You would never know the music business was in trouble at a Keith Urban concert. He has no trouble selling records, he has no trouble selling tickets and he has no trouble selling merch. Keith Urban is still doing it right.
Keith Urban has one hell of a loyal audience. They know every word to every song and sing along with him. Keith Urban can make 12,000 fans in a stadium feel like are with him in a room. On stage he becomes one of them.
There doesn’t seem to be any ego with Keith Urban. He’s just a guy with a guitar and a lot of great songs. His setlist is built around what the fans want to here and he communicates with his audience.
From the moment he comes on stage it is one big party. At the Melbourne show last night the audience were on their feet at the start of the first song and spent most of the night that way.
The fans were die-hard and came with signage. There was “Merry Keithmas”, “Hug My Sis” and “Hug My Sister”, “You can bring Sunday Rose to Books and Block Childcare For Free” and lets not forget the “I Heart Keith” girls.
Keith handed moments to the band. Brad got to play a bit of ‘Who Do You Love’ earlier in the show. Chris got to sing ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, Brian belted out ‘Open Arms’ and Jerry did ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’.
Jerry Flowers is the longest musical partner Keith has. He was with Keith in back in The Ranch days.
Even Keith had a discreet nod to Stevie Nicks ‘Edge of 17’ towards the end of ‘Once In A Lifetime’.
Every show on this tour will feature a special guest. Keith brought out Vanda & Young songwriting contest winner Megan Washington for a cover of Billy Joel’s ‘You May Be Right’.
At times the audience at the back became the audience at the front. Keith went behind the sound desk to perform ‘Once In A Lifetime’, ‘Making Memories of Us’ and ‘Only You Can Love Me This Way’ (which he dedicated to wife Nicole Kidman). “Who’s got the best seats in the house now,” he said to the audience down the back.
Later, during ‘You Look Good In My Shirt’ he was once again performing in the crowd.
Keith fans will notice a bigger budget show this time around as well. That is because for the first time he has been able to bring his US set to Australia. Having a two-month gap between his last American show and first Australian show gave him time to shift the entire stage and set over.
Here is the setlist from Rod Laver Arena for December 12, 2009:
Hit The Ground Running (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
Days Gone By (from Be Here, 2004)
Stupid Boy (from Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing, 2006)
Where The Blacktop Ends (from Keith Urban, 1999)
You’re My Better Half (from Be Here, 2004)
Once In A Lifetime (from Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing, 2006)
Making Memories Of Us (from Be Here, 2004)
Only You Can Love Me This Way (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
Who Wouldn’t Want To Be Me (from Golden Road, 2002)
Sweet Thing (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
Standing Right In Front Of You (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
Til Summer Comes Around (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
Raining On Sunday (from Golden Road, 2002)
You May Be Right (Billy Joel cover with Megan Washington)
Kiss A Girl (from Defying Gravity, 2009)
I Told You So (from Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing, 2006)
You’ll Think Of Me (from Golden Road, 2002)
You Look Good In My Shirt (from Golden Road, 2002)
Somebody Like You (from Golden Road, 2002)
Tonight I Wanna Cry (from Be Here, 2004)
Better Life (from Be Here, 2004)
Dates are:
December 12, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
December 14, Wollongong, Entertainment Centre
December 16, Sydney, Entertainment Centre
December 18 and 19, Brisbane, Entertainment Centre
Watch Keith Urban rehearsing for his first show:
