language of a Breakup,” “How Good,” and “The Other Side” showcasing not only Ell’s vocal and guitar skills, but that of her band.  The rhythm section perfectly anchored the set, and the other guitarist added a solid second line of riffs to the tunes.  A highlight of the show was Lindsay grabbing an acoustic and running through Deanna Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” after explaining the backstory of performing this with her dad growing up when they would travel to her performances.  Turning it back up, Ell ran through one of my personal favorites from Heart Theory when she dropped “Good On You” on us and it was every bit as good and a little more energetic live, adding to the enjoyment.  Lindsay closed out the set with a great combo of “I Don’t Love You” capped with “What Happens in a Small Town,” originally recorded as a duet with Brantley Gilbert.  I cannot wait to see how her star rises as more fans are exposed to the music and live performance… her guitar solos are a spectacle to be seen for sure.

After a quick stage flip as the sun set on the venue, Keith Urban hit the stage draped in no lights but a simple spotlight, but that was going to be short lived, as he played most of his set using stage lighting.  As a photographer, it tested me, but I was there to enjoy the whole experience, not just the photo opportunity.  And enjoy I did.  He came out and hit us with “You Gonna Fly” and he not only came out firing on all cylinders but setting the bar for the rest of the show.  After this, he rolled into “Superman” and played his ass off while singing, smiling, and entertaining.  I didn’t see anyone sitting in their seats once he hit the stage.  One of my personal favorites, “Raining on Sunday,” popped into the set and we all sang along with him as he moved through the tune.  The banter with the crowd was fun and added to the evening, as did his impromptu songs; after “Never Comin’ Down” he chatted with the crowd down front and mentioned the ecologically friendly scents wafting through the air and quickly jumped into “On the Road” from Willie Nelson.  One of the best one-two-three punches of the evening was delivered when he hit us with a back story and introduction to “Wild Hearts” which was followed by “Long Hot Summer” and another of my favorites “Days Go By.”  The man is a true entertainer, seemingly reaching into the crowd and pulling out a setlist that puts smiles on every face in sight as we all sang the lyrics into the night together.  “God Whispered Your Name” featured an awesome guitar solo as well as Keith letting go and going with the moment.  A couple more tracks ran through the sound system then Urban invited opener Lindsay to join him for a duet or duel, depending on the way you watched and listened, on “Where The Blacktop Ends.”  They played together, off each other, and added depth to the show with a showcase of six-string ability.  When Keith and his more than able band hit “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” in the setlist, I don’t think there was a single person within rows of me not singing along at the top of their lungs.  Digging deeper into his catalog (and into my sweet spot) he played “Somebody Like You” which morphed to everyone’s surprise – including Keith’s – into “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”  Understanding the power of playing to your crowd and where he was, he jammed acoustically to “Saginaw, Michigan” before digging into “You’ll Think of Me.”  The close of the setlist is as strong as any show I have ever seen and heard when he ran through “Blue Ain’t Your Color” before closing out and bookending the show with the tandem tracks “The Fighter” and “Wasted Time.”  This was not only one of the best shows this summer so far, but one to check off the bucket list… until the next time I can work out the dates and timing that is.  To quote a friend, his performance is indeed ‘Amazeballs.’

Keith Urban Setlist: You Gonna Fly – Superman – Raining on Sunday – Never Comin’ Down – On the Road Again – Wild Hearts – Long Hot Summer – Days Go By – God Whispered Your Name – One Too Many – Somewhere in My Car – Where the Blacktop Ends – Cop Car – John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 – Somebody Like You – The Lion Sleeps Tonight – Saginaw, Michigan – You’ll Think of Me – Blue Ain’t Your Color – The Fighter – Wasted Time

Lindsay Ell Setlist: Criminal – Want Me Back – Body Language of a Breakup – How Good – The Other Side – Castle – Strawberry Wine – Good on You – I Don’t Love You – What Happens in a Small Town

FULL SET OF KEITH URBAN SHOW PHOTOS HERE

KEITH URBAN LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

FULL SET OF LINDSAY ELL SHOW PHOTOS HERE

LINDSAY ELL LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOUR DATES

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries

About the Author ()

ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.

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