Storytelling: Carrie Underwood with Easton Corbin and the Swon Brothers at First Niagara Center

I’ve been to my fair share of concerts – particularly country shows – over the years, but there were two acts on my bucket list that I really wanted to see: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. Mr. Paisley continuously visits Darien Lake every year, but I’m not going out there – luckily, I was able to knock Carrie Underwood off the list in the comfortable confines of the First Niagara Center (please, Brad?!?!?).

 

Vocally and performance-wise, Carrie Underwood was everything I expected – my only complaint about the show was that the lighting was really distracting and downright annoying at times.

Also on the plus side, Easton Corbin was awesome (he was moving up the bucket list, so two birds with one stone, right?), and the Swon Brothers are definitely on the rise. Concert highlight: when Carrie pulled the three guys out for a cover of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ in the Dark” – still one of my favorite country songs ever.

Still The One: Shania Twain with Gavin deGraw at First Niagara Center

I don’t go to a ton of concerts each year – I pick and choose the best ones! After seeing Garth Brooks in March, I didn’t think my concert season would get any better, but it did Saturday night, October 3 when I got to see Shania Twain for the third time. This was billed as her final tour – which I don’t think it should be! – and since I saw her on her first two tours, it was a must-see show!

The opener was Gavin deGraw, which I thought was an interesting choice since he’s more pop-oriented than country-pop, but it turns out he’s based in Nashville now (and originally from the Catskills – New York represent!). I can’t say that I was surprised he was as good as he was, but I was surprised that he captured the crowd as well as he did. I don’t know a lot of his songs, but as long as he did “I Don’t Wanna Be” I was all good!

And Shania…what can you really say? Words can’t describe that show – well, maybe AWESOME (yes, in capital letters). And I just want to look half that good at 50. She said at one point she lost some confidence during her time off the road and away from music – believe me, you couldn’t tell – she needed confidence to pull off some of those outfits!

Here are a few more shots from the show!

All photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

The Fever: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood at First Niagara Center

I’ve been a Garth Brooks fan since the beginning – I remember being totally impressed the first time I heard “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” I’ve got all the CDs, the box sets and DVDs…I just hadn’t seen him live :(

Check that off the bucket list!

Mom and I went to see Garth and Trisha Yearwood last Thursday, March 5^th, at the First Niagara Center, the first of six shows over four nights – I don’t know how he does it, that’s just crazy scheduling! Did we get to see the best show? I don’t know…we did in my mind, just because I was there!

The first time I looked at the stage, I looked at Mom and said, “Something’s going to happen to that stage by the end of the night” – I was right. I will never listen to “The Fever” again without thinking of that performance!

He only did three songs from the new album – the opening “Man Against Machine,” “People Loving People” and “Mom” – but as he acknowledged in the beginning of the show, he was there to play the hits…and I forgot how many there were! I was most happy to hear my favorite, “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” – that song is just too short! – and to finally hear the “lost verses” of “The Thunder Rolls” and “Friends in Low Places” live.

Garth and Trisha, you loved Buffalo, and we loved you back…so come back soon!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com