Country’s CMA Entertainer of the Year ignited a sold-out Van Andel Arena from his fiery opening salvo to the final note of his encore with help from Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch. (Review, photo gallery)
His Kind of Night: Luke Bryan attracted a lively capacity crowd to Van Andel Arena on Tuesday. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
For his first U.S. show of 2015, Luke Bryan certainly hit the ground running.
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Getting the Party Started: Luke Bryan. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
With openers Dustin Lynch and Randy Houser setting the stage and revving up a sold-out Van Andel Arena crowd that even clapped, sang and danced to set-change music, the award-winning country singer wasted little time on Tuesday night delivering a great mix of old, new, upbeat and slower songs with help from an impressive stage and video display.
As his band launched into the opening song, “My Kind Of Night,” Bryan appeared on a video screen, lighting an arrow which shot toward the stage. Flames erupted in the center of the catwalk, the floor opened up and there was the singer – making an incredible entrance rising up into a ring of fire standing on the roof of a black, lifted ’80s Chevy pickup.
Always seeming to know what the audience wanted next throughout his set, the 2014 CMA Entertainer of the Year even took time to sign a lucky audience member’s cowboy hat and grab some cell phone selfies while playing, singing and dancing through early tunes before slowing things down (after a couple shots of Patron tequila) for an older single,
“We Rode in Trucks,” followed by “Shut It Down,” from his latest album, “Crash My Party.”
Dustin Lynch opened the show. (Photo/Eric Stoike)
With an enthused Grand Rapids audience flinging its hands in the air, the party resumed with Florida Georgia Line’s “This Is How We Roll,” which Bryan co-wrote. Bryan’s “magical” stage also produced a wooden dock at one point, creating the perfect spot for him to start off “Drink A Beer” acoustically while sitting on the end of the dock.
The singer ended his set with “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” then returned for the highly requested encore tune, “I See You,” and closing the show with “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” – which, naturally, had everyone dancing.
Suffice to say the Grand Rapids stop on this leg of the “It’s My Kind Of Night Tour” was an energetic one – starting early with Lynch’s cover of Justin Timberlake’s “Summer Love” and his own hit, “Where It’s At (Yep, Yep),” and Houser’s “Whistlin’ Dixie,” “That’s How You Make Love,” “How Country Feels” and “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight.”
— By Tabatha Grover for Local Spins
LUKE BRYAN, RANDY HOUSER, DUSTIN LYNCH PHOTO GALLERY BY ERIC STOIKE
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
