There are reasons that Blake Shelton has taken home two straight male vocalist of the year trophies in country music, and he put them all on display for a sold-out show Friday night at Chaifetz Arena.
On just the second night of the singer’s first headlining tour, dubbed “Well Lit and Amplified,” Shelton wrapped the crowd around his finger with a fan-friendly mix of songs and storytelling.
Shelton came on a stage adorned with what looked to be three grain silos by descending out of the middle one while delivering his remake of “Footloose.”
He segued into “All About Tonight,” another up-tempo number before he slowed it down with three straight ballads: “She Wouldn’t Be Gone,” “Don’t Make Me” and “Home.”
So far, so good. But it was after “Home” that Shelton’s comfort level seemed to soar as he started mixing in stories, smarting off to the fans and showing the personality that has turned him into a huge favorite in Nashville and nationwide.
“I’m pretty sure this is a crapload of people,” he told the audience after mentioning that “Well Lit” was in its infancy as a tour.
Not that you could tell. The show moved nicely, mixing slow and fast, old and new material, and the video screens enhanced Shelton’s set list without overpowering it.
Shelton moved deeper into the crowd on the T-shaped part of the stage to deliver acoustic versions of two of his early songs: “Nobody But Me” and his first No. 1, “Austin.” As he strummed the opening bars, he said his band wouldn’t play because “these songs are so old they can’t remember them.” (And it’s hard to believe “Austin” dates to 2001.)
He told the crowd he could sing almost anything country — old or new, because it’s what he listens to all the time. But as he started the opening bars of country’s current No. 1 song, he suggested maybe the crowd would rather hear its real singer.
Out came Missouri native David Nail, who belted out “Let It Rain” to an appreciative crowd, before Shelton came back onstage. Nice touch, Blake.
His 90-minute main set wrapped with “Hillbilly Bone” before he sang a two-song encore, “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’ Anymore” and “God Gave Me You” to wrap up what could be one of the best tours going this winter.
Shelton got strong opening support from Justin Moore and his 10-song, 50-minute set. Moore, known for songs like “Smalltown USA,” and “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” has a strong voice and devoted fans.
Songs like “I Don’t Care If You Don’t Like My Twang,” sum up his attitude onstage as well, as he makes clear he is a gun-lovin’, flag-wavin’ good ole boy. His fans drink it in, so clearly it’s working.
Dia Frampton, who was a contestant on the first season of “The Voice,” opened with mixed results. Her bare feet and exposed bra strap gave an impression that she wasn’t quite prepared to take the stage, but she has a pleasant voice that sounded better when she joined Shelton on stage for a duet from her debut album, “I Will.”