Urban shows fans love during SPAC appearance
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Country music artist Keith Urban spent a rainy evening at Saratoga Performing Arts Center playing for the fans as part of his Graffiti U World Tour.
The New Zealand native made a Spa City appearance on Wednesday, performing for thousands of show-goers who came out despite the weather conditions.
Touring on his tenth studio album Graffiti U, which was released in April, Urban gave the SPAC audience a taste of his new music while also offering snippets of his older material.
After opening with “Never Comin Down” off of Graffiti U, Urban gave the crowd a throwback with 2004 hit “Days Go By.”
“Coming Home” of off Graffiti U, last year’s popular “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “The Fighter,” a duo featuring Carrie Underwood, were highlights of the two-hour set.
Urban and his band delivered a blend of country, rock and pop that fans have come to love, while keeping the concert interesting and interactive. After bringing a birthday boy attendee hailing from Oneonta on stage with him, Urban showed some love to the lawn seat crowd that endured the rain by giving one excited fan the guitar off of his back.
In addition to inviting opening artist Kelsea Ballerini up again for a duet, Urban shared the spotlight with a surprise guest act called Larkin Poe, a connection he said was made through his wife Nicole Kidman’s next movie costar Russell Crowe. The Georgia roots rock duo, fronted by sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, sang a powerful bit of “Wade in the Water” before joining Urban on “Where the Blacktop Ends” from his 1999 self-titled album.
Urban didn’t end the show without expressing his sincere gratitude to audience members.” It’s easier to stay at home and just do nothing,” he said, “and yet every single one of you came out and did something tonight.”
The star was especially appreciative of those who watched the entire show form the lawn in non-stop rain. “You guys have stayed and sang ... given so much energy,” he said. “Thank you all.”
As a final farewell in his encore Urban played his first top hit “But for the Grace of God” and a grand finale of Graffiti U’s “Horses.”
Leaving the venue, event-goers were impressed with the entire concert, including Ballerini’s supporting set.
With only two albums under her belt, the on-therise country artist had a string of well-known radio hits to perform for the crowd, including “Yeah Boy”off of her debut 2015 record The First Time as well as “Legends” and the most current “I Hate Love Songs” from her 2017 release Unapologetically.