WEEKEND WARRIOR: Brad Paisley, Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant and Lindsay Ell played to a crowd of 5,665 at Verizon Arena last week.
put you in a good mood, it’s really room for “Alcohol,” which he used kind of hard to pick a favorite. But as his encore. Like so many of his hits, the clever “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The it contains more than a little truth Fishin’ Song)” has to be up near the as well as plenty of funny lines. The top. I smile every time I hear it, and rousing version Thursday night with I think that was true of most of the Lynch, Bryant and Ell was a fitting end concertgoers, almost all of whom sang to a grand, good-time show. along to that one. It’s classic Paisley. Paisley’s playlist is so big and so “Mud on the Tires,” “Ticks,” “Celeb- recognizable that he can’t work everyrity,” “Online” and “I’m Still a Guy” thing in. We were expecting “Whiskey all have to be near the top of the list Lullaby,” but he didn’t include it this as well. They’re songs he’ll probably time around. We consider that heartneed to always include in concerts no breaker to be one of the best counmatter how many more years he per- try songs ever, but leaving it out of forms. He brought Lynch out to sing this show still didn’t leave us feeling along on “I’m Still a Guy,” and the let down. This was maybe the fourth two of them hammed it up on the hit time we’ve seen him in concert, and about ladies trying to make their men we’ve come to realize that he never more respectable. Likewise, he teamed disappoints. Paisley is witty and clever with Bryant on a revved-up “Ameri- and self-deprecating, but he’s also an can Saturday Night,” the song that accomplished, skillful entertainer. celebrates the American melting pot. That was all evident Thursday evening. And he didn’t leave Ell out, bringing Lynch, who can give Luke Bryan her out for a guitar-playing showdown a run for his money in the tight-fitas he finished “She’s Everything.” tin’ jeans category, gave a pretty good He’s had a lot of songs featuring clue about his engaging nine-song set outstanding lyrics, but he’s also happy when he started out with “Hell of a to let his guitar do the talking — flaw- Night.” In a performance that was over lessly — amid many of his songs with all too soon, he also delighted with some incredible note-bending action “Small Town Boy,” “Seein’ Red” and on one of his many colorful guitars. the heartfelt “Cowboys and Angels” — And as energetically as ever. inspired by his grandparents — with Because we prefer our country lines like “I’ve got boots and she’s got music to sound like country music, wings, I’m hell on wheels and she’s it’s a pleasure to hear the fiddle and heavenly.” steel guitar during Paisley’s shows, Bryant’s big, powerful voice serves and it’s appropriate that one of his him well, outshining even his hip hairnumbers is “This Is Country Music.” style for which he took some goodAlong the way, he teased the crowd natured ribbing from Paisley. “Litwith a number of Razorback-related tle Bit of You” should probably have lines. “It’s great to be with all you been an even bigger hit than it was fightin’ pigs,” he told the crowd. “This back in 2015, and he also satisfied is the only state I can say that in and with “Change Your Name,” “Take It not make people really mad.” And, On Back” and “Pink Houses.” We’re after bragging on some great barbecue looking forward to hearing more from he’d had the last time he played Cen- both him and Lynch as their careers tral Arkansas, “You’re probably the progress. Ell opened the show with only college team that eats its mascot.” her rock-heavy version of country, Even in a long, impressive set of highlighted by her first Top 20 hit, hits, you know Paisley’s gonna save “Criminal.”
An Evening With...PAUL Monday, April 23
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The night will also feature great music by Drew Jansen and Jimmy Martin! Doors Open at 6:00 PM Show Starts at 7:00 PM
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