The weather outside definitely didn’t match the vibe inside.
Kenny Chesney’s “Songs for the Saints Tour” played on a rainy, stormy night at Wells Fargo Arena. Des Moines didn’t much resemble the sunny, sandy destinations shown in videos throughout Chesney’s performance, but that didn’t stop the nearly 13,000 from partying like they were on vacation (on a Thursday night).
Early on, it looked like the party might be cut short. Just as Chesney was about to take the stage, a nearby lightning strike caused the arena’s breakers to trip and a short power loss. It took crews nearly 15 minutes to fire the breakers back up, test the stage equipment and get the show ready to go. Once it did, the previously interrupted intro video began a second time and this time, Chesney and his band were able to take the stage.
“We apologize for the delay,” Chesney told the crowd. “It’s really stormin’ outside!”
Chesney came to party with a set filled with 22 songs all squeezed into just about 2 hours. “No Shoes Nation” rose to their feet and loudly sang along to the night’s opener, a nearly 10-minute jam version of “Beer in Mexico.” Songs like “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” had the crowd waving their hands and their tall boy beers in the air and singing at the top of their lungs.
One of the highlights of Chesney’s band is bassist Harmoni Kelley. It’s obvious that she is a favorite of the Chesney faithful and she adds great backing vocals and leads the rhythm section well. Kelley reminds us that country is not too far removed from rock n’ roll and can seamlessly transition back and forth.
Where his 2015 performance relied on more slow numbers, this appearance by Chesney was decidedly more upbeat. The country superstar spent much of the night sidestepping and skipping back and forth on the T-shaped catwalk that gave him ample opportunities for high fives and fist bumps.
Chesney is a brand himself. He sells music, he sells rum, and he sells the “No Shoes” lifestyle. All of the videos shown during the show feature attractive people partying on yachts, dancing on beaches, drinking, and doing all the things the pretty people do. Kenny makes you feel like you’re also a part of this lifestyle, no matter your weather or location.
Opening acts Caroline Jones and David Lee Murphy were great compliments to the bill. Jones is a talented singer-songwriter whose latest album, “Bare Feet” has a hit in the tune “Worth the Wait.” The former satellite radio host also came back to the stage during Chesney’s set to join him for “You and Tequila.”
Murphy has been a long-time friend of Chesney. The two collaborated on Murphy’s latest album, “No Zip Code.” Murphy is also an accomplished songwriter in Nashville, having written huge hit songs for Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton. Murphy also got to make a return trip to the stage with Chesney for “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.”
“The energy in this room feels incredible,” Chesney beamed. “Your love and energy feels incredible.“
Jokes about power outages aside, Chesney’s performance was downright electric. He smiled brightly and looked joyful as he steamrolled through his set. Near the end of the show, in a “No Shoes Nation” tradition, fans with personalized license plates showed them off to the superstar and he gladly took them and added them to his already large collection of plates from around the country. One of the places shown on the big screen was a Northern Iowa Panthers collegiate plate with “IGOBACK,” a reference to one of Chesney’s biggest hits.
Kenny Chesney draws a lot of comparisons to Jimmy Buffett and with reason. Chesney is the “feel good, beach vibe, always on vacation, toes in the sand” entertainer, just as Buffett is for his generation. Thankfully, Parrotheads and No Shoes Nation co-exist in harmony. All are welcome and welcoming. Both feel at home at each performer’s shows. Well, maybe not so much at home as “on vacation.”
SETLIST:
Beer in Mexico
Reality
Til It’s Gone
Summertime
Pirate Flag
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
Somewhere With You
I Go Back
Get Along
You and Tequila (with Caroline Jones)
Save It for a Rainy Day
When the Sun Goes Down
All the Pretty Girls
Living in Fast Forward
Young
Noise
American Kids
Setting the World on Fire
Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (w/ David Lee Murphy)
How Forever Feels
Don’t Happen Twice
She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy
