Oh I am grinning and floating on a cloud, enjoying that Keith Urban post-concert glow. How that man can do that even in pretty poor stadium conditions where the sound goes in and out and isn’t great even when its “in” is amazing. I SO needed that dose of KU - I was parched for KU, yearning for KU, so even a mere 65 minutes of KU was one sweet drink of water.
And he looked so, so fine. He wore a cherry red shirt that, of course, flattered him, unbuttoned to the bottom of that new chest tattoo. His hair is still longish (like it was on Jimmy Kimmel’s) with a more free, unstyled appearance than was the case during the last tour. And the lights definitely showed up lots of golden highlights all evening. No watch chain tonight - perhaps in anticipation of a walk out in the audience? Keith was full of energy and enthusiasm, really throwing himself in to his moves on the stage. Oh those swinging hips and guitar flinging arms moves! And even though the stage was constantly rotating, it sometimes wasn’t moving fast enough for him, so that he would circle around the back to make sure the audience back there didn’t think he had forgotten them!
Keith opened with a rousing Kiss a Girl with an especially loud shout out (to us in the audience?) or “Are you ready? Are you ready?” {I AM - I’m really ready!!}. Afterwards he called out a greeting “Good evening Houston - so good to be back!” Then he paused to say “This next guitar is one I’ve never played live before. Its a very special guitar which spent most of its life right here in Texas, so what better place to bring it out?” He said he wanted to play “just a little song, so say hello to the Waylon Telecaster.” It had quite a unique sound and a special guitar strap saying “Waylon” on it. I imagine it was actually one of Waylon’s personal guitars. Keith then sang what I’m sure was a bit of a tribute: Waylon’s song “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” See my clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7EVc4VC3o0
It's the same old tune, fiddle and guitar
Where do we take it from here
Rhinestone suits and new shiny cars
We've been the same way for years
We need to change
Somebody told me when I got to Nashville
Son you finally got it made
Old Hank made it here, we’re all sure that you will
But I don't think Hank done it this way
I don't think Hank done it this way
Ten years down the road, making one night stands
Speeding my young life away
Tell me one more time just so I understand
Are you sure Hank done it this way
Did Ol' Hank really do it this way?
I've seen the world with a five piece band
Looking at the back side of me
Singing my songs and one of his now and then
But I don't think Hank done 'em this a'way
No I don't think Hank done 'em this a'way
With a shout of “Let’s see some hands up in the air!” it was clear that next up was Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me, with just a tiny bit of playful guitar jousting before hand. I was surprised and a little concerned when it was obvious that not only were C-Rod and Brad missing, but Jerry was absent as well!! Happily Keith later explained that Jerry could not make this show so that Jimmy Lee Sloese (sp?),a guitarist who has played on every one of the albums, was temporarily taking Jerry’s place (including the bit of jousting).
With Keith’s urging the placid Houston crowd clapped some, but they were driving me crazy with their general inactivity!! Keith was anything but inactive, doing his best WWWBM ‘dance’ moves (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNcbuRCop8U )- mmm mmm and throwing in another Texas reference (“Singing a George Strait song to me”) and gave us a big backbend at the end. Then a passionate Stupid Boy (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcdUdlfaLAA )with my favorite chill-giving guitar solo. Wow! BTW all the guys were somewhat ‘hairier’ that last fall. Brian’s hair is longer than that of Jesus (lol) and I think he had a bit of scruff on that baby chin of his. Chris M also had some scruff (or maybe an actual goatee?) on his chin.
Sweet Thing came next and Keith changed it up slightly by almost speaking rather than singing “lookin’ at me” and “I thought my-oh-my”. I guess it is no surprise that Brian has taken over C-Rod’s various guitar and vocal duos with Keith. I’m not sure whether it was due to this particular stage or not, but Brian seemed to be closer or more prominently featured next to Keith, even during some of Keith’s solos. See what you think.
When Days Go By began and Keith called out “Let me see you on your feet!” I could take passivity no more. I was up on my feet and turned around beckoning everyone around me to stand up as well. “He just asked us to stand up!! Come on - let’s show him we’re having a good time!!” I said. I got about 50% participation but at least I felt I could finally completely give in to the music and fully enjoy it!!
Then Til Summer Comes Around ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIcuDMOVrNU )(the 2 guitar solo songs were closer together than usual but I guess you don’t have much leeway when you are only given an hour to play). The solo was seering - totally hot. In my dreams I might have asked Keith afterwards “Was that as good for you as it was for me?!” LOL
After Only You Can Love Me (during which the cameras really caught his baby blues) ( see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHWXBOQTj3M )Keith gave the audience one of several compliments on their singing “Beautiful job Houston!” In the audience it was really hard to tell if many were singing, but I hope perhaps he could hear those of us who were better up there on stage.
I wish I were able to read lips to decode the joking exchange between Keith and Brian as he broke into the opening chords of You Look Good in My Shirt. Perhaps something about being about to risk life and limb as he ran the gauntlet of the stadium crowds? Some might have thought that Keith might have lost some of his physical conditioning in the 5 months since the end of the tour, but his jaunt around the Reliant, up chute walls, over fences and up into the risers says that ain’t the case!! I don’t know if they planned the route ahead of time or whether he is just a clever improvisor because he even found a spot in the fence to stick his hand-held mike into so that he could play the guitar while he sang into the fence (mike). (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqFXsVg7bA8 ) Keith passed about 5 fet in front of me - about 4 feet too far to get a hand slap. He didn’t even look winded after the quite lengthy YLGIMS outing although I think he did have to struggle a bit to get out of the riser crowd that surrounded him, and his hair was tossled by all those hands! Apparently didn’t worry him a bit since he went out for a second trip into the audience later in his set!! One thing about “Shirt” and his wild trip around the stadium - he finally had virtually everyone standing up, reaching out, craning their necks, applauding, screaming - at last!
It is possible that Keith was babying his voice a bit last night. Although I didn’t see any other signs that he was under the weather I did notice that he seemed to skip some of his big high notes. So there was no dramatic “ I miss your love, I miss your love, I miss your L-O-V-E!!” in TSCA and there seemed to be no final oo- hoo - oo- hoo at the close of You’ll Think of Me (although, strangely, in my videoclip, his lips seem to form these shapes but there is no obvious vocal??).He did add an extra emphatic “You’re gonna regret it” to his emotional YTOM ending however.
The final songs were Somebody Like You and Better Life. Keith shocked all of us by once again going out into the audience during SLY - what a brave man, so determined to thrill his fans. Unfortunately my camera memory card was full by that time : ( so I missed the exuberant jumps and circles and the final backbend which gave way to lying fly on the floor while still playing.
He began Better Life with a big "Un, dos, tres, quattros" and added a new guitar variation at the end. After leading the audience is his usual day-o and yeah-yeah-yeah rounds, time was up. Keith circled the stage thanking the audience, bowing, signing to us, then climbed into the back of a flatbed truck with the other guys and waved as they were chauffered out of the arena. Too too soon but it was so much fun while it lasted!! Now to start counting the days until Florence, Arizona!
I’ll be working on uploading quite a few shorter clips below, but uploading is slow.
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