CHESNEY LET GOOD TIMES ROLL
Country star threw a sweltering good-time party at capital concert
Kenny Chesney took a year off after his last album, long enough that some observers wondered how his brand of good-time country would fare against the bro-country anglers who took over the airwaves in his absence.
Well, Chesney returned to the industry sounding downright recharged on his 15th effort, The Big Revival, which didn’t take long to top the charts. And as he demonstrated at Canadian Tire Centre on a sweltering Wednesday night, he’s still the king of the party.
“If you don’t mind, I want to grab you guys by the hands and take you with me tonight,” Chesney declared, greeting the enthusiastic crowd with a big grin. “Thanks for letting us be part of your summertime.”
In his first Ottawa performance since 2011, the tanned and muscular Chesney gave a terrific show, offering a measure of depth and substance along with the party-starting anthems. The song, Wild Child, for example, was one track from the new album that connected with the near-capacity crowd of all ages, largely because it portrays women as free spirits instead of eye candy.
Still, there was no shortage of babes in bikinis in Chesney’s video footage — after all, the 47-year-old Tennessee native made his name with breezy, summertime tunes, setting himself up as new country’s answer to Jimmy Buffett. Despite his recent efforts to be sensitive to women, he’s not going to shake the Margaritaville spirit overnight.
Sure enough, after kicking off the festivities with the 2010 singalong tune, Reality, Chesney began to dole out the tiki-bar favourites, including Beer in Mexico, Summertime, Pirate Flag, You and Tequila and his classic ode to escapism, No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem. Making him sound even better was a fantastic band that included a super-cool female bassist who let her voice rip on a cover of the old AC/DC track, Whole Lotta Rosie.
The response from the crowd was full of love, warmth and singing along, as can be expected with any display of well-loved hits, but to Chesney’s credit, songs from the latest album were equally well received. The happy vibe of Til It’s Gone was contagious, while the rootsy American Kids added yet another dose of fun.
Chesney brought along a couple of the younger bros as opening acts, and had both of them — Jake Owen and Chase Rice — join him for an encore that included a rambunctious version of She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.
Earlier in the evening, Owen showed a strong Chesney influence in the summery vibe of his opening set. In a blue T-shirt and jeans, the newly single Owen, his hair no longer reaching his shoulders, made a great impression with his rock-drenched country, and songs that showed off his rich, resonant voice. One highlight was the ballad What We Ain’t Got, when Owen’s powerful vocals moved the crowd to fire up their flashlight apps and raise their voices in song.
The evening’s first act was Rice, who tore through an entertaining set with his band, ending with the song that changed his life. It was Cruise, of course, a songwriting collaboration by Chase and others, but made famous by Florida Georgia Line. The infectious riff provided an instant jolt of energy, leaving Rice with thousands of new friends.