What do you get when you combine the finest song writing today, phenomenal guitar licks and the best real country voice of our time? Chris Stapleton is the complete package. I’m glad he gave up his job as a song writer to pursue his own musical path. More on his show later in the review.
Elle King started the night off dressed in a simple jumpsuit and a black hat. She came onto the stage, grabbed her banjo and dove into “Good For Nothing Woman.” Unfortunately from my vantage point (behind the PA system) I couldn’t hear it too well, but judging from the crowd response, it was a hit. It also set the tone for the night of a brassy, sassy yet classy set from music’s bad girl. “Out Yonder” is another attitude song that had everyone dancing and kicking up the dust in the GA pit area.
Usually with an opening act, they play to a partially filled room, most around a third of the ticket buyers show up. But with Elle King, they filled their seats quickly. She can command a crowd; everyone knew her songs and most people were settled in around the third or fourth song. Also opening acts usually just get a quick note in most concert reviews. Elle King deserves more than a passing mention.
King introed her next song by saying, “Someone once said to me that all your songs seem like they are about drinking. Well that’s because they are.” She then lit into “You’re The Reason I Drink.” The tempo slowed a bit as she belted out an incredible version of Albert King’s “Breaking Up Somebody’s Home.” Her voice reached the high corners of Rogers Place. “I feel honoured to be in tour with this great bunch of guys and crew. Thanks for coming early to hear me.”
As expected, there were huge cheers for “Exes and Ohs” even though this version was reimagined with a funkier beat than the original release. Another surprise on the set was her cover of Charlie Daniel’s “Long Haired Country Boy.” She belted it out with the same grit as the original. “Ain’t Gonna Drown” was a treat. Did not expect to hear this gem from her Love Stuff debut album. Great organ solo to end this song
America’s Sweetheart was awesome. Motherhood has not taken her attitude away. She’s still bad ass which was present in this song. “They said I’ll never be the poster type, but they don’t make posters of my kind of life.”
Her single “Drunk, I Don’t Want To Go Home” with Miranda garnered a huge response and thankfully there were no video tricks showing Lambert singing. Elle King can carry this song well enough on her own.
She ended the night with “Good Thing Gone” and a nice rant in the middle. “I feel at times like I don’t need nobody, truth is I could use someone. It’s been a while. Anyone mind a baby. It’s cute when I’m drinking and the babies drinking milk. He needs to be responsible. He drives the bus. I like the responsibility of being a mother. I also like to drink which is why I bring my baby on tour. The best of both worlds. The fact that we are all here together tonight means we should rejoice. Let lose and enjoy yourselves. Kick it together.” Then she wrapped up her nearly one hour set and said good night, leaving us wanting more. But we had to get on with the main attraction.
Chris Stapleton was preceded by an enthusiastic wave going around Rogers place. Perhaps a few people were thinking they were at an Oilers game. Due to the media shuffle of switching from the photo pit to my set, I missed a couple of songs. But was in my seat, beer in hand (it is a country show after all) for “Millionaire” and “Hard Living.” Then “Worry be gone” had them dancing In the aisles, chairs and the GA pit was throbbing as can be expected. His opening numbers “Nobody To Blame” and “Parachute” set the tone for the night. A little rock and a little country and a whole lot of southern attitude. His wife, Morgane Stapleton’s accompanying vocals added the perfect mix to every song she was on stage for, which was most of them.
Morgane Stapleton
One of Chris Stapleton’s first hits, “What Are You Listening To,” which didn’t have much traction on radio kicked off a three-song solo acoustic set which he prefaced by saying “This is where everyone gets a smoke break except me.” However no one left the room as the first notes rang out. People were here to see the entire show. The chills came out when the entire building sang along.
“My wife bought me an old 1978 Jeep Cherokee. We were driving to Mexico and the sun was rising and looked at her and these are the words that popped into my head.” He then played “Traveller.” “Thank you for singing. You sounded beautiful.” The final song of the acoustic break was another amazing vocal performance, “Whiskey And You” which seemed like the Oilers championship banners high above the arena were waving in appreciation.
There wasn’t a song the crowd didn’t know. But there’s one thing I’ll never understand, why do people pay $300 for a ticket to see someone play and then sing along to every song. And not hear Chris’s amazing voice?” I guess people enjoy shows differently. Whiskey and you.
The band kicked the show back into high gear when they returned for “Arkansas” with lots of dancing again.
His Fender Mustang provided the perfect tone for “You Should Probably Leave” and it must have been at least his sixth different guitar of the night, many of them Fender’s from the Jazz Master to the Mustang. I’d love to see his entire guitar collection.
He harkened back to his past with a SteelDrivers song “Midnight Train to Memphis.” The intro to Cold showed some fine picking. His vocals weren’t too shabby either. His range is far better than many signers you hear today.
The production of this show is well done. The cross fades and dual images on the video screens really added to the stage show.
Chris Stapleton is a true southern boy who music crosses blues, southern rock and country. He paid homage to his influences with a great “Free Bird” snippet for the opening of “The Devil Named Music” and the cell phone lights lit up the arena. “I Was Wrong” was a simple bluesy number with just drums, bass and Stapleton on his Jazz Master.
At the 90 minute mark he asked how everyone was still doing. “Still drinking a bit.. just a bit tho.” Judging by the amount of empty kegs outside of one bar, I would say the crowd enjoyed their adult beverages that night.
“Here’s one we don’t play too often,” and he jumped into “Joy Of My Life.” Acoustic guitars and pedal steel sure make for a tear jerking moment. The pedal steel took centre stage at the intro to “Fire Away” although when the singing started, it was clear his vocals were the star of the song. But at the end he made the crowd the star. He turned down house lights. Cell phones lit up the arena and everyone sang the last chorus. He seemed moved. Said he was a long way from home and that made him feel good.
The cheers for Tennessee Whiskey drowned out the band momentarily. After he left the stage, it seemed like an eternity before he returned for his encore, “Outlaw State Of Mind.” In Edmonton we have a tight 11 PM end time for shows. If you go over the 11:00 mark, you are penalized with a heavy $10,000 levy to offset the cost of over time for the riggers, ushers, and everyone else working the show. In his true outlaw country way, he didn’t care as he played until 11:05. “We got one more in us, if you have one more in you.” Nobody left early and the dancing continued well after he left the stage.
We were treated to one hell of a show that night. This is one that will still reverberate in my mind for quite some time. This tour had to cancel a few Canadian dates due to Covid protocols. Those dates have since been announced and he will return to London, Ottawa and Montreal in early September. Don’t miss this show. For more info visit: Chris Stapleton
