Brad Paisley- First Niagara Pavilion

Burgettstown,PA June 4, 2013

Reviewed by Michael Rampa

Brad Paisley is best known as the affable co-host of the CMA awards.  The Glen Dale, WV native is also the closest thing to a guitar god that country music has to offer.  The “Telecaster Tornado” showcased his blazing fretwork for two solid hours on the “Beat This Summer” Tour at a packed First Niagara Pavilion Saturday night. He emerged in his signature white hat with an ear to ear grin and opened the shredding fest with a laser laden “Southern Comfort Zone” from his new album “Wheelhouse.”

Given his local ties to the area, he played to the crowd at every opportunity, dedicating the fun “Mud on the Tires” to “all the PA/WV rednecks who can’t keep their trucks clean.” He considers the Pavilion to be his home venue and   has been going there to see shows since he was a young child.

A trio of video screens was used effectively throughout.  From the Captain America comic book coming to life during “American Saturday Night” to the eerily realistic virtual duet with Carrie Underwood on “Remind Me”, there was no shortage of technical wizardry.
When the set list called for the tender duet with Andy Griffith,“Waitin’ On A Woman,”, Paisley unexpectedly began a furious jam to Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher. “ After jokingly complaining that drummer Ben Sesar was not playing the song correctly, six year old drumming prodigy Avery Molek was brought on as a guest. The Washington, PA native rocked his way through the complex up tempo number to the delight and amazement of the crowd.

Midway, he performed a four song acoustic set directly to the lawn, saying, “These are the best seats I could get when I came here, so I know what it’s like.

He closed with the wildly popular “Alcohol” with which the crowd seemed to be more than lyrically familiar with.

Paisley is easily one of the most capable guitarists in any genre. He is able to effortlessly cross boundaries and could be mistaken for a rock star. With the show’s high energy and  slick production, it felt like just that at times.

The Henningsens, a family trio, made the best of the toughest time slot before openers Lee Brice and Chris Young each showcased a set of their number one hits to an enthusiastic reception from a knowledgeable early crowd.

Official site: https://bradpaisley.com/home