When you're planning to see a concert, one important thing to look for is the venue. In all of Florida, the Ruth Eckard Hall is known to have the best acoustics around. So, when I found out that Trisha Yearwood was going to be playing at this there, it gave me the perfect excuse to check it out. The place was crowded and there was no doubt that Trisha would be better than ever, so the only thing to do was wait for the curtain to go up.
Trisha's fan base has always been very diverse, so tonight crowd ranged from small children to the older folks who are living life to its fullest. The stage was set up for a very intimate evening. With the building only holding around twenty one hundred people, Trisha was able to be very personable with her crowd. Her stage, however, was set up a little different than it has been in the past. She has added a huge background screen that has videos playing while she is singing. It is an awesome touch that brings back memories from when she first started in the early 90's.
When Trisha walked onto the stage, the crowd went crazy. As she brought the microphone to her mouth, all she had to do was say one word and it got even louder. Trisha belted out "Heaven, Heartache, And The Power Of Love," which sent the fans into a frenzy. This tune was amazing to hear on her new CD, but to hear it live brought out a whole new meaning. Her soulful voice will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up as she hits notes that many female artists only dream about. When she is singing this powerful song, it makes you feel like you are sitting in the middle of some backwoods Baptist church. Although the contents of the song are not really religious, the sound sure is.
"XXX's And OOO's (American Girl)" was the second song performed and it sounded better than ever. She truly puts her heart and soul into everything she does. Trisha originally recorded "XXX's And OOO's (American Girl)" in 1995, but every time she performs it, it sounds brand new.
After Trisha had taken some time off a few years ago, she recorded an album called Jasper County. The first single and biggest hit off this album was "Georgia Rain." As soon as the piano started playing, the crowd proved that this may have been her biggest hit to date. Singing about a simple love that two young people shared, Trisha puts every ounce of her heart and makes it so believable. One cool thing about this song is even though it may not have a happy ending, you at least get closure. She goes back to her hometown and eventually passes the house where her past love now lives. Once she's there, she lets her memories take over.
Trisha performed "Everybody Knows" with such ease. She sings about how everyone else knew that things in her personal life were not right but her. It's funny how this seems to be the case in most relationships though. "Cowboys Are My Weakness" is a new song off of her Heaven, Heartache, And The Power Of Love album. It is a cute little tune that has more of a "western swing" sound than anything. The song simply describes how much she loves cowboys, when the song was over a picture of Garth Brooks appeared on the screen. It's a perfect ending to a perfect performance.
It wouldn't have been a complete Trisha Yearwood concert unless the next two songs were performed. She performed "Wrong Side Of Memphis" with a unexpected touch. By starting it off with a rocking edge, I was sitting there trying to figure out what she was getting ready to do. As soon as she started, there was no mistaking this classic hit.
"She's In Love With The Boy" is Trisha's signature song, and prior to singing it, she gave a heartfelt moment to the late, great Porter Wagoner. Trisha called her belt buckle her "bling," then referred to Porter, describing how much he helped her become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. At this point in the show, she explained that encores are not really her thing and told the audience that this was the part when she would leave and then keep everyone waiting, but she didn't like to do that, so she would keep singing until the end. It was very comical to hear her explain her philosophy on the matter.
Her final song was "Walkaway Joe." All of her band got up and left except for her guitarist Johnny Garcia. He sat down with just an acoustic guitar and magic was made. Many times at concerts, fans start to leave when they know it's the last song so they could beat the crowd getting out. Well not this night. Trisha kept them in the palm of her hand until the last note.
If you ever get a chance to see this awesome lady in concert, do yourself a favor and go. You won't be disappointed!
Set List:
- Heaven, Heartache, And The Power Of Love
- XXX's And OOO's (American Girl)
- Georgia Rain
- Drown Me
- Everybody Knows
- The Song Remembers When
- Cowboys Are My Weakness
- Little Hercules
- Nothin' About You Is Good For Me
- This Is Me Your Talking Too
- Wrong Side Of Memphis
- She's In Love With The Boy
- How Do I Live
- Sweet Love
- Let The Wind Chase You
- Walk Away Joe