I attended the Brooks & Dunn "Red Dirt Roadhouse Tour" when it stopped in Kelseyville, CA on September 25, 2004. Opening the show was Gretchen Wilson. I know Montgomery Gentry were on other dates, but they weren't in attendance on this stop.
This was my sixth time seeing Brooks & Dunn live, and I gotta say.. I still haven't caught a drumstick yet. *grin* For those of you who have been to a show, you know what I'm referring to. For those of you who haven't been to a Brooks & Dunn show, Ronnie tosses out drumsticks into the audience during one of their songs.
I was really excited to finally get to see Gretchen Wilson. I've really come to like her a lot, especially after seeing her "In the Moment" show on CMT. She had her daughter, Gracie along with her on this trip. After she exited the stage, I could see in the rear side of the stage that she immediately picked 3-year-old Grace up and continued off the stage. I was really happy that she got to bring her with her on this trip.
Ok, on to the show. The amphitheater shows at Konocti are supposed to start at 6:45 pm, but they never do. This one was no exception, starting at 7:00 pm. Gretchen hit the stage dressed in her typical black tank top with jeans and her "Redneck" rhinestone belt buckle. She opened the show with "Pocahantas Proud." The song is about her story coming from Pocahantas, IL and her desire to make her hometown proud of her. I don't doubt that she's done just that.
The next song was "Homewrecker," and then Gretchen announced that the following song was going to be her next single. This is the awesome "When I Think About Cheatin'." She told the story that when she first heard the song she couldn't believe it wasn't something from the 60s or 70s. It sounds so much like the music that was recorded back then by stars such as Tammy Wynette, or Patsy Cline.
Gretchen told the story about when she was recording the album, her friend John Rich, who is of Big & Rich, and the associate producer was talking with her shortly before the completion of the album. Suddenly, John said "I know what's missing from this album. A drinking song." So they wrote one. She followed with that song, "When It Rains, I Pour."
Gretchen said she was going to sing not only stuff from the record, but some new stuff too, if that was ok. Everyone yelled that it was indeed ok. She played a song she said she wrote for her daughter, Grace, but dedicated it to all the young ladies in the audience. That song was "Rebel Child."
Being in California, Gretchen said she wasn't sure how we'd take the next song. She said "You know the Beach Boys song, 'California Girls?' Well, this isn't that song. The name of the song is "California Girls," however. It was kind of a song putting down the girls and all their high class living and it mentioned Paris Hilton. Everyone seemed fine with the song, cuz we can all take a joke.
"Do we have any rednecks in the audience?" Gretchen questioned. Everyone screamed at the intro to "Redneck Woman," and of course gave our "Hell Yeahs" at the right parts. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand.
After that, she did thank everyone for coming and left the stage. It was a short while later that she returned for her encore of "Here For The Party." By then it was 7:40 pm and time for her to close, so again she left the stage for the evening.
I gotta say that all the hype about Gretchen isn't just hype. This girl can sing, and entertain. I'm definitely going to see her again, if I get a chance.
Below is the full set list for the night:
- Pocahantas Proud
- Homewrecker
- When I Think About Cheatin'
- When It Rains, I Pour
- Holding You
- Rebel Child (new song)
- Full Time Job ??
- California Girls
- The Bed
- Redneck Woman
-
Encore:
- Here For The Party
Gretchen Wilson's show -- Brooks & Dunn's show
