L.A. Story: Keith Urban at the Staples Center

I’m proud of myself! I’ve never been to Los Angeles before but I made it to my hotel via L.A.’s public transportation rather than paying expensive shuttle rates from LAX (which is about 30 minutes from downtown). Things were kind of quiet downtown on a Sunday until I approached the Staples Center for the concert - then there were lots and lots of people because the Staples is probably among the largest of arenas. It was quite a contrast to the Mandalay the night before. There were probably 60 rows of risers in 2 levels and 3 floors of club suites between those levels. The arena floor was also longer, so there were many rows of floor seats beyond the small stage (slightly elevated), in front of the regular end-of-arena risers. There were crowds around the sound mix area (in between it and the small stage) but I was too far away to see what was actually going on, They also sold tickets in risers farther forward than at most venues, so some folks were beyond the side exit ramps that the bands use to leave the arena and were almost up to the video screens!! But it must have been a sell-out because even the most tippy-toppy rows were filled! And filled for the opening act too!

The crowd was definitely more diverse and a little different than usual. Many more dresses and long skirts and many fewer tank tops or cut-offs, guys with big heads and small fedoras, some young boys who didn’t even look 12 wearing 2007 tour shirts! LOL I tried to participate in Verizon’s usual pre-show text message contests (seat upgrade, BBQ) but my Verizon phone did not work there!! So, no, they could not hear me! Bad job Verizon! My seat, from Ebay, was in a good viewing position (row 17 on the riser aisle in line with the front of the stage but unfortunately I had a lot of drinkers in my row who were in and out of the row many many times, always during my favorite parts of songs :( !! So my shots of the show are probably scanty and interrupted this time. At about their 6th trip to the bar, during the Stupid Boy guitar solo, I wanted to yell at them “I came all the way from Iowa for this solo - your cocktail can wait one damn minute!!”

I was disappointed when I learned that Sugarland had once again been forced to cancel their appearance. I haven’t listened to much Lady Antebellum music but I was quite wowed by them!! To me they do have a bit of a Sugarland vibe, with Hilary’s distinctive voice and the male (very easy on the eyes ; )) lead singer. They sounded great, have quite a mature stage presence for a newer group, and really pleased the audience, eliciting quite a roar when they came on stage. I enjoyed all of their songs, especially getting a kick out of how they merged their “I’m just looking for a good time” with “you shook me all night long”. The audience did sit through most of their set, but when, towards the end, they did an awesome cover of Mellencamp’s Hurt So Good everyone was on their feet singing and moving!

During the break half of the big curtain got stuck up on its curtain rod requiring “curtain man” to crawl out on the rail high, high above the arena floor to fix it. Watching him was almost like being back watching some of the aerial bits of Cirque de Soleil! They have changed up the before show and break music again so I’ve been hearing Goodbye Earl, Keep on Dancin’, Boy Like Me, and some song about “I’ll be your daddy all night long” (?) multiple times each show. I wonder if Keith picks all the songs? Tonight at show start the big curtain was initially surrounded by down-facing blue spotlights, then blue and red. They also seemed to have some new colored down-lighting later on during Tonight I Wanna Cry.

Keith was in dark red and gray plaid tonight with black jeans. When he chatted with the audience a little after Stupid Boy he mentioned his many early performances in L.A. with The Ranch. Although I didn’t see it, I think he read and responded to a sign because he congratulated a couple on just getting married, saying happy anniversary first but then correcting himself- “I guess I should say happy hitching!”. As he looked out at this immense arena filled with fans all up on the feet he grinned and said “It looks so damn good from up here, let me tell you!!” When he went off the stage during Better Half L.A. was initially quite polite, so he made it almost 3/4’s of the way back on the floor just smiling and playing. But then a few huggers slowed him down. Unfortunately that put the idea in the fans’ heads, so on his return trip to the front stage he had a huge number of huggers AND at least 6-8 kissers, as well as about 4 grown men who hugged him (obviously making fun of all the ladies).LOL

But wait, I skipped over the small stage songs. Once on stage, still playing his ‘traveling Better Half interlude’ he said “Breakdown now” (musical term?) and did some fancy strumming. At the end of Once in a Lifetime Keith incorporated a little Stevie Nicks into the ending - “Just like the wild winged dove... the wild winged dove... on the edge of seventeen”. (Any significance to that you think? Is Nic’s daughter about to turn 17?) (PS I think the actual lyric is white winged dove but listen to the clip - I'm pretty sure Keith is singling wild winged) The loudly cheering back arena crowd made Keith joke “It’s so quiet back here - like a library.” I love it when he kids around but especially love those accompanying deep sexy chuckles! In Making Memories he brought in some “pretty baby”’s that made me suspicious. And sure enough - Nicole was there last night! Keith confirmed it when he dedicated Only You Can Love Me saying “This is dedicated to my wife who happens to be here tonight and I’m very happy about that!”, During that song he included a very emotional sounding “ You know it’s true baby girl” after the final chorus (awww) (see videoclip). We were treated to a few shots of her singing along (to WWWBM and KAG, maybe others) but I don’t know where she was located.

