Escape Tour - Dallas - 7/11/09

We were there: Keith Urban at AAC

12:31 AM Sun, Jul 12, 2009
Joy Tipping/Reporter


Keith Urban is a terrific singer, but after seeing him for the first time in concert, I can tell you that's not the reason to pay whatever it takes to get in the next time he's in town. That would be his pure, blow-you-away musicianship. As good a singer as he is, that talent completely pales in comparison to his virtuosity as a guitarist. At Saturday night's concert at American Airlines Center, one of the standout moments was an extended duet of Urban on electric guitar with Chris McHugh on drums. I closed my eyes for a minute, and I think I know now what it must've felt like to be at a Jimi Hendrix concert.

Another highlight was when Urban sang his hit cover of Del Rio native Radney Foster's "Raining on Sunday" -- and out came Foster to sing it with him.

Urban seems an extraordinarily generous performer, both with his band and the audience. He gave each of his five band members a lengthy solo, and he played every side of the packed house. At one point, he went to the opposite end of the floor area from the stage, where a smaller stage was set up. "Who's got the good seats now?" he asked the ecstatic back-of-the-room crowd.

For a full review of Urban and opening act Jason Aldean, check back here on Sunday evening, and in the print paper on Monday. G'day, as Keith would say. Or, g'night.

Extended review:

Concert review: Keith Urban thrills with energetic, generous show at American Airlines Center

01:33 PM CDT on Sunday, July 12, 2009
By JOY TIPPING / The Dallas Morning News
jtipping@dallasnews.com

Country star Keith Urban is a terrific singer, but that talent completely pales in comparison to his virtuosity as a guitarist, both electric and acoustic.

He's one of those artists you have to see live to truly appreciate – you simply can't feel the New Zealand native's energy and jaw-dropping moments of musical brilliance from the radio or listening to a song on an iPod.

At Saturday night's concert at a packed American Airlines Center, the absolute show-stopping moment came when Urban, on electric guitar, played an extended duet with Chris McHugh on drums before launching into the encore number "You Look Good In My Shirt." I closed my eyes for a minute, and I think I know now what it must've felt like to be at a Jimi Hendrix concert.

Urban also did an extended guitar lick in the rocking closing number, "Better Life" from 2004's Be Here CD. He did songs from throughout his decade-long U.S. career, including several from Defying Gravity, which was released in March: "Sweet Thing," "Kiss A Girl," and the mournful ballad " 'Till Summer Comes Along."

Another highlight was when Urban sang his hit cover of Del Rio, Texas, native Radney Foster's "Raining on Sunday" – and, surprise – out came Foster to sing it with him.

Urban seems an extraordinarily generous performer, both with his band and the audience. He sang nearly two dozen songs in the two-hour show, and gave each of his five band members a lengthy solo. At one point, he took off to the opposite end of the floor area from the stage. "Who's got the good seats now?" he asked the ecstatic back-of-the-room crowd.

The production itself was tremendously good, with crisp sound and a lot of downright brilliant videography, both live and recorded.

Jason Aldean, who brings the same kind of electric energy to the stage as Urban, made a perfect opening act, playing for about 45 minutes and closing with the irresistible girls-in-boots anthem "She's Country" from his latest CD, Wide Open.