Keith Urban Delivers “Utopian Experience” at Nationwide Arena
On September 23rd, Keith Urban took the stage at Nationwide Arena to prove why spending your Friday night with him was the only right choice you could make. A two-hour long show filled with guitar solos, livelytunes, interludes and acoustic breaks, was how Urban kept his promise of “making a utopian experience out of this night.”
Ingrid Andress and Tyler Hubbard warmed up the crowd with a pre-show that lasted two hours, and both artists brought their unique exhibitions of country music to the stage. Andress spoke about how her songs are a vessel for processing her emotions and finding her place as a new artist. She took an opportunity to showcase herself to a mature audience and prove why she’s a formidableupcoming country-pop star with songs like “Lady Like” and “Wishful Drinking.”
Hubbard, a former member of Florida Georgia Line, used his natural charisma to present new material, as well asperform some old songs from his prior act. His set touched on expected themes: family, good times and loving his craft. The now-solo artist thanked the crowd for trusting him in this new musical journey and teased an upcoming album.
As a first-time attendee of one of Urban’s shows, I expected a wholesome performance from someone who has more than 20 years of live experience on his back. I got that and so much more! From the start, the Aussie singer-songwriter gave all he had in order to make you feel significant in an arena filled with 20,000 fans.
I enjoy going to shows where I don’t know much about the artist. Letting myself be surprised by people’s reactions to fan-favorite songs or seeing what the artist means to them is one of the gifts of attending a live show; you get to see a genuine connection between artist and listener in real-time.
Urban mixed stellar guitar solos, funny interactions with the crowd, spotlight performances from each member of his band, and different song mashups like the incorporation of Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits” in the middle of the show to win the hearts of his audience.
You could easily differentiate Urban the singer from Urban the guitarist, as he would take center stage to deliver some of the most passionate guitar solos I’ve heard live. He then continued to use his electric guitar as a framework to build a percussion loop segment, never once letting his audience forget that he was a star of the show.
The main takeaway from Urban’s show was how he was able to use every resource he had to entertain the audience and make them feel a part of something unique. He played along with the energy of the show, going from upbeat songs like “Wild Hearts” to an acoustic encore after his closing song “Wasted Time.” Whether it be the visuals, the talents of his band, or even performing an acoustic set in the middle of the crowd, he gave his all to make it the most special night of your life.
Check out the rest of Keith Urban’s US Tour Dates:
9/30 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
10/1 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
10/6 - Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
10/7 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
10/8 - Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
10/13 - Savannah, GA @ Enmarket Arena
10/14 - Knoxville, TN @ Thompson Boling Arena
10/15 - Charleston, WV @ Charleston Coliseum
10/20 - Wilkes Barre, PA @ Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
10/21 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
10/22 - Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena
11/3 - Madison, WI @ Alliant Energy Center
11/4 - Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center
11/5 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center