| LADY ANTEBELLUM - live in Auckland, April 18th, 2011. |
| Written by Sacha Young | ||||||
| Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:59 | ||||||
For a band playing their very first New Zealand show ever, a packed-out audience at The Civic Theatre gave American country-trio LADY ANTEBELLUM a surprisingly rowdy welcome to the stage as they opened their set last night. I was amazed at the crowd's response and the night had only just begun... and, did I mention that we were at The Civic Theatre? With a magical atmosphere that is hard to find anywhere elsewhere in Auckland, I felt that The Civic Theatre was the perfect setting for the exciting evening ahead. I was pleasantly surprised when we took our seats to find that they were in the second row back from the stage, smack-bang in the middle. Spoiled much? Before the concert had even begun, being so close to the stage, I knew the intimacy of the concert was going to be unreal. As the curtains rose, the crowd began to applaud and Lady Antebellum graced the stage, opening their show with 'Lookin' For A Good Time' - and in that moment it was clear, that lyrical statement resonated with the audience, as well as the band.
The feel-good introduction had the crowd inspired, and as I quickly turned around for a snappy round of people-watching, I noted that there were far more fans singing along to every word, than I would have expected. It was clear that this show was going to exceed all of my expectations. As soon as Lady Antebellum took to the stage, it was evident that they weren't just another touring band from the 'States. The infectious synergy between all three members was electric - an obvious contributing factor to their recent successes which include multiple Grammy awards. The playful, charming manner of frontman Charles Kelley, enabled the band to engage with their audience on a whole new level. He was a true performer. The musicianship of Dave Haywood was incredible, constantly swapping out his guitar for a mandolin, then swapping again to play a piano. Most of all, the truly magical moments included the exquisite back-and-forth vocals between Charles and Hillary Scott, their voices a perfect complementing pair. Lady Antebellum slowed down the pace with their new country ballad 'Just A Kiss' with Haywood on the piano, whilst Kelley and Scott harmonised to the honest lyrics of: "Just a shot in the dark that you just might, be the one I've been waiting for my whole life..."
An ambitious song in itself, 'Hello World' had the lyrical content and spiritedness to inspire the audience to belt out the lyrics alongside the band, a moment in itself, that was truly outside of this world. As the tenth song into their sixteen-song-set, 'Perfect Day' came in as a great stimulant, with Lady Antebellum encouraging the crowd to get out of their seats to enjoy and dance to the pop-infused country song. Finishing their set with one of their most successful singles 'Need You Now', the interaction between the audience and the band was special - you could tell that they were truly humbled at the opportunity to play a show in a country so far away from their Nashville homes. Mid-way through the song the three members stood at the front edge of the stage in a huddle, as Charles threw out the microphone for the crowd to sing a chorus back to them. Astonished at the response of everyone knowing the lyrics of 'Need You Now' off by heart, it was easy to get lost in the captivating lyrical plea that the song is.
Returning to the stage for an encore of 'Come Together' (a cover of The Beatles' song), Lady Antebellum wrapped up their show with a warmth and sincerity that you can only hope a band of their caliber has. The country-spin on their rendition of 'Come Together' was fitting as an audience-inclusive ending to a wonderful night full of singing and dancing. Despite whether you knew every single lyric or knew none at all, Lady Antebellum's enthusiasm was infectious. With their heavenly harmonising, electric energy, and the contagious chemistry between the three members, it was one of the most engaging concerts I've ever had the pleasure of attending. And even though I was seated up-close, it was unmistakably a feeling that I can imagine everyone in the room had. I would have to say that watching them live triumphs listening to their recorded material, since their musical talent and playful audience-interaction is a whole story in itself - incomprehensible until you've seen it first-hand.
SET LIST: Lookin' For A Good Time Run To You Love This Pain We Own'd The Night When You Got A Good Thing American Honey Love's Lookin' Good Just A Kiss Hello World Perfect Day Our Kind Love Stars Tonight Start Me Up Love Don't Live Here Need You Now ENCORE: Come Together Click HERE for more live Lady Antebellum photos.
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