Crowd digs Dierks
Country music artist Dierks Bentley brought audience members to their feet Sunday night before he even stepped on stage.
After opening act Eric Church finished his set, about 2,100 audience members roared with applause and rose to their feet as a Dierks Bentley banner rose behind the stage.
And Troy senior Brad Davison was one of them.
“I’ve been here for four years and this is the first country concert that I can remember on campus,” Davison said. “I give (Program Board) a lot of credit for bringing in someone who just won two Grammy’s.”
Bentley energized the crowd from the start and the crowd remained that way throughout the performance.
Bentley played such hits as, “Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do” and “How Am I Doin,’” both of which received plenty of audience participation.
During Bentley’s encore, he covered songs by Johnny Cash and Hank Williams.
Bentley’s set lasted about 75 minutes, while Church played for 50 minutes.
His announcement that he would buy everyone a round of beers if he kept audience participation high throughout his set had the crowd roaring.
“I liked how he danced around a lot and got the crowd going,” said Ashley Gillispie, Lapeer freshman.
Bentley also asked audience members where the after-party was in between his songs.
“Does anybody got a keg in their apartment or something?” he said.
Ryan Makowski, Macomb senior and Program Board member, said the group sold about 1,800 tickets prior to the concert, then another 300 at the door.
“He’s not the biggest country star, but we’re pleased with the turnout,” Makowski said.
There was a broad range of audience members, including many families.
“I actually came with my step-daughter for Dierks Bentley,” said Laurie Mewkirk, Sanford resident.
Church impressed many audience members with his interaction with the crowd.
“That’s not the ‘album version,” Church said. “That’s the ‘Eric Church forgot the words to his own song’ version.”
He also shared with audience members a story about the first beer he drank, which he stole out of his grandfather’s refrigerator when he was 15-years-old.
“He was really good,” said Julie Coles, Pinckney junior. “He was very interactive with the audience.”
Church played songs from his upcoming album, including his latest single, “How ‘Bout You,” which he intertwined with Ram Jam’s hit, “Black Betty.”
