There he is in Manhattan today after a well reviewed show last night in Dallas and Friday in Wichita.... 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.
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