Keith Urban, Glasgow review: 'blandly charming'
The consummate host, Keith Urban delivered an undeniably enjoyable set steeped in tried-and-tested stadium rock manoeuvres, writes Paul Whitelaw
Keith Urban, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★
An all-star assembly of contemporary country musicians, the annual C2C: Country to Country festival has been visiting these shores since 2013. Stripped over three nights in London, Belfast and Glasgow, it’s quite the hoedown.
On the first night in Glasgow an excitable throng – many dressed in de rigueur Stetsons and cowboy boots – gathered to worship at the headlining altar of gazillion-selling superstar Keith Urban.
He was immediately preceded on the bill by Russell Dickerson, a fairly likeable cornball dude unashamedly tethered to the standard country playbook: there were drinkin’ songs, drivin’ songs, dancin’ (ie. sex) songs, and sentimental love songs about the sanctity of marriage and raising children. All the subjects.
Most mainstream country musicians are essentially slick, old-fashioned entertainers who know exactly what their audiences want. After Dickerson had warmed them up, they were putty in the hands of the ultra-professional Urban.
A blandly charming Australian with a gleaming Hollywood smile, the former Mr Nicole Kidman – let’s face it, that’s who most non-country fans know him as – delivered an undeniably enjoyable set steeped in tried-and-tested stadium rock manoeuvres.
He conducted mass sing-a-longs, duetted with Pink (via pre-recorded video), showed off his guitar virtuosity, told some stories about paying his dues, and – accompanied by a watchful security team – weaved through his sea of adoring fans to perform a solo acoustic set on a small stage in the middle of the arena.
Yes, most of his songs sound more or less the same, but no one cared. They were here for a party, and Urban was the consummate host.
Speaking of parties, Urban recently performed at a private Mar-a-Lago shindig attended by President Donald Trump. Make of that what you will.
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