The night kicked off with country legend Neal McCoy entertaining the crowd at Blake Shelton on August 30th. He kicked off the concert with a different vibe, instead of performing one set, he performed throughout the “pockets” of the concert so live music was always playing.
The first official openers were country newbies Dan + Shay, a new duo who recently stepped into the spotlight with the hit “19 You and Me.” The pair proved their vocals not only on their own songs, but also displayed their versatility on classic rock covers, such as Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”
Next to take the stage were veterans The Band Perry. The band stole the show with an impressive amount of stage presence. They performed a wide variety of their popular songs, from the more subdued “If I Die Young” to the electric hit “Better Dig Two.”
Finally it was time for Blake Shelton to take the stage, and he certainly did not disappoint. While it was clear he was a bit nervous performing in front of the large crowd, his nerves turned him into a more relatable friendly- figure rather than a huge country superstar. In fact, he even paid homage to his past, poking fun at himself by wearing a cowboy hat with a mullet attached.
A highlight of the night was when he performed his new hit “My Eyes” with Gwen Sebastian, who was a member of Team Blake on the second season of The Voice. The duo’s song has been played repeatedly on the radio since its release and sent the crowd into an uproar when the chords started to strum.
Shelton took a different approach to putting on a concert. Timidly, he belted out boot-kicking anthems and danced with all of his might around the stage. He made the crowd feel like he was just another foolish young boy living out a crazy dream and engaged his audience in a heartwarming and fun show.
