Urban gives fans feel good vibes

Keith Urban in action at Perth Arena last night.
Source: Supplied

The smooth-talking master guitarist delivered a slick set featuring all the warm banter and heart you’d expect from a traditional country music star, but with the big arena rock feel and catchy pop sensibilities of a contemporary success story.

Taking to the stage with his electric guitar, in a dark fitted shirt and shiny skinny leg jeans, Urban effortlessly made his way through a handful of songs including Sweet Thing, Somewhere in My Car and Only You Can Love Me This Way before addressing his adoring crowd.

“It has been a few years but we finally made it back to the other side of the country,” Urban said.

“I’m bloody glad to be here.”

The star then spent the next few minutes chatting to the audience, asking where they were from and reading out their signs before pulling two nervous and excited teens up on stage with their poster.

“Fantastic – I should sign it,” he said of their handy work, before calling out to his crew to fetch him a pen.

The hits then kept on coming with tight renditions of Long Hot Summer, Even The Stars Fall For You and Shame, which had the crowd on their feet, clapping and singing along.

Urban’s vocals are clean and rarely waver but it’s his fast-paced guitar work, given the chance to shine in a number of solos, which really steals the show.

Confident and bubbly local country music singer-songwriter Chelsea Basham made her way on stage about halfway through the show to perform the duet We Were Us, with Urban, which he originally recorded with Miranda Lambert.

Basham’s powerful vocals and energetic stage presence received enthusiastic applause as she held her own on stage next to the star.

Kiss A Girl, Used to the Pain and Stupid Boy each featured before Urban pulled siblings Amy and George from Brisbane opening act Sheppard back on stage for a beautiful acoustic cover of Bill Withers’ classic Ain’t No Sunshine.

Keith Urban on stage at Perth Arena last night.
Source: Supplied

Sticking with his acoustic guitar for Raining on Sunday before powering through Little Bit of Everything and venturing out into the crowd and performing in the stands for Days Go By, Urban never faltered in maintaining the evening’s feel good vibe.

The likes of Cop Car and Put You In A Song rounded out the main set before Urban returned for a lengthy encore featuring the song he sung at his own wedding to his wife Nicole Kidman, Making Memories of Us.

“She’s not here tonight but I’m going to dedicate this song to Nic anyway,” he drawled.

Better Life, Good Thing and Somebody Like You wrapped up more than two hours on stage for Urban, who hung around high-fiving fans and launching guitar picks into the satisfied crowd as the house lights went up.

Earlier in the evening, Sheppard kicked things off with a very fun set including their big hits Bombs Away and Let Me Down Easy as well as new single Something’s Missing.

Originally published as Urban gives fans feel good vibes
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