Killin' More Time: Clint Black In Concert
Country Music Star Returns To Wild Adventures in Valdosta, GA
Oct 20, 2009
On Saturday, June 13th, 2009, Clint Black marked his second appearance at Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia, with a concert that celebrated his past triumphs while looking towards the future. In a previous article posted here, the first and middle sections of this concert were detailed. The review continues below.
The Acoustic, Sit-Down Portion Of The Show Featuring Clint's Band
After the Willie Nelson story and "Time of the Preacher" performance, Clint Black's band emerged, joining Clint to continue the sit-down, acoustic segment. The majority of Clint’s six band members have played behind him for over a decade, including lead guitarist and bandleader Hayden Nicholas, who has also served as Clint’s songwriting partner for over two decades. Fiddle and piano often accompanied many of the numbers.
He then spotted this reviewer on the front row, writing feverishly. “Are those chord notations,” Clint joked. Announcing a “music journalist” was in the building, Clint ad-libbed that “we’ve strategically placed 5 mistakes throughout the show.” Finding a few of them, this task was quickly forgotten as the fun and excitement continued.
As the band’s acoustic segment settled in, Clint sang “Spend My Time,” his latest Top 20 Hit. “That was the 1st song Hayden and I wrote after we became dads,” he noted. The final all-acoustic song of the segment, “Something That We Do,” was especially sentimental, with Clint saying that “we should treat love as a verb instead of a noun. I know, I had to get my dictionary to see what verb and noun meant, too.”
The band then ended the acoustic segment by performing “Been There,” a Top 5 hit originally performed as a duet with Steve Wariner that got the crowd on its feet dancing to the rhythm.
And Now, The End Is Near, But Steely Dan And The Eagles Are Coming
All too soon, it was time for the encore, as Clint performed his final original song of the evening: the #2 Country hit “We Tell Ourselves” from 1992. Much of the crowd left their seats and headed towards the stage during this performance, dancing, clapping, and singing along as best they could. A friendly brunette tried to help this writer find his dancing shoes, but he had enough trouble just nodding his head and tapping his feet.
A surprise cover, Steely Dan’s “Josie,” was the penultimate song, with Clint leaving center stage and taking his place behind the drums, providing a solid backbeat throughout the song, with rhythm guitarist Bryan Austin taking lead vocal and showing some considerable chops on a saxophone solo.
Disappointment, along with excitement, filled the air as Clint left the drums and took center stage, sans guitar, beginning his cover of “Desperado” by The Eagles, since the majority of the crowd knew it was the last song of the night. He successfully conveyed the longing and emotion found within the song’s refrain, reminiscent of Eagle Don Henley’s original version.
Not To Be Forgotten, And Two Fans Get Their Wish Come True
What a memorable June evening at Wild Adventures Theme Park. Clint and his band received a raucous standing ovation for their performance commemorating the 20th anniversary of Clint’s successful recording career. As the band took a bow, two pretty blonde girls threw a UGA (University of Georgia) cap Clint’s way. He bent down and put it on his head for a few seconds, the crowd reacting wildly and the girls looking incredulously, screaming in unison, “Oh my god, he put in on his head!”
One later confessed how her parents raised her on Clint’s music, & she was now in the process of converting her boyfriend. With fans like those, it is highly unlikely Clint Black will have to look for another line of work anytime soon.
Setlist
- The Shoes You're Wearing (on 1997 "Nothin' But The Taillights" album)
- A Good Run of Bad Luck (on 1993 "No Time To Kill" album)
- State of Mind (on 1993 "No Time To Kill" album)
- Nothing's News (on 1989 "Killin' Time" album)
- Killin' Time (on same 1989 album)
- A Better Man (1st ever single; appears on 1989 "Killin' Time" album)
- Summer's Comin' (from 1994 "One Emotion" album)
- Like The Rain (single from 1996 "Greatest Hits" album)
- Put Yourselves In My Shoes (from same 1991 album)
- Nothin' But The Taillights (from same 1997 album)
- Tuckered Out (not a single; cut on 1993 "Tuckered Out" album)
- Live And Learn (not a single; cut on 1989 "Killin' Time;" 1st album)
- Time of the Preacher (Willie Nelson cover)
- Straight From The Factory (not a single; cut on 1989 "Killin' Time;" 1st album)
- Spend My Time (from same 2004 album)
- Band Intros
- One More Payment (from "Put Yourself In My Shoes" 1991 album)
- Something That We Do (from "Nothin' But The Taillights" 1997 album)
- Been There (from "D'lectrified" 1999 album)
- Encore
- We Tell Ourselves (from "The Hard Way" 1992 album)
- Josie (Steely Dan cover)
- Desperado (Eagles cover)
Band Members
- Hayden Nicholas: lead guitar / Clint's songwriting partner since 1989
- Bryan Austin: rhythm guitar / saxophone / backing vocals
- Jake Willemain: bass guitar
- Dick Gay: drums
- Dane Bryant: piano
- Dan Kelly: fiddle
Clint Black peforming the #5 Country
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Clint on harmonica during
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Clint performing his hit
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Clint And Hayden Nicholas during
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Clint And Band having fun just before their exit
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