 |
| photo by Drew A. Kelley |
A version of my review originally appeared at: ocregister.com/entertainment/underwood-498144-song-country.html
Halfway through a sold out show at Citizens Business Bank
Arena, Carrie Underwood soared above the crowd to do a multi-song segment. The
high flying stage served as an apt metaphor for her upward career trajectory
since winning “American Idol” in 2005.
The most successful singer to emerge from that show,
Underwood has won loads of music awards (last month’s Grammys added another one
to the total), notched more than a dozen top 10 country singles (plus pop and
adult contemporary chart crossovers), seen all four studio albums reach platinum-plus
status and done some film/TV acting work.
Her ongoing tour for 2012’s “Blown Away” began last spring
and was among the year’s top grossing concert treks. Beyond all that is a
memorable voice that can wail with the best of ‘em. And it was in fine form on
Sunday night in Ontario,
where Underwood was the first CBBA music performer back in ’08.
As screens projected images of a tornado and a large
windmill spun onstage, the eight-piece band provided an ominous sonic
introduction. Then Underwood emerged from the doors of a “cellar” to launch the
95-minute set with energetic stomper “Good Girl.”
The Oklahoma
native (who turns 30 on March 10) looked resplendent as ever; her initial
outfit included a metallic studded bracelet and lacy pumps. Basically the song
running mirrored Staples
Center last September,
albeit with a few tweaks. A good
chunk of “Blown Away” was played live, with 2007’s “Carnival Ride” comprising
much of the remainder.
During a rare song introduction, Underwood briefly recalled wearing
out “my sister’s cassette tape of this man’s song” as a kid before doing a subtle take
on Randy Travis’ “I Told You So.” An early highlight, it was leavened by weepy
pedal steel accents and subtle brushstroke drum work.
Fans cheered wildly at the opening dramatic strains of
latest single “Two Black Cadillacs.” Underwood’s hair was strategically blown
while she reached an impressive sustained vocal note. Soon after, she would half chuckle to herself (as if to think,
“OK, here we go”) before attempting another one amid a snatch of gospel
classic “How Great Thou Art,” appended to “Jesus Take the Wheel.”
Three musicians and Underwood - casually dressed in cutoff
shorts, a John Fogerty concert t-shirt and fringe vest – were hoisted across the
arena roof for the floating stage section of the show. Equally laid back were the song choices here, notably
standouts “All American Girl” (boasting soulful vocal flourishes) and a
whistling, reggaefied “One Way Ticket,” something that would fit right in at a
Kenny Chesney gig (Underwood tossed out Hawaiian leis and jumbo beach balls
bounced around the floor section).
Toward night’s end, the fiddle-laden “Flat on the
Floor”
proved a great showcase for Underwood’s sassy vocals and the frenzied
“Cupid’s
Got a Shotgun” was a fun country hoedown. Come encore time, the sad
ballad “I
Know You Won’t” found Underwood emoting while sitting on a bed. Finally,
“Blow
Away” was a full fledged spectacle finale complete with confetti and
fans triggered their LED bracelets (a la Coldplay's tour), distributed
upon entrance.
 |
| photo by Drew A. Kelley |
Hunter Hayes and his four member group did a 40-minute,
eight-song opening set that just seemed to be gaining steam before they had to
quit.
The young country phenom is a hot property right now since “Wanted”
recently topped two of Billboard’s country singles charts and his solid 2011
self-titled, major label bow has been certified gold. A little more playing
time wouldn’t have hurt.
Still, Hayes was an engaging presence in Ontario who
comfortably displayed his musical prowess on both electric guitar (the John
Mayer-esque ending licks on “Somebody’s Heartbreak,” “More Than I Should”) and
piano (crowd sing along “Wanted,” a poignant “Where We Left Off,” from the “Act
of Valor” soundtrack). The lyric festooned instruments were also a cool touch.
Hands down highlight was the feisty closer “Storm Warning,” where Hayes leaped
around the stage.
Carrie Underwood, Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, March 3, 2013
Setlist: Good Girl/Undo It/Wasted/I Told You So/Two Black
Cadillacs/Last Name/Temporary Home/Jesus Take the Wheel>How Great Thou
Art/Cowboy Casanova/Get Out of This Town/Nobody Ever Told You/All American
Girl/One Way Ticket/Leave Love Alone/Flat on the Floor/See You Again/Cupid’s
Got a Shotgun/Before He Cheats
Encore: I Know You Won’t/Blow Away
Hunter Hayes
Setlist: Light Me Up/Love Makes Me/Somebody’s
Heartbreak/Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me/Where We Left Off/Wanted/More Than I
Should/Storm Warning
No comments:
Post a Comment