It was all about the women as Carrie Underwood’s “Cry Pretty 360” tour made its way through the Western New York area this past Sunday. Along with Underwood, up and comers Maddie & Tae and Runaway June accompanied the country superstar to give a night’s worth of women artistry.
Taking the stage first was the group Runaway June. The band consists consist of vocalists Naomi Cooke, Hannah Mulholland, and Jennifer Wayne. They were voted the best new group by the Academy of Country Music in 2018. Their 30-minute set contained 6 tracks which included their big hit “Buy My Own Drinks.” The band had a lot of spunk coming out playing acoustic guitars and a mandolin. They moved about the stage and seemed to really engage the crowd during their short set.
Up next was Maddie & Tae. Their 40-minute set also went over very well. In support of their latest EP called “One Heart to Another,” the act performed 4 out of the 5 tracks off it. They each worked the stage separately and rarely came together during their set. I thought the act continued the momentum that Runaway June created and kept that going into the main performance. I should mention the 2 ladies were dressed to impress especially Maddie, who had an impressive glittery pantsuit.
Underwood took the stage at around 8:40pm as she was on a riser with a few fireworks going off the side of it. The stage was set up in the round as it took up most of the floor. There were a few select hundred fans in the pit areas within the stage and few hundred more on the outside of it. A great setup as Underwood really worked every inch of that stage so everyone in the crowd really got an intimate view of her (especially in the lower bowl). There were various platforms set up where various members of Underwood’s band would join her going up an down throughout the show. Even though the production was fantastic, it didn’t outshine Underwood’s voice. Her dynamite vocals were the highlight of the evening. If you didn’t know who Carrie Underwood was and wanted an example, take a listen to “I Know You Won’t. Some of the best vocals of the year I heard were during this song.
Underwood also described her home life and her recent new addition to the family during the show. The backdrops various photos of her family before she went into “End Up with You. Her 2 guitarists Ed and Mark were specifically acknowledged by her as they both have been with her since she was on America Idol. Underwood also talked about how her mom used to take her on the road as a young teenager.
There was a couch set up with dim lighting for the song “Drinking Alone.” For the medley starting with “Temporary Home,” Underwood delivered a deep meaning message stating where are here at our temporary home until we go to a better place and see the people we have lost again. It was very touching song. She talked about why “Jesus, Take the Wheel” will always be one of her favorite songs. The ladies from the opening bands joined her for a medley of the legendary women of country artists that came before them.
The 14,000 people who attended this show witnessed an overall spectacular show. This concert had a little bit of everything and the dynamic voice of Underwood. What else did you need?
Setlist:
Southbound
Cowboy Casanova
Good Girl
Last Name
Backsliding
Church Bells
Two Black Cadillacs
Blown Away
Drinking Alone
End Up With You
Flat on the Floor
Wasted
Temporary Home/See You Again/I Know You Won’t/Just a Dream/Dream On (Aerosmith cover) medley
Jesus, Take the Wheel
The Bullet
Something in the Water
Low
Stand by Your Man/Walking After Midnight/Coal Miner’s Daughter/9 to 5/Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain/She’s in Love with the Boy/Independence Day/Why Haven’t I Heard from You/Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
Undo It/Freedom (George Michael cover) medley
The Champion
Before He Cheats
Encore:
Cry Pretty
Love Wins
We would like to thank Kevin Kennedy from PSE Entertainment for the credentials to review the show.
