Rhett brings country love to The Peake
From the way he dodges plumes of smoke while dancing backward across the stage to the smooth move he uses to flip his guitar from his back and into his hands, it’s clear: Thomas Rhett has been training his whole life for this.
The country chart-topper looked like the headlining musician equivalent of Michael Phelps diving into a pool or Serena Williams smashing the fuzz off a tennis ball when he took the stage Oct. 12 at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Whether he was hopping offstage to join the screaming fans on the floor level or singing out the notes during a spirited saxophone solo by multiinstrumentalist Frank Houston, the Georgia native exuded easygoing confidence.
Yes, Rhett has a sax man with him on his “Life Changes Tour,” which is appropriate since he is leading what is arguably the danciest band in country music, musicians who don’t just constantly roam the stage but even jazz up the show with a few synchronized numbers.
Of course, Rhett, 28, has in many ways literally been preparing to play country music his whole life: He is the son of country singer and songwriter Rhett Atkins, who in addition to charting his own singles has penned hits for numerous stars, including Oklahoman Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and his boy. Like father, the son has penned several smashes for himself and others, as proven by the hit-packed set at last week’s OKC show.
“It feels great to be back in this amazing arena. Y’all go up all the way,” Rhett, who played The Peake back in 2016 as an opener on Aldean’s” “We Were Here Tour,” told the crowd.
Six months after he opened his tour for a packed house at Tulsa’s BOK Center, Rhett was back in Oklahoma to entertain another nearsellout crowd, and the fans were deafeningly appreciative of his country fusion sound, with its rock ‘n’ roll, hip-pop, pop and R&B influences.
His three albums have spun off an impressive dozen hits, and he and his band zipped through them in a lively 80-minute set that featured “Leave Right Now,” “T-Shirt,” “Star of Show” and “You Make Me Wanna,” which got a little extra dressed up with a snippet of Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie.”
The set list showcased several tracks from his 2017 Billboard 200 charttopping “Life Changes” album, and Rhett and his cohorts brought incredible energy to “Country Gold,” “Unforgettable,” “Renegades” and one of my favorites, the coming-ofage anthem “Sixteen.”
“Raise your hand if this song relates to you,” he said in between crooning the wistful lyrics.
His legions of adoring female fans were only too willing to sub in for Maren Morris on their ballad “Craving You,” and people were singing, swaying and slow dancing along to his heartbreaker “Marry Me.” It’s to Rhett’s credit that he has the sweet-natured Southern charisma to pull off a potentially skeevy come-on like “Get Me Some of That” without sounding like an obnoxious jerk, and despite the eye-rolling lyric about his wife’s Instagram account, his earnest adoration of his spouse and their two daughters made the breezy “Life Changes” even more lovable.
He and pianist Josh Reedy left behind the massive stage and set up at the end of the catwalk through the pit to perform his heartfelt early single “If I Could Have a Beer with Jesus,” and they were joined by bassist Travis Vance for his sexier, swampier version on the Florida Georgia Line hit “Round Here,” which Rhett co-wrote.
But Rhett mostly used the catwalk to charm his ardent audience, continually signing autographs, giving high-fives and taking up cellphones to pose for selfies — and fans who handed him a phone needed quick hands as he playfully tossed them back after taking a pic.
He and his band didn’t even bother to exit the stage after they closed the set with the raucous party song “Vacation”; instead, after a brief pause, he started to croon his signature love song “Die a Happy Man.”
Following it up with the bouncy vintage pop vibe of “Crash & Burn” ensured that the crowd went home in a happy mood.