Yes - I said ROCK....
I know. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are top
country music artists. But Friday night at StaplesCenter, they gave fans a ROCKIN' show!
Now, Friday is a tough night for a show. It is the end of the work-week for most. People are tired and not quite ready to "party 'till the cows come home". You get off to a slow start - and that seemed true for this crowd.
The show was scheduled to start at 8pm. Should be plenty of time to get off work, get home, get cleaned up, take care of things at home, get to downtown, park, eat.......well, maybe (and obviously) not.
The show started late. Probably due in part to the amount of empty seats still visible at 8 pm and possible due to the special pre-show back stage party for the Soul 2 Soul Club members. We knew this because of the advertisement running pre-show for those of us that arrived on time and ready to get our weekend started!
This late start gave many an extended opportunity to "have a few" and unwind; to grab a bite to eat at the extensive offerings provided inside StaplesCenter (although Panda Express was closed. Probably waiting for hockey season! GO, KINGS, GO!! But, I digress......)
This also gave us a chance to check out the staging for the show and get to know our seat neighbors a bit. We had GREAT seats! Premier section 6 - just slightly off from center stage. Close enough and center enough to see the entire performance and high enough to not have our view blocked by the cowboy hats in front of us (or to block those behind us. Yes, I wore my black "dress" hat. Cowgirl Up!). The stage was set like a Celtic Cross or compass......A path lead from center stage to each side of the venue. This allowed Faith and Tim to access the entire arena and for fans to not have to watch the back of everyone on stage for the entire show. Brilliant! Screens up high let even those in the 300 section have an "up close and personal" view. I found myself watching the screens as well. My vision isn't what it used to be.
The show opened with Faith rising up through the stage floor in front of our section. Tim rose up through the floor directly across the venue. Their backs were to each other as they each faced their section of the audience. OK - terrible reporter that I am - I cannot for the life of me remember which song they sang. Suffice it to say it was one of their duets - maybe "Like We Never Loved At All"......
Faith came next. She had a tough time with this crowd initially. The alcohol being consumed had apparently not totally taken affect yet - we were all still tired and not quite ready to join in. But, the true professional - she did all she could to get this crowd on its feet!
Now - I have never been to a Faith Hill or a Tim McGraw concert. I am a country fan (among other music genre's), but I don't really go to country concerts. Bon Jovi - every time they are in town. Classical - sign me up. But never really country. I picked a great show as my first!!!
Faith Hill is - amazing! She has a HUGE voice. How does that much voice come out of that tiny little person? She puts all she has into her performance and you can see it. She belts out song after song. The power and the strength of her voice are unbelievable. She sang many of her "hits" so the crowd could sing along, including some of my favorites - "This Kiss", "Cry", "The Way You Love Me", "There Will Come a Day". She sang songs from her most recent CD - Fireflies including "Sunshine and Summertime" and "Mississippi Girl". Although I have the new CD, I hadn't listened to most of it yet. I did after the show after hearing her perform "Stealing Kisses" and "Fireflies". I'm all about the words to a song. I have been as long as I could talk. Songs take me through life. Every major event has songs associated with it. And Faith Hill's songs are included in some of those events.
Faith closed her set singing with her 3 background vocalists, who were also among the most talented people I've had the pleasure to hear. Gospel style with amazing harmonies. This group genuinely seemed to care about each other and their audience. It was heartwarming.
Next - a duet with Tim. Rising up from Center Stage under sheer curtains, they performed sitting in chairs facing away from each other and towards the audience. Couldn't tell you the song - I was too wrapped up in watching them!
Faith left the stage to Tim. The audience was apparently wide awake and relaxed by this time - everyone was on their feet! At one point, I believe Tim even made a comment about the whiskey kicking in....
When Tim started singing his first hit single "Don't Take The Girl", the audience joined in at full volume! We ended up singing the majority of the song with Tim just listening and cheering us on. The emotion was visible on his face - this audience seemed to touch his heart with our rendition!
Tim's set kept everyone on their feet most of the time. Along with his band, the Dancehall Doctor's, the music was non-stop! A talented group of musicians who are not only wonderful to listen to, but fun to watch!
The show closed with duets - Tim on electric guitar and Faith on acoustic, center stage and walking around each other. This is where the bond between this couple became obvious. They smiled, they laughed, they sang. They seemed to genuinely enjoy each other and the "work" they were doing. They seem to have FUN!
The encore will stay with me for a long time. Although I cannot tell you the song, I can tell you this. Whether real or an act - the relationship they portray is what women dream of, men secretly hope for, and everyone should be lucky enough to have at least once in their life. They sang center stage sitting in chairs again, but this time facing each other. Sharing a microphone between them. Hands on each other's knees as they sang a love song. It seemed they were the only two people in the world singing to each other. It was - there are no words for it. The comments I heard after the show from fans as they left was universal - "I want that".