In resumption of residency at Caesars, Keith Urban lets his guitar speak the loudest
Multiple Grammy Award-winner Keith Urban is hardly shy in front of an audience, engaging a full house audience throughout the night Friday with all sorts of stories as his “Keith Urban Live – Las Vegas” residency resumed at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
But when the show was all over and done, it was Urban’s music — and more specifically his guitar — that did the talking.
“For me, starting out at six years old, the guitar was a voice to say the things that I couldn’t verbally.” Urban wrote in a recent post on his Facebook page. “I was a shy kid and a bit insular. The guitar and I became very good friends. It went everywhere with me! And as I learned how to play, my life became bigger and more colorful.”
Boy did he learn to play.
From crisp riffs to full-blown solos, Urban’s mastery of the instrument was on display Friday throughout the hour and 40 minutes he was onstage, especially on his renditions of “God Whispered Your Name” from his latest studio album, “The Speed of Now, Part I,” “Take Me Home,” his hit with Pink, and his Grammy-winning “Til Summer Comes Around.”
The night also featured Urban’s first-ever live performance of “Better Than I Am,” a song he wrote six years ago but didn’t make it to an album until “The Speed of Now.” The soulful tune, backed by a soothing piano, gave way to an extended guitar solo that provided one of the night’s “wow” moments.
Friday’s concert was not only a delight for the ears, it was a festival for the eyes. The stage backdrop was a constantly revolving show of graphic designs, videos, lights and cameo appearances on songs.
During “Take Me Home,” a giant-sized Pink joined in the duet via the wonders of video. Putting in similar cameo appearances were Julia Michaels on “Coming Home,” and Carrie Underwood on the megahit “What If I Fall.”
A suitable description of the technological feat may leave the impression that the effect might have fallen flat, but in these instances it only added to the night.
All in all, the resumption of Urban’s residency — his 2020 stint at Caesars was cut short by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic — was a welcome and resoundingly successful return to the Colosseum stage.
— “Keith Urban Live – Las Vegas” continues at 8 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. For ticket information, go online to caesars. com/caesars-palace/shows/ keith-urban.
Setlist
“You Gonna Fly”
“Superman”
“Coming Home” (with Julia Michaels)
“Wild Hearts”
“Somewhere in My Car”
“God Whispered Your Name” “Never Comin Down”
“Take Me Home” (with Pink) “Little Bit of Everything” “Where the Blacktop Ends” “Better Than I Am”
“Cop Car”
“Days Go By”
“Sweet Dreams” (Annie Lennox cover)*
“Before You Go” (Lewis
Capaldi cover)*
“John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”
“Somebody Like You”
“Til Summer Comes Around” “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
“What If I Fall” (with Carrie Underwood)
“Wasted Time”
*Performed by members of the backup band