Okay, maybe it is the psychologist in me, but last night it seemed I was seeing “significance” everywhere. Another example- at the ending Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me, where Keith usually improvises by filling in different songs in “and she’s singing _______ to me” - well last night “she” wasn’t singing. Instead the line was “She said to me “Oh yes!”!! (see video) So what does that mean? A reference to their recent anniversary? A reference to a pregnancy test? (it is anyone’s guess, but I doubt it is a random phrase!) And in Kiss a Girl he changed his voice and put some special emphasis on the last “kissing on the porch swing.” Little bits of communication to his ‘special audience member’ tonight, no doubt!

Brian, who Keith introduced as being from the musically rich heritage state of West Virginia, again did a great job on the Journey song “Open Arms” again. He is such a cutie! (see video) Later Keith introduced “Chris McHugh - How do you do??” Chris has cut off most of his curls and has pretty short hair at the moment and beat a veritable storm on those drums after his intro.

Because of my position in the risers I noticed for the first time that those red lyrics at the end of If Ever I Could Love appear, not only on the video walls, but also on the side screens, but when the ‘beating braver heart” appears there they keep it just as a heart outline that is superimposed on the shots of Keith singing the song. Guess you need about 10 pairs of eyes to catch everything about Keith, the guys, the video walls and the side screens are doing at any point in time! Raining on Sunday was introduced by the strong rhythmic strums that Keith has used at several shows, but then also by a beautiful perhaps 30-45 seconds of ‘Spanish flamenco guitar-like running of the notes up and down those guitar frets. (see video) Another side of Keith’s guitar wizardry! They had a little bit of video and lighting problems during Til Summer Comes Around. The video walls initially did not come all the way down and the wrong bright lights were turned on showing a surprised band and the weird back wall view when the screens are horizontal but still 20 feet above their heads. The seaside scenes did not play on the side screens. But eventually things got corrected to create the right mood for the song --amazing as usual. I am so happy that Keith’s voice has just been as clear and sweet as possible, with no signs of the little problems he had early in the tour. He could not sound better!

Keith was really being playful during I Told You So! So we heard everything from what I would call a “wild African birdcall” to his deep ‘silly voice” for the last “better together” line to the special descending whoa -a - whoa chorus he sometimes throws in. He did a particularly impassioned You'll Think of Me triggering my fourth set of goosebumps fo the night when he almost growled out, at the end, a very emotional "I hope my face gives you hell! I hope my face gives you hell!" (All American Rejects) that left us spent.

With the arena darkened and the light-up guitar switched on, Keith did some extended guitar play before You Look Good in My Shirt. I think the color-switches on that guitar can be set to switch with the chords played and it was just a psychedelic light show last night. I videoed the big screen view of his guitar playing and with those lights it looks like something from the ’60’s (or maybe a rave)(see video) . Wish we could also see the enjoyment on the master’s face at the same time! Keith did go out into the audience during this song tonight (guess all those hugs and kisses didn’t discourage him!) and while perched on his little platform in the risers, had such a good time leading the whole arena (one section at a time) in a sing along of the chorus. He was besieged again as he returned to stage, but took it in such good spirits that as he passed one of his cameramen he took the time to go nose-to-lens with the camera, mugging it up for us!

Then on to the energetic Somebody Like You with its jumping in circles and backbend. Another mysterious phrase (to me anyway) before the guitar bridge in that song - Keith shouted out “Here we go Johnny boy!” Johnny boy?? All tour Keith has, after wholeheartedly thanking the audience for doing what they had to do to come to the show in these tough times, ended by telling the audience to believe in themselves before going into Better Life. Well now he has added emphasis to that sentiment by having a ‘collage’ of the word Believe in different sizes and fonts overlaying what is on the video walls during that final song. (see video) I was so surprised to see it that, like a little kid, I pointed to the screens and said “Believe! Believe!” to the person next to me. (they probably expected me to say “Clap for Tinkerbelle” next LOL) Keith really wants the show to be, not only an escape, but also an uplifting, encouraging and hope-giving experience. And it definitely is!!

PS My traveler's 'tasting' for today - powdered sumac (a middle eastern seasoning) (I have sumacs growing in my yard but never considered eating them!)

I couldn't get some of the longer clips to load on this site so I've posted these additional L.A. videos on Youtube:
Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me
Kiss A Girl
Only You Can Love Me This Way
Intro to Raining on Sunday
Playing With His Light Up Guitar
Somebody Like You