January 31st may have been a frigid Sunday night, but inside the Mohegan Sun Arena guests were under the illusion of warm weather and an ‘American Saturday Night’ as Brad Paisley brought his massive Crushing’ It World Tour, with red hot supporting acts Eric Paslay and Cam along for the ride.
The energy was buzzing casino wide hours before the doors open, largely due to Brad’s infamous fleet of tractor trailers parked at the casino entrance, indicating a huge stage and visual spectacle that nobody wanted to miss out on. Doors opened and fans streamed in awaiting a glimpse at the nights first huge act, Cam.
7:30 struck, and right on cue, the lights went low and Cam began the night with title track to her debut album released last month, ‘Untamed,’ followed without delay by ‘Half Broke Heart.’ “I see you guys taking lots of pictures, can you tag me in them with you?” joked the young star, “Here’s my next single!” Judging by the fan reaction, that next single ‘Mayday,’ which was released to country radio just days prior is bound for success. As the energy was growing, ‘Want It All,’ a song written with veteran Phil Vasser was the next performed, leaving room for just one more before her short time on stage was up. “How many of y’all have the album? Hopefully you know the words to this one. Take your phones out, turn the flashlights on, and when the whole room is lit up Doug will start the intro.” The arena looked like an elegant solar system. 10,000 shining lights pointed towards the stage as Cam ended her night with smash hit ‘Burning House,’ holding back to let the audience sing the final verse.
Cheers rained down from the highest rafters as Cam left the stage, indicating a wild crowd for the remainder of the evening. At around 8:15, the lights cut out, and a heavy bass line and drum kick boomed from the direction of the stage, suddenly the ever familiar “Ow ow, Ow ow, Ow.” Eric Paslay came onstage guitar in hand furiously delivering hits ‘Song About a Girl,’ ‘Like a Song,’ and ‘Never Really Wanted.’ “It’s always fun to come back here, we’ve played this room a few times and the Wolf Den countless times, we’ve signed the walls in the hallway so many times that they’ve had to paint over it by now. I guess we got here by writing song, and Jake Owen was the first to record my songs, sing along if you know it!” ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ was the track the Owen made famous, but that didn’t stop the crowd from singing along to every word. “I’m honored to have the privilege of recording a second album” confessed Paslay, “The means that I’ve had one out already, and you already know all the words!” The lights went low a single spotlight cut to the stage, and the familiar guitar chords rang out, as Paslay performed ‘She Don’t Love You.’
“Is it alright if I invite a friend out here with me? You might know her already, it’s a new song and Cam is here to unveil it with me.” Cheers echoed the arena as Cam came back onstage to duet ‘Takin My Heartbeat Higher’ with Paslay. “We’re having a blast out here and we’re grateful that we get to be professional dreamers, give it up for all these dreamers onstage, we want to thank y’all for letting us do this.” Paslay began another song that he wrote, this time for the Eli Young Band, ‘Keep On Dreaming.’ Paslay then went on a tear, cranking out his newest single ‘High Class,’ followed by ‘Less Than Whole,’ ‘Keep On Falling,’ and finally “Are y’all ready to rock!” ‘Friday Night’ was Paslay’s finale, leaving no fan disappointed.
As the road crew cleaned up Paslay’s equipment, it revealed the giant stage and video screens that Paisley had brought along with him, bringing the already buzzing audience to a near boil. The lights dimmed and the band filtered onto the stage, and with guitar in tow Paisley rose from the riser in the center of the stage under the video screen. No time to waste for chit chat, Paisley quickly ripped off hits ‘Riverbank,’ ‘Water,’ ‘Moonshine In The Trunk,’ and ‘Celebrity,’ joined onstage by his infamous cartoon mascot and even Eric Paslay to help sing along. “How is everybody!” roared Paisley. “On a warm summers evening, on a train bound from nowhere, I met up with the gambler, we were both too tired to speak.” (Lyrics to Kenny Rogers super hit ‘The Gambler.’) “How are all you gamblers? It’s great to be back in New England especially this time of year when it’s so pretty. I love the shade of brown that coats the buses and trucks. Thank you for getting the blizzard out of the way last week. This is one of my favorite arenas in the country and we’re gonna stay as long as they’ll let us!”
Paisley went on another tear including hits ‘I’m Still a Guy,’ and ‘American Saturday Night,’ pausing only to sign and give his guitar to a young fan in the pit during ‘This Is Country Music.’ The lights cut out, and only the lights at the onstage bar were shining, and suddenly a familiar face was seen at a barstool. Brad began tear-jerker ‘Whiskey Lullaby,’ with Cam along to sing the part of Allison Kraus. A short while later, Brad jumped down to the floor, and ran to the back of the hall, setting up on a small platform at the back of the floor. “Sorry, I was trying to find the restroom and somehow ended up back here,” joked the fun loving singer. “While I’m here let’s sing some songs.” With just his acoustic guitar, Brad gave the back of the room an up close and intimate performance of ‘Waiting On A Woman,’ and ‘Letter To Me.’
“We’re really lucky to have some brand new talented people with us tonight, Cam and my red headed step brother Eric, I think we would’ve been related if his family knew how to spell when they came over,” joked Paisley. He returned to the main stage to close out his night with ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her,’ ‘Crushin it,’ and “For all you Connecticut rednecks that can’t keep your trucks clean!” ‘Mud on the Tires.’ Nobody moved a muscle as the band left the stage, as they knew it’d only be a short moment until they’d be back and right they were, the band shortly followed by Brad came back for an encore performance of ‘Online,’ ‘Then,’ and ‘Alcohol.’ The final cheers came raining down from the upper level as the lights came up and fans filtered out to the exits, all seemingly in a mindset far from a bitter cold Sunday night in January.
For more photos from this concert, click here.
Photos by NECM’s Raianne Raymond.