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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > January > 26 > Entry
Review: Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker at Erwin Center
Brad Paisley wanted to make sure that the sold-out crowd of 6,926 at the Frank Erwin Center got their money’s worth.
“With the way the economy is these days, we really appreciate you spending your hard-earned money to come see us,” Paisley said Thursday night. “It’s almost the weekend, so forget about work tomorrow, we’re gonna party all night!”
Paisley throws one heck of a party. His lively 20-song set lasted nearly two hours and was accompanied by custom animation and video on a huge screen behind his band. Paisley, donning his signature white cowboy hat, worked the stage like a pro, shared funny stories, and made sure the crowd knew how excited he was to be playing in what he said is “the best town in Texas.”
The reigning Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year churned out hit after hit, including “Mud On The Tires,” “Celebrity” and “I’m Still A Guy.” His latest No. 1 hit, “Start a Band,” featured a video guest appearance from Keith Urban.
Paisley, along with his opening acts Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker, closed the main set with the feel-good hit “Alcohol.” The performance elicited a standing ovation, while the screen showed shots of Antone’s, the Broken Spoke, and other Austin watering holes.
Big-budget nationwide tours, like the Paisley Party Tour, run the risk of feeling generic and mechanical. But when a show rolls into the live music capital of the world, it’s almost guaranteed to be extra special. Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel joined Paisley on stage for a fun duet of “Miles And Miles Of Texas.”
Austin guitar legend Redd Volkaert also made a special appearance. Paisley and Volkaert dueled on guitar during the encore performance of “Let The Good Times Roll,” which also featured a video guest appearance from blues great B.B. King. Paisley’s encore also included the humorous and cleverly written “Ticks.”
Bentley received a greeting almost as raucous as Paisley’s. He was relentlessly energetic during his 10-song set, running all over the stage and clapping as many hands as he could reach. Bentley rocked out with hits like “How Am I Doin” and “Lot Of Leavin’ Left To Do,” and made the ladies swoon with “Come A Little Closer” and “Settle For A Slowdown.”
Rucker is a crossover artist best known for being the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish. He is still coming into his own as a country singer, but his first single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and the hilarious “Drinkin’ and Dialin’” are sure-fire hits. Rucker’s performances of Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry” and Hank Williams Jr.’s “Family Tradition” were definite crowd-pleasers.
With two fabulous opening acts, plus one pretty amazing Paisley party, Thursday night’s crowd certainly got their money’s worth.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment Categories: Reviews
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By Jim Moulton
January 26, 2009 4:13 PM | Link to this
Paisley is coming into his own on his current Cd ,letting the guitar do the talking
By toby
January 30, 2009 2:04 AM | Link to this
i just got home from dayton ohio concert it was GREAT i really loved darius rucker i also caught the tour in missouri in aug my seats were really gi\ood in dayton im now a darius rucker fan
By crystal
February 5, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this
I am loving Darius Rucker. He has some incredible songs and an incredible voice!
By Paige
May 31, 2009 9:23 PM | Link to this
Amazing show!