Urban Legend

Carrie
Originally uploaded by patrickgensel

For Christmas, we bought our daughter tickets to the "Carrie Underwood Concert." She came to town Sunday night, sharing billing with Keith Urban. In the days leading up to the show, we were asked several times if we had an extra "Carrie Underwood tickets." Driving to the show, we were wondering which performer would appear first. They both are Grammy winners with multiple #1 hit records.
Underwood Performed admirably, even going metal with a cover of Guns N' Roses' smash "Paradise City." Her biggest ovation came following her breakout hit "Before He Cheats." She is beautiful, exceptionally talented and has the potential one day to be great. She needs to work on her showmanship a little, but I would have been satisfied with her concert on its own merits. She went first, by the way. Now I know why.

Keith Urban
Originally uploaded by sassy_wench53

Keith Urban is unbelievable. I had no idea, no clue. Where have I been? This guy puts on an amazing, high-tech, high energy show that left the packed house breathless and screaming for more. A versatile guitarist and remarkable vocalist, it's no wonder he has become a worldwide sensation (of which I was ridiculously unaware until about midnight Sunday).
I guess he is known as a country music star because he has won awards in that format, but his show seemed to have precious few "country" elements to it.
My wife and I have seen a lot of shows together, and as the Keith Urban frenzy built in Bossier, she turned to me and shouted, "this is right up there!," meaning it was among the best concerts she had ever seen. I can't disagree.

Urban performed an encore wearing an LSU football jersey. Early in the show, he and the band performed an impromptu version of "Louisiana Saturday Night." He did it with out gettin' down a fiddle or gettin' down a bow, but he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Urban and his wife are expecting a child. A fan brought a baby gift for him, and he noticed her. He invited her on-stage and opened the present to reveal a purple and gold LSU "onesie." The place came unglued.All the while, the concert was diplayed live on a massive HD screen behind the stage.I don't pretend to know much about the big-time, but I'm pretty sure I saw it Sunday night. We came to see Carrie and were pleased. We stuck around for "The guy with her" and were blown away.

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Was I at the Tropicana?

Michael Buble
Originally uploaded by Darrell

We went to a Micheal Buble concert tonight. I wasn't sure what to expect. The tickets were a gift and dinner was thrown in for good measure, so it defintely was a pleasant evening. Before tonight, I couldn't have told you if I had heard a Michael Buble song. Having sat through the show, I can happily report I know two songs which clearly were his.
The rest of the time, I wasn't sure if I was watching Bobby Darrin, Harry Connick, Jr. or Clay Aiken. Buble did a little Elvis bit and even a Village People gag. He's very talented and engaged the audience well. He made fun of himself and got some nice laughs from the crowd. Music writer Keith Cera of the New Orleans Time-Picayune described it this way, after seeing Buble's show in his city earlier in the week: "Buble's smartly tailored suit of Rat Pack black was sturdy enough to accommodate the occasional drop to his knees or scamper off-stage. Skinny tie loosened at the collar, the 32-year-old unleashed his mischievous inner delinquent to counterbalance his precious treatment of romantic standards."
There were people there who were charged up to see him in person and hear him perform.
I'm glad I went. I came away thinking this show would fit well in Vegas in the 60's. That's a good thing, because it seems that's the feel Buble was trying to achieve.
(Cell phone photo from CenturyTel Center. Buble is in that blinding light somewhere.)

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