Dandy Delaware

I had, in part, decided to go to the Delaware show because Delaware was one of the few remaining states that I had never visited. I had also thought that I might get hubby to come out east for a few days. He is a history buff and Maryland and Delaware are chock full of early American history treats.

Well, the trip with hubby did not work out, but I did get to check another state off my list, flying into Baltimore and renting a car for the drive. Delaware was a surprise, at least the parts I saw. Even flatter than Iowa, but curving roads rather than Iowa's more systematic  checkerboard grid of county and state roads. And lots of cornfields just like home!! But in Delaware those fields were not fenced and the corn was planted almost up to the roadway whereas the fields in Iowa are set back 20-30 feet (no space to waste, I guess, in tiny Delaware). More variety and more incorporation was obvious in the Maryland countryside before I finally hit the Delaware state line.

The state fair appeared to be pretty much in the middle of nowhere, in a small rural town. I was pleased to find my motel was right across the street from the fair. I explored the fair a bit and had a "Chesapeake Bay brat" flavored with crabmeat and Old Bay's seasoning before going into the show. My seat, although on the track rather than back in the grandstands, was not the best, so I knew it would not be a good night for photos and videos (too far away with too many heads and waving arms in from of me). But it was a perfect night weather wise, so I just sat back to soak in some KU.

This was my first time seeing Brett Eldredge and I was quite impressed. Good looking and so energetic, with some great songs, I'm sure he is going to win the hearts of the fans this tour and head right to the top like Jake Owen did after touring with Keith. He has a 30 minute set, singing 8 of his songs and a bit of a Frank Sinatra song as well! :  )

Keith's setlist was somewhat different than in Atlantic City, and some of the staging had changed as well. I was happy that we saw more of Keith and the band on the video screens rather than abstract lighting effects. It appears that skinny assorted teeshirts are the "garb-de-tour" this time around. Tonight Keith wore a "Willie" teeshirt with a deep cut v-neck and form-fitting jeans that had almost a sharkskin-like sheen to them. He is obviously letting his short haircut grow out this summer. 

The lineup was:

Love's Poster Child 

Sweet Thing with a lovely extended guitar solo and comments on how beautiful the night was

In My Car ( the audience only seemed to know a little bit of the lyrics of this one, so kind of petered out when Keith turned over a chorus to them)

Only You

Then, chatting with the audience, Keith said it was so nice to be back in Delaware. "Its been a long time - the last time was in 2003! Larry the Cable Guy opened for us. Actually, we were closing for Larry…"  He read a few signs. One said something like "I look good in your shirt.: Keith laughed and said "I'll take your word for that." Another said " We raise 'em up to love KU" and Keith thanked them. Another said something about Keith being their lucky charm. "I'm a breakfast cereal?!" Keith joked.

For a change he not only asked the audience if they were doing alright and feeling good, He then asked the band  if they were doing alright - were they in a good mood? And then he commented that there was a lot of strange texting going on last night! (maybe the guys were out partying and doing a little 'drunk-texting'?)

Then: 

Long Hot Summer

Even the Stars (no animation or crazy fonts this tour)

Good Thing

Kiss a Girl

Who Wouldn'tWanna Be Me - with the highlight of Brian, Danny and Jerry joining Keith at a single microphone to form a great quartet for the final chorus. Fantastic!

Then a change-up: I'm In   (I hope Keith keeps changing things to surprise us!)

Stupid Boy

Little Bit of Everything, with Keith using his silly deep voice for "a little bit of dirt on my hands"

Then out into the audience for Day Go By, with Keith telling them "I asked how do we get closer to Delaware? ……I'll go out to you!"

He also did You look Good in My Shirt out there,  signing and gifting a guitar as usual

Back on stage again, we heard:

Cop Car

You're Gonna Fly

Put You in a Song

Tonight's little bit of cover was She Looks So Perfect from the band 3 Seconds of Summer:

You look so perfect standing there

In my American Apparel underwear

And I know now, that I'm so down

Your lipstick stain is a work of art

I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart

And I know now, that I'm so down (hey!)

(

A yeah-yeah echo round with the audience followed, then the first 'thank you" and stage exit.

The encore, again, was a bit longer than usual: 4 songs.

Making Memories of Us

Tonight I Wanna Cry on the acoustic guitar

Better Life with a special closing: Brian, Danny, Jerry and Keith all lined up at the front of the stage, rocking it out.  Keith yelled "Gonna have a hoedown now!  Brian had a bit of a banjo solo, but the other guys were not single out. It was a fun ending, a little bit like the band jam that opened the shows of the last tour.

Somebody Like You with a couple "Happy Birthday" shout-outs in the middle (in response to signs I imagine). Keith did brief introductions of the guys during that rhythmic interlude before the final ending of SLY, as well as a bit of the INXS song What You Need.

Keith thanked the audience for being in such good spirits and for giving them so much love. He also thanked everyone for choosing to come to this concert and for staying to the very end.

The newt day I headed to the Delaware coast, to see that part of the state and lunched on the boardwalk/beach in Rehoboth. On the curvy small roads of Deleware it took a few hours to drive back to Baltimore for my flight the next morning. I had a late dinner in a very popular Baltimore seafood restaurant called G & M even though I had to wait 45 minutes to be seated.

Last summer I made the drive from Maryland to western New York but found the drive through Pennsylvania to be the pits. So this year I was flying