Dierks Bentley packed Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Saturday night with his Gravel & Gold Tour for a night of the singer’s biggest hits, ’90s favorites, ridiculous dancing, laugh-out-loud on-stage antics, special guests, and more. Twenty-one years after his debut hit “What Was I Thinkin’,” Bentley appeared to have the time of his life on stage and ensured the (estimated) 10,000 fans in the audience had a Saturday night they won’t forget.
Bentley‘s ability to engage the crowd as if they’re longtime friends isn’t a skill that comes with radio and streaming success – it’s a priceless, hard-earned talent from dedicated decades on the road.
“My hope for this show is you find a moment where you feel like you’re living, you feel like you’re alive,” he told the crowd.
His Gravel & Gold Tour was truly a joy to watch. For those who couldn’t make it, here are five things you missed.
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Dierks Bentley Hits
Dierks Bentley has earned 22 No. 1 songs over the years, and while it would be hard to squeeze every chart-topper and fan favorite into his more than two-hour set, Bentley came close. The night included: “Lot Of Leavin’ Left To Do,” “I Hold On,” “Burning Man,” “Say You Do,” “Black,” “Up on the Ridge,” “5150,” “Somewhere on a Beach” and he closed with his signature hit “Drunk on a Plane.”
Charlie Worsham
Nashville fell in love with Charlie Worsham more than a decade ago when he released his debut album “Rubberband” through Warner Music Nashville. Worsham’s fleet-fingered guitar skills, ability to master any instrument with strings, sweet singing voice, and stellar songwriting skills cued him up to be this generation’s version of Vince Gill. Yet, country radio wouldn’t get on board – and it was before the peak of streaming, so country radio had to get on board to ensure success. There may not be a more universally beloved member of Nashville’s modern music community than Worsham. Bentley took the opportunity to add Worsham to his band – and creates many moments for him to shine vocally and instrumentally. Bentley’s generosity with the spotlight is heart-warming, and Worsham slides into it as if he’s spent the last 10 years headlining arenas. If the music business were fair, he would have been.
The Covers
Bentley has this entertaining habit of weaving some of country music’s most beloved hits into sing-along favorites of his own. He let Charlie Worsham kick off a celebratory version of Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” which he slid into “Am I The Only One.” He weaved an abbreviated version of Alabama’s “Mountain Music” into “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go).”
Bentley made time for full versions of cover songs, too. He gave Worsham the spotlight for an inspired take of Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge” and dove into his Tom Petty cover of “American Girl” from Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty.
Special Guests
It’s rare for a country singer to have a Nashville show that doesn’t include special guests, and Bentley heartily embraced the trend. He promised the crowd early in the evening that VIPs, including his kids’ teachers, packed the audience. However, he also surprised fans with Red Clay Strays’ singer Brandon Coleman, who wowed fans with a cover of “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean.” Bentley said he’d known Coleman since the band operated out of an ice cream truck. They just headlined multiple nights at Ryman Auditorium.
Bentley welcomed tour opener Chase Rice back to the stage for a duet on “Gone.” At the end, Bentley called Rice “such an inspired songwriter” and gifted him with a Martin D-45, which retails for around $10,000. The men embraced, and Rice seemed shocked and emotional over the gift. Bentley excitedly pointed out the instrument’s features off the mic on stage.
Bentley’s daughter, Evie, popped on stage to cover Noah Kahn’s “Stick Season,” her voice ringing strong and true through the cavernous space.
Zach Top joined Bentley on “High Note” and sang his “Sounds Like the Radio.”
Hot Country Knights
There may not be a rowdier, oddly mesmerizing encore in the history of Bridgestone Arena than Bentley’s ’90s cover band Hot Country Knights. Bentley and his band left the stage following “Drunk on a Plane” for several minutes. An intro conceived as a unique take on the movie “Back to the Future” featuring Jim Lauderdale started playing Bentley’s large viewing screens. Then, the singer and his band walked out decked in audacious ’90s’ garb. There are mirrored sunglasses, tight pants, stringy wigs, neon-colored guitars, and sleeveless shirts – all intentionally as obnoxious as they could make it. They jockeyed for the spotlight, had choreographed dance moves and a couple of thrusts, performing like an ’80s hair metal band while singing versions of songs including Travis Tritt’s “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places.”
(Photo by Zachary Belcher)
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