McGraw Most Compelling When He Slows Things Down - Indianapolis Show Review - The Indianapolis Star
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By David Lindquist
Posted: June 18, 2010
Thursday's program at Verizon Wireless Music Center featured one act on the cusp of stardom and one act with very little to prove.
The former, Lady Antebellum, gave every indication that crossover single "Need You Now" won't be the trio's only visit to the top.
The latter, Tim McGraw, was most compelling when he turned the 24,000-capacity amphitheater into a singer-songwriter's listening room.
Midway through a performance seemingly designed to show off the impressive results of McGraw's exercise regimen and allow him to slap hands and bump fists with hundreds of fans, he slowed things down to present songs he truly cares about.
His solo rendition of Alabama's "Feels So Right" was enhanced by knowledge that it the first thing McGraw learned to play on guitar.
He then summoned Brad and Brett Warren to support a version of "Blank Sheet of Paper," a song the Warrens wrote and McGraw recorded for his 2004 album, "Live Like You Were Dying."
"Paper" gave way to "If You're Reading This," a soldier-themed ballad written by McGraw and the Warrens. McGraw referred to the 2007 song as a highlight of his 22-year career, and the interlude of storytelling and rich harmonies trumped early-show trifles "Real Good Man," "Where the Green Grass Grows" and "Back When."
The members of Lady Antebellum, founded in 2006, played all their hits, including drunk-dial chart-topper "Need You Now" and post-breakup triumph "Love Don't Live Here."
Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood are fresh-faced twentysomethings who aren't overwhelmed by success. Scott owned the stage as a Natalie Maines sound-alike in red-soled stilettos, while Kelley took the reins for a combination cover of John Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." and the Romantics' "What I Like About You."
Welcome Lady Antebellum to the "cool" wing of Nashville, where Keith Urban and Sugarland set the standard for refined and unapologetic twang.
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5834bkb831:There's no doubt Lady Antebellum has a great fan base. I've attended four concerts and each was the greatest at the time. I saw them with Tim McGraw in Wichita and I had the most awesome seats and enjoyed every second of the perfomance. If every person who is a fan of Lady A would know how the band formed and the relationship that developed from Georgia to Nashville, from Charles to Hillary, they would come to "know" the group which would make their music more enjoyable. Very few music groups have the caring personalities of these young adults.
Lady A in Concert
There's no doubt Lady Antebellum has a great fan base. I've attended four concerts and each was the greatest at the time. I saw them with Tim McGraw in Wichita and I had the most awesome seats and enjoyed every second of the perfomance. If every person who is a fan of Lady A would know how the band formed and the relationship that developed from Georgia to Nashville, from Charles to Hillary, they would come to "know" the group which would make their music more enjoyable. Very few music groups have the caring personalities of these young adults.