A version of my review originally appeared at ocregister.com.
Photos by Kelly Swift.
Photos by Kelly Swift.
When it comes to masterful electric
guitarists in modern country music, Brad Paisley is right at the top with Keith
Urban.
During a sold out Hollywood Bowl
show, he continually amazed with a series of runs that were tasteful without coming
across as self-indulgent.
This tour’s set design, in support of last year's
solid "Moonshine in the Trunk," incorporated a working bar where fans
and other musicians could watch selected songs. Paisley has said he considers
the concerts to be therapy sessions after hard days at work – a theme of latest
single "Crushin' It."
Friday night, the LA crowd
definitely had no problem letting off some steam. Paisley first appeared on a
raised platform to launch the spirited 95-minute proceedings with a jaunty
"River Bank," as images of people cavorting around a lake and a
hamster on jet skis was projected on the screens.
Humor plays a major part in
Paisley's appeal (two hand-picked comedians served as emcees and did short
routines here). "Celebrity" prompted plenty of laughter: the video
footage included outlandish TMZ-style story headlines and a Paisley-style
mascot who got into mischief (clad in a New England Patriots jersey, it deflated
a football). A real version came out to slap high fives at the end.
A minute into the serious-minded
"This is Country Music," Paisley stopped and gave his electric guitar
to a young man in the audience. The title track, which name checks old TV
series "The Dukes of Hazzard," featured Paisley's fast fretwork in
tandem with his fiddle player.
Opening act Justin Moore joined
Paisley on rowdy 2007 country chart topper "I'm Still a Guy," which
reinforced macho attitudes. The pair joked around and grabbed a fan's phone for
a "manly" selfie. Romantic ballad "She's Everything" contained
some excellent guitar work. Mickey Guyton, third act on the bill, ably subbed
for Alison Krauss with smooth vocals on captivating, platinum-seller
"Whiskey Lullaby."
Paisley constantly worked both sides
of the stage and peppered the songs and images with ample LA references. He
even went into the audience for "Beat This Summer." The band
added soaring Kings of Leon-esque vocals during the amorous selection,
"Perfect Storm." Both were set highlights.
"Old Alabama" served as a
lead in for the singer/guitarist's trip to a second stage at the benched
section. He played fine solo acoustic takes of "Waitin' on a Woman"
(still with poignant Andy Griffith screen cameo) and "Remind Me"
(duet partner Carrie Underwood was virtually "connected" via
Facetime).
Later, two teenage boys were invited
onstage to play a Nintendo game as the band did blazing instrumental "Time
Warp" and the results were projected behind them. It was fun to watch
cartoon superhero versions of Paisley's country contemporaries during the
party-hearty "Crushin' It." Impressively, he crafted the animated
music video for under $1000.
Finally, the barroom singalong
"Alcohol" ended the gig on a fun note.
"Let's get this redneck party
on, Hollywood style," urged Justin Moore, during his 50-minute set immediately
preceding Paisley. He frequently
celebrated hillbillies in lyric and deeds.
The singer started off with the
brash, twangy country rocker "Point at You," got rowdy on a honky
tonkin' "Bait a Hook" and then whipped the crowd into a frenzy during
the sinister, swampy "Backwoods" and high energy "Small Town
Throwdown" - a recent hit with Brantley Gilbert.
Yet the Arkansas hitmaker also
showed his sensitive side amid the touching ballad "If Heaven Wasn't So
Far Away" (dedicated to armed services personnel like his grandfathers)
and affecting "Smalltown USA," about remembering your roots. Moore
got caught up in emotion from the song's sentiment and playing the Hollywood
Bowl. He graciously thanked fans, radio and said the show meant he could strike
an item from his bucket list.
First up was Mickey Guyton. The promising
newcomer went to high school and college in LA before heading to Nashville and
signing to Capitol Records. She performed at the White House for a PBS special.
Also overcome by the importance of
playing the Bowl and a very responsive audience, she barely finished "Better
Than You Left Me."
A current top 30 single, it was inspired by an ex-boyfriend and
is among several songs played from her terrific new self-titled debut EP.
The exuberant
"It Happened So Fast" was highly appealing, while the heartbreaking
"Why Baby Why" displayed Guyton's full vocal range. It recalled Lee
Ann Womack and drew loud cheers.
Meanwhile, "Pretty Little Mustang"
boasted a more country/rock edge with mandolin and some dancing around.
She is definitely one to watch.
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