Concert review: Old dependable: Brad Paisley entertains in season opener at First Niagara Pavilion
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Brad Paisley performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Brad Paisley performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Brad Paisley performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Brad Paisley performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Leah Turner performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Leah Turner performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Randy Houser performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown.
Jason L. Nelson for The Times
Randy Houser performs Saturday night at First Niagara Pavilion.
BURGETTSTOWN – It was just another American Saturday night.
Country singer Brad Paisley opened the summer concert season at First Niagara Pavilion a night after launching his Country Nation tour.
Paisley, who last played Burgettstown on June 1, brought a lot of the same tricks and tunes this time around, though he played a few new songs off his upcoming album set for an Aug. 26 release.
With the temperature barely hitting 50 degrees – a far cry from outdoor concert weather – fans were sporting winter jackets and gloves, many snuggled under blankets.
“Thanks for putting up with this weather,” the 41-year-old said. “Sorry it’s so cold.”
He later thanked everyone for coming and once again mentioned the unseasonably cool temps.
“There’s a lot of things you could be doing tonight, like sitting by a warm fireplace.”
Dressed in his typical uniform of jeans, black shirt, boots and signature white cowboy hat – thank you, Brad, for not adopting the skinny jeans your country peers seem to be so fond of – Paisley opened his 22-song set with “Moonshine in the Trunk,” and then swiftly went into “Ticks,” “American Saturday Night” and “Southern Comfort Zone.” “The Mona Lisa,” “Old Alabama,” “Water,” “Online” — they were all there.
The singer stayed in his wheelhouse, depending on a similar set list and familiar big-screen videos from last year’s show. Again, fans saw a touching tribute to country music legends both past and present during “This is Country Music.” The life-sized puppet of Paisley made another appearance during “Celebrity” – first on the big screen and then in the audience.
“That’s the sexiest puppet I’ve ever seen,” Paisley said.
And let’s not forget about Paisley’s duet of “Remind Me” with a hologram of Carrie Underwood on the big screen. A year later, it’s still creepy.
His voice was strong, his pace crisp. He had microphones set up on different parts of the stage and he used his space well. He took a video and selfie with fans’ phones and autographed his guitar and gave it to a front-row fan. Paisley also made himself at home for four songs on a small stage set up in the middle of the pavilion.
“It’s the second night of the tour so we’re gonna make some mistakes but you’re not going to care,” Paisley said.
The show’s muffled sound was one of the night’s bigger flaws. Multiple times throughout his set, horrifying feedback from the sound system echoed through the pavilion, causing Paisley to flinch at least once.
The Glen Dale, W.Va., native made several mentions to his West Virginia upbringing, calling the Burgettstown venue his “home field advantage amphitheater,” and leading a crowd sing-along of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
For the grand finale, Paisley brought back support acts Charlie Worsham, Leah Turner and Randy Houser – and the puppet – to sing along to “Alcohol.”
In all, it was a solid kick off to a season that will bring a range of country music to Burgettstown.