Tulsa World: Slide Show: Urban country comes to city

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Slide Show: Urban country comes to city

Keith Urban plays to the audience Friday evening at Tulsa's BOK Center. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By CARY ASPINWALL World Scene Writer
Published: 8/8/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 8/10/2009 12:47 PM

Rock met up with country at the BOK Center on Friday night and threw a party.

Keith Urban and opening act Sugarland rocked the stage and thrilled a near-sellout crowd with their "Escape Together World Tour."

They may be the darlings of country radio and video, and the show featured the requisite mandolins, banjos and Fender Telecasters, Jennifer Nettles' twang and Urban's Western snap shirt — but this was more like country's trendy cousin.

Nettles, Sugarland's lead singer, set the hipster tone with her skinny jeans and motorcycle boots, and singer/guitarist Kristian Bush donned plaid pants and a fedora. They played crowd favorites and country radio smash hits such as "Baby Girl" and "All I Want to Do," but they also threw in a little R.E.M., Edie Brickell and, during their song "Everyday America," a few bars from hits by Madonna and rapper Nelly.

As soon as the curtains dropped and Urban began wailing on his guitar, the crowd went manic.

So is Urban a country star embraced by rock fans or a rock star embraced by country fans?

Really, most of the embracing was done by Urban's rowdy female fans, eager to touch the singer as he played his guitar while walking around the arena's floor. He headed to a small stage near the back for a short set.

"Who's got the good seats now?" Urban asked his fans.

Good-looking and thoughtful, plus guitar skills? The heavily female audience swooned.

Many got dolled up in skimpy dresses and high-heeled

sandals in honor of their favorite Aussie musician, screaming "I love you!" repeatedly.

Lest they get ideas, they could see his wedding ring gleaming on the mega screens behind the main stage.

In addition to music stardom, Urban is Mr. Nicole Kidman, father to Sunday Rose, whom he's said he scheduled his tour around to make sure he had plenty of time with his family between tour stops.

But the tour itself is clearly geared toward the fans, from playing to all angles of the arena to bringing Nettles and Bush on stage to perform a special cover of "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma." (They practiced Friday afternoon.)

Urban recalled a Tulsa show years ago when he was in a band called the Ranch — and only three people showed up.

For country music and Urban's career, how things have changed.

Slide Show

To see all of the Tulsa World slide shows, go to tulsaworld.com/photos.

Cary Aspinwall 581-8477
cary.aspinwall@tulsaworld.com By CARY ASPINWALL World Scene Writer

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	Report Comment AdMan, (8/8/2009 12:12:51 PM) We had a great time.
	Report Comment FromTheHeart, (8/9/2009 1:40:01 PM) Amazing show so much fun!!!

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