Saturday, June 27, 2009

Escape Tour - June 27th

Saturday, June 27th

Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

Opener: Taylor Swift

The video for Keith's newest single is being shot at this show. Unprecedented..... filming a video when the single is released!!!! What a concept!!!!

REVIEW:

Urban, Swift keep sellout Des Moines crowd involved

By SOPHIA AHMAD • sahmad@dmreg.com • June 28, 2009

Take a show by country music star Keith Urban, add a sultry blond siren — country pop star Taylor Swift — and throw in a rowdy Saturday night audience, and you get a double-header big enough to be the first sellout at Wells Fargo Arena this year.

The concert, part of Urban's "Escape Together" world tour, opened with Swift, 19, riling up the crowd with an 11-song set.

Swift, whom Urban called his "soul sister," is just a teenager but proved her maturity on stage. Her songs tackled love, heartbreak and betrayal, themes ripe for some of her revenge ballads and fiery lyrics. She wove "You're Not Sorry" into a medley along with a cover of Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River," complete with headbanging and some writhing on the piano bench.

Fans were in for an extra treat when Urban, 41, took the stage. A notice was posted on his official Web site four days ago saying that his newest video, "Only You Can Love Me This Way," would include footage from the Des Moines crowd.

It appeared that most of the arena knew, because the audience chorus was just as loud as Urban's sweet tenor. There were two takes of the song, with touchups in between.

Urban said he felt silly about all the fuss but he went on and thanked the crowd. "You guys are the best — thank you so much Des Moines," he said.

Like Swift's, Urban's energy was high, always dancing around stage with his guitar strapped to him. At two points during the show, he walked through the crowd to get to stages near the back of the arena. "Who's got the best seats now?" Urban asked.

Shelley Preston of Clive was among those in attendance. She took her 13-year-old granddaughter, Kalee Rinnels of Eldora, to hear Swift. Preston was there for Urban.

"I really don't have a favorite song. I like them all," Preston said.

But Kalee dished. "Her favorite is 'Kiss A Girl' — she sings it all the time."

The passing of pop and R&B superstar Michael Jackson on Thursday was fresh on Urban's mind. He introduced three of his bandmates, and each sang portions of Jackson's songs "Man in the Mirror" and "The Way You Make Me Feel" along with the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There."

Both country stars appreciated the audience.

"Mighty fine singing, Des Moines," Urban said. "It sounds awesome."

Swift felt the same: "It really doesn't matter if you didn't have friends in junior high, you have 13,000 of your closest friends in Iowa."

Close. When the final attendance numbers came in, Taylor could count on 13,620 friends.

11 comments:

notachance said...

Unfortunately, I don't think filming the video at release of the single will help this song on the charts. Especially since I am not getting at all how a concert video has any connection to "Only You Can Love Me This Way". I'm totally missing how this will jive. This song as a single isn't connecting with me either, this is not one of my top choices on the album.

woriedmonkey said...

They're going for the 'unplugged vibe' which I think compliments the song.. one which I think is unusually tender in this current musical climate. And yay ! on
getting a vid out there on time, What have they ( not) been thinking ????

Imahick said...

I like the song. It's got some beautiful harmonies. I love the acoustic guitar...it's very unique and the minute you hear the beginning - you know what song is coming.

The problem that I see is the timing. Summer is usually when they release a toe tapper. This is hardly that. But I do think it's a really lovely song.

joy said...

I really wish that they would have released "My Heart Is Open" as hi snext single. I love that song and they way it sounds.

maclen said...

Not in the least bit surprised the orb is now constantly playing catch up. Surely a sign no one on "inept team orb" is at any time on the ball. And not one on the team suffers from a case of creativity or has a notion of originality. And the idea of the orbs "opener" is also a joke...but then swift is still very young...and the fact that her cd is still in the top 10..up one from #11 after 32 weeks on the chart and the orbs 12 week old cd is down at #32 hasnt swayed her reverence for her "washed up" elder! But as in the case with kidman, it seems it takes quite a while for the pecking order to sort out the irrelevence of their "dead weight!

Imahick said...

I was hoping for Til Summer Comes Around, but they didn't ask me! I hope this one does well for him.

rememberwhen said...

I wonder if Nicole will be there and finally get herself in one of his video's?

Rotomahana said...

I reckon Hit The Ground Running would be an awesome summer "toe tapper"... I have great visions of a video in the style of Brad Paisley's "Online" with a few celebs (and I don't mean Nicole)and some serious humour (chick ditching guy at alter and feeling in convertible with veil flapping in breeze and being tracked down by gilted groom after car chase through desert etc). Til Summer Comes Around needs to be released right at the end of summer. Just my 10 cents worth.

getaholdofurself said...

i like this song, but i'm not sure about another concert video. at least it's timely.

maclen said...

rememberwhen said...
"I wonder if Nicole will be there and finally get herself in one of his video's?"

I wouldnt hold my breath, rememberwhen...kidman in a "country" video?...in Iowa to boot? She may do a corny sinatra and nancy jr cover and a video for Something Stupid...or she may listen to burt Bacharach, but no doubt she draws the line at country!

hoosierlady said...

Draw the line if they're paying her?

I'll have a ginger ale.