Looking fabulously fit and very well rested, the newly turned 40-year-old Aussie arrived on stage wearing a black, worn inside-out, Cheap Trick concert t-shirt and black jeans. Keith opened his set with the first single from LPATWCT, "Once In A Lifetime." The audience exploded as they caught the first glimpse of the guitar slayer they all came to see. "Where The Blacktop Ends," and "Faster Car," were next, and then Urban rolled right into a crowd favorite sing along, "Raining On Sunday." It sounded like every person in the arena knew all the words and it was difficult to pick out Keith's voice from theirs.
The new stage set includes that huge video screen I mentioned earlier and a catwalk that stretched out three quarters of the way into the floor seats. At the end of the catwalk, a very small satellite stage that accommodated the entire band for a three or four song acoustic set. Keith invited those on the first level of seats to come on down and get up close. He also used the catwalk many times during the night to walk into the crowd and give those close enough a hand shake, high five or just a simple touch.
Sitting right beside one young fan who squealed, screamed, stomped and held her breath each of the five or six times she was lucky enough to high five her idol, I couldn't help but smile and think back a few years ago when I probably would have reacted the exact same way at that age. She was on top of the world and it won't be a concert she soon forgets.
I can't say enough about this new set. With the huge video screen as a backdrop often showing live feed of the show, I already had a seat with a great view but seeing Keith 56 feet tall and the image being so incredibly clear, I was amazed and left between having to choose where to look. The video screen was also used to display footage that fans had been asked to send in of themselves in their hometowns. That footage is displayed during the song, "Days Go By." Being pretty involved myself in Keith's fan club, I saw many fans I actually knew. What a thrill it must be for them to know they are a part of Keith's tour.
Mixing things up with old and new, ballads and rockers, Keith thrilled everyone through, "Stupid Boy," You're My Better Half," "Making Memories of Us," and "You'll Think Of Me." He also surprised everyone when he brought out the local Matrix Drumline to help perform, "I Told You So." Another surprise was heading straight into the audience guitar and all to perform yet another crowd favorite, "You Look Good In My Shirt." He had lots of security around him but fans were still able to get close and often gently touched him as he walked by. Yet one more thing he's included in the show to make fans feel so much a part of what he does.
Keith seemed to love all the crowd reaction, and when he said it was Friday night and he was gonna play for as long as we'd have him, I knew the night wasn't over when he left the stage after playing "Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me," and "Somebody Like You," Keith left the thanked us and left the stage. It turned out to be the best and the longest encore I've ever watched. After a sea of cell phone lights lit up the arena in an effort to entice him for more, back on stage he came and the best was yet to be.
The first of seven encore songs was a very heartfelt thanks and dedication to not only the friends and fans that stood beside him during his very difficult struggle this past year, but also to his new wife Nicole Kidman. He said he wrote this next song, "Got It Right This Time" for her.
After "Better Life," and "Joker," Keith then rocked right into Billy Joel's hit, "You May Be Right," and the Eagles' classic, "Take It To The Limit." Finishing up the night he performed the Brooks and Dunn song, "Brand New Man, and ended the night with his new single, "Everybody."
Set List
- Once In A Lifetime
- Where The Blacktop Ends
- Faster Car
- Shine
- Raining On Sunday
- Stupid Boy
- Used to The Pain
- You're My Better Half
- Making Memories Of Us
- I Told You So
- Days Go By
- You Look Good In My Shirt
- Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me
- Somebody Like You
- Encore:
- Got It Right This Time
- Better Life
- Joker
- You May Be Right
- Take It To The Limit
- Brand New Man
- Everybody
