Brad Paisley - Shows how a live Country show should be!

March 16th 2014

London, o2 Arena, UK

*****

The best live show since Garth Brooks at Croke Park!!!

Country to Country Festival

Brad Paisley ***** is back in the UK as the headline act of the Sunday of the Country 2 Country festival 2014 in London and as part of his 'Beat this Winter' tour and I think he is the act everyone has been waiting all weekend to see. Brad graced the UK for the first time over fifteen years ago and since then has made himself a household name among Country music fans because his really well written song and his ability to impress on the live circuit.

Opening the set up with one of my favourite songs 'Southern comfort Land' off his new album 'Wheelhouse' which is his most commercial yet. Everyone in the crowd seems to know ever word to the chorus and I think for a lot of the people in attendance they all really make sense "Oh, Dixie Land, I hope you understand, When I miss my Tennessee home, and I've been away way too long I can't see this World unless I go... Outside my Southern Comfort Zone"

This song really starts the set off how it seems to continue with Brad commanding the audience like he has known them for years. The stage goes all American with flags behind him the US one standing brightly and then merging into the British one to indicating the union of the Country to Country... British and American. This really sets the message of the weekend and the song 'American Saturday Night' and the fact that

Country music is getting bigger in the UK, this was also shown throughout the weekend with the new talent for the UK on the Pop up stages all round the London o2 Arena. He lifts this song up near the end and blends it into a very traditional Blues / Country song called 'Outstanding in our Field', this song has hints of Garth Brooks in it and other great Country legends.

Brad has set the scene nicely for when he does a great tribute to George in the song 'This is Country Music' a song about how other genres of music might not think Country is cool but we do and if he wants to sing about tractors he will, but I think in the last few years Country has become very cool and Brad Paisley is one of the stand out cool artists and now a heavyweight in his game who can give Tim McGraw or even Trace Adkins a run for their money, both singers at the top of the game at the minute.

Brad really can mix up fast up tempo songs with slower ballads with class so when he plays 'Then' and 'She is Everything' we are already to take a ride through his emotions. I really love the version of 'She is Everything' he performs today it really makes me fall in love with this song again. Brad likes to shows off a little and he does this with a intro message from his friend William Shatner (Star Trek) who he had lent his services to on Shatner's album 'Seeking major Tom'.

This is all part of the Instrumental section that features 'Old Alabama' and a awesome version of the Van Halen hit 'Hot for Teacher'. This section is really exciting with images of Brad and his band as Star Wars characters that look amazing and can be seen going on a mission against the evil Empire, look at the cartoon of Brad Paisley below.

One lucky fan tonight is really lucky because Brad takes their who and does a special singing message for the fan and a selfie picture of himself. He goes to a platform near the back of the arena for acoustic versions of 'Online' and 'I'm still a Guy'. He continues on with a great version of one of his most popular songs 'Mud on the Tires' which a lovely melody to it and tells a great story, so is a total pleasure every time he plays it. The song as it goes on, moves from very slow to a foot tapping beat which is backed up by violin and steel guitar.

One of the highlights of the set is the incredible 'Whiskey Lullaby' which he didn't play in Dublin, preferring to go with his new hit single 'Beat this Summer' instead. Playing the part of Alison Krauss today is Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry who played earlier on in the day. This lovely song about alcoholism is totally stunning and is played really well at the London, o2 Arena with Kimberly really doing a good job in the duet and this is a great moment in his set.

He ends the set off with 'The Mona Lisa' which goes down really well and lifts the spirits after the great rendition of the sad 'Whiskey Lullaby'. This song can do that because it is a great sing-a-long number and it because even more that way when Brad leaves the stage with the song half finished and the audience really wanting more. I can imagine this song thundering around Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland if he ever plays their and at the rate he is going that won't be long.

He comes back on because the whole crowd is singing the end of 'The Mona Lisa' which he breaks and finishes off with great style. Ending everything with the meaningful song everyone loves 'Alcohol' with bubbles going up the big screen behind him and a sense a fun, as he looks out on a crowd full of people wearing his Jack Daniels Esq 'Alcohol' t-shirts that have been on sale all around the arena. If you have not seen Brad Paisley I strongly advise you do, he is growing in popularity every year and this is because he puts a live show on that will soon rival Trace Adkins or even the mighty Garth Brooks. I really enjoyed his set and can't wait to see him again next time he plays. Brilliant stuff by Brad Paisley the next really big name in Country music, because 'This is Country Music'.

Brad Paisley - Setlist
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Southern comfort Zone
American Saturday Night
Outstanding in Our Field
This is Country Music
Then / She's Everything
Hot for Teacher
Old Alabama
Online
I'm Still a Guy
Mud on the Tires
I'm going to miss Her
Whiskey Lullaby
Ticks
Water
The Mona Lisa (Part 1)
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The Mona Lisa (Part 2)
Alcohol