I was surprised when Iowa was one of the very first stops on Kenny Chesney's Goin' Coastal Tour and was happy that it would occur before Keith's tour began. I had hoped my youngest daughter might be available to go with me, but things were hectic at school for her so I ended up buying a single ticket. I lucked out with a seat in the risers close to the stage (but 20 rows up) and was pleased to be seeing Kenny in an arena rather than a huge football stadium.
The show was on a Thursday night so I had to head to Des Moines after my last class and arrived about an hour before showtime. I had not even heard who would be opening the show but, what the hey, I was ready for a good time evening of sing along and island rhythms. Although it was officially spring, Des Moines was nippy with the temperatures hovering around freezing.
Although, in retrospect, I should have guessed, I didn't initially recognize the opening group. It took a couple songs before I realized that it was Uncle Kracker - he looked younger and in somewhat better shape than the last time I saw him closing Kenny's show two years ago. I wish he didn't crouch over as he sings every song, but have to admit I really enjoyed his performance of Drift Away. He and his band were on stage for about 30 minutes before they made way for Billy Currington.
Billy, being a curly head cutie with a number of popular hits, always seems to do well with the audience. I enjoy his music, but I must say there have never been any surprises or any really moving moments in the 4 or 5 times I have seen him perform. He is enjoyable, but may always be an opening act. Here is a bit of his ballad Let Me Down Easy and also his song that much of the usual audience can relate to - Pretty Good at Drinkin'Beer. Billy played for about 40-45 minutes and then it was time for Kenny.
After Billy's band's equipment was rolled away, a rectangular canvas-looking curtain decorated with Kenny's typical island beach motif was lowered to hide the stage. During this arena tour Kenny has a catwalk going out perhaps a third of the length of the arena and a crosswalk going off to the right and left about halfway down the length of the catwalk. I didn't see any signs that Kenny might "fly" into the stadium like last tour or do a surprise entry at the middle of the arena like the tour before that, so I was guessing we would first see him on stage when when the curtain was raised. As has been his habit in the past, Kenny's appearance was preceded with a little video of him and his island friends and Kenny greeting and thanking the audience for coming.
Since Kenny has a new album out, I wasn't sure how much of the setlist would be from "Go Coastal". Although I had downloaded the album, I hadn't had the chance to listen to much of it and Itunes would not let me burn a disk to take in the car with me (what is with that Itunes??!!), so I was a little worried he'd be singing mostly music I didn't know. That worry was unfounded though - although he performed about 4 songs from the new album (here is the namesake Go Coastal), most of the concert was made up of old familiar favorites (like my favorite Anything But Mine). And, in fact, if you can believe his comments to the audience, Kenny kept deviating from his setlist to include even more old favorites like Old Blue Chair. It was a pretty mellow evening all in all with lots of singing and swaying. Here's a bit of No Shoes, No Shirt. I think Kenny is moving a little more slowly than he used to (aren't we all?)but he still made very good use of all ends of the catwalk and crosswalks. He perhaps spent a little more time walking in the center of the catwalk (out of fans' reach), than I recall. Late in the show he brought Uncle Kracker back out for When the Sun Goes Down, and then brought Billy out for She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy. A good time was had by all and a satisfied audience held onto the warmth of the show as they went out into the not-quite-beach-like (ha!) Iowa weather.
I stayed in Des Moines overnight and woke to find 2 inches of fresh snow on my car! Drivers must have already packed away their winter driving skills because northbound Interstate 35 was at a standstill for about a half hour because 3 or 4 vehicles rear-ended one another on the snow-slick highway. Luckily I still made it back home for my Friday classes but wondering when the sunny warmth Kenny had teased us with will finally make it to our Iowa 'coasts'!
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