Paisley Party Tour………….

Attended the Paisley Party Tour, wow times sure have changed. I know friends who attend concerts all the time, they claim to be fearless, they have a great time, I think, so I said give it a try, again. Now I have attended concerts at the local venue, but it’s been years. I mean a span that could be defined by now vs. The Who. The Julieanne Hough, Chuck Wicks, Jewel, Brad Paisley show was amazing but what a change from the old days. First of all years ago you only got one opening act. Brad had three. I did notice the general increase in the median age of the audience when the guy sitting next to me was studying a copy of the Periodic Table while Julianne, dressed in skin tight, really short shorts was shaking it for all her worth about 30 feet away. I kid you not, multitasking gone wild. Second of all back in the day most everyone in the audience was high. Everyone wanted a show to go along with the out of body experience. You watched the concert through a haze of pot smoke. Now because of state law you can’t even smoke inside. If you lit up a cigarette today the closest hundred people around you would be staring at you as security made their way over to eject you. Third, the lack of a buzzed crowd probably isn’t a bad idea. Follow his. The stage for the concert has three walkways running out into the audience. As the stage is being set up for the main draw two roadies bring out 2 mikes to the end of the center walkway, next they drag out a big box and leave it there. Now Brad Paisley is announced and on the very left side of the very upper level of the stage the spotlight hits and Brad walks out and starts the first number. The crowd goes wild and Brad plays a solo for about the first minute of the song. Then the spotlight suddenly goes out and another spot hits the front of the center walkway where, without missing a beat, the real Brad Paisley is playing. Now what just happened in reality is the backdrop of the stage is really a jumbotron that was showing a life sized high def video of Brad on stage in the upper left corner. The real Brad got out of the box the roadies brought out and set up in the dark. The video was shut off precisely at the same time the light went on the real Brad who had started playing. Now imagine playing this goof on everyone had they been high. This would have started a stampede in the aisles as only a few of the truly faithful would be standing on chairs certain they were viewing the beginning of The Rapture. Fourth, to show appreciation for the performance people used to hold up lit Bic lighters. Now they’ve been replaced by the glow of the screens of cell phones and digital cameras craning for a shot of the performer. I don’t think you can see the screen glow from the stage though, too bad for the band today. Fifth, people leave early. You would think it was the bottom of the ninth in a 10-nothing ball game. The couple in front of me left with 5 songs and the encore to go. Prior to the exit he left her alone for awhile and upon returning presented her with a Julianne Hough concert shirt with Julianne’s smiling face taking up most of the front. She started getting frisky then. I imagine when they got home he made her wear it backwards, they jumped in the sack, and everyone was happy. Last, just one more thought. On top of everything else Brad Paisley can REALLY play a guitar. Now in days gone by you played an instrument, sang or actually did both. Now a lot of these guys bring out a guitar, strum it a little, then hang it like an accessory while they sing the next three songs, then discard it. Not Brad, he wails it for the whole thing. Now I ask where do you find a lead guitarist for his band? It’s easy for the guy that doesn’t actually play, but Brad had to find one that had to match him just to keep up. Well he did find one, didn’t catch the name but those two jamming was amazing. Just like the concert, if you get the chance, highly recommended……………….