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I saw Tim McGraw at Summerfest three years ago, and it was a fantastic show. So I was excited to see him again this year. His last gig at the Marcus Ampitheater was boot-stompin' fun – disclaimer: I don't actually own cowboy boots. I probably wore sandals like I did tonight. But other people stomped their boots – with a good mix of old songs and new. I like the singles I've heard off their latest album, "Damn Country Music." So I had every reason to believe I would once again have a great time.
I was not disappointed.
Before I dive into my thoughts on the performance by McGraw, though, I want to quickly mention opening act, Kacey Musgraves – with apologies to the other opening act, Ryan Kinder, since I only caught his last song, which was very good. I'm a fan of Musgraves, though she's very old-school country, reminiscent of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, so I have to be in the right mood. But her hour-long set was energetic and fun, much like the performer herself. Her voice is strong and crisp, and her songs full of observations about life, home and family, among other things. My only complaint with her set was that the bass was too heavy. My teeth vibrated each time the bassist plucked a string. Overall, a fun show to perfectly whet our appetites for the main event.
With timing so perfect it seemed choreographed, as Musgraves was thanking the audience and dancing off stage, the first of the U.S. Bank fireworks went off. While the Ampitheater isn't an idea venue for watching them, it was a nice bonus to entertain us between musicians.
Just as the fireworks ended, the house lights went out, the stage lights came up and the Dancehall Doctors took the stage. And on strutted McGraw, opening with a passionate, guttural-voiced performance of "How Bad Do You Want It?" He was dressed in a country singer uniform of ripped jeans, cowboy boots, a black cowboy hat, a large gold belt buckle and a tight gray T-shirt that read "Humilitee."
For the second song, McGraw hopped off stage so he could high five and fist bump fans. One fan gave him a banner that read "I love Tim." He got back on stage to show it off to the crowd. Later in the show, a fan handed him a marker and a flag with the state of Louisiana printed on it. Since he couldn't hold the microphone and sign the flag, he gave the women his mic so they could sing the chorus of "Just to See You Smile" while he autographed their flag.
When it comes to involving the crowd, McGraw is a pro. As he told us, he's been doing this for 28 years, and it shows. He ventured into the stands two more times, exchanging high fives and fist bumps and pausing to take selfies with fans. He frequently turned the microphone on the audience and let them do the singing.
Several times, he stood with his arms spread and his … belt buckle tilted toward the crowd; clearly he knows what a sex symbol he is. And while this may make him seem cocky, it's not without justification, if the cheers and whistles when he lifted his shirt to reveal his flat stomach – it was relevant to the song. I think. Maybe. Who cares? – are any indication.
That's not to say the show was all about Tim. He gets the headliner status and the women grabbing his thighs as he walked through the audience, but he is very generous with his praise of his bandmates, the Dancehall Doctors, who he's been with for most of his 28-year career. As he said, "You will never ever hear what you hear coming out of these boys tonight. They're the best in the business."
I admit, over the course of the night I developed a mild fascination with Dancehall Doctor Dean Brown. From the 2013 concert, I remembered that he plays both the guitar and the fiddle, and in the song "Southern Girl," he sings the few lines that use an auto-tuner. Tonight, in addition to those, he played keyboard for "Mexicoma," then was on a mandolin for "Shotgun Rider." For the next song, "How I'll Always Be," he was on yet another instrument, which may have been a different mandolin, but I couldn't get a good enough look at it. I know many professional musicians can play multiple instruments, but watching him switch so frequently tonight intrigued me.
Tim and his boys – that's how he referred to them several times – ended the show with two high-energy, get the fans yell-singing along songs, during which McGraw again wound his way through the crowd. Then from the audience, he launched into the final song, the biggest hit they've had, "Live Like You Were Dying." And while it could seem a downer to end on such a serious, potentially sad note, there's a beauty and poignancy to the song that, although dealing with a heavy subject, leaves me with hope.
And if a concert can entertain while also making me think, and send me away with hope, well, that's about all I can ask for.
SETLIST:
"How Bad Do You Want It?"
"Where the Green Grass Grows"
"I Like It, I Love It"
"California"
"Southern Girl"
"Real Good Man"
"Red Ragtop"
"Here Tonight"
"Just to See You Smile"
"One of Those Nights"
"Mexicoma"
"Shotgun Rider"
"How I'll Always Be"
"Humble and Kind"
"All I Want is a Life"
"Indian Outlaw"
Encore:
"Truck Yeah"
"Something Like That"
"Live Like You Were Dying"
