‘Without y’all, we’d be nothing’: Dierks Bentley brings the party to Kansas City fans
While it’s been over 20 years since Dierks Bentley broke into the country music scene, fans at his show in Kansas City on Friday wouldn’t have be able to tell.
The country star brought the party to his biggest fans at T-Mobile Center as a part of his Gravel and Gold tour. He previously told The Star that Kansas City crowds have always been great to him, so he always makes it a point to come back, and Friday’s crowd was no exception.
From the moment the arena lights turned off after second act Chase Rice’s set finished, the crowd rose to their feet and stood the entire time, singing every lyric to Bentley’s songs and matching the 48-year-old singer’s energy.
Early in the set, he listed the venues he’s played in Kansas City, including Starlight Theatre, Power & Light District’s KC Live! Block and the site of his first show ever in Kansas City, the now-defunct Beaumont Club. But he said there was nothing like playing T-Mobile Center.
He even displayed a picture of him and Taylor Swift performing together at the venue during her 1989 World Tour in 2015.
“Without y’all, we’d be nothing,” Bentley said.
Before the show began, fans with VIP access waited in line hours before the doors opened so they could hear Bentley’s soundcheck session, and the excitement for the show could be felt through the air. In addition to Rice, singer-songwriter Tanny Usrey opened up the concert.
Anna Dries and Finley Heffner, friends from Olathe who are both 17, are younger than Bentley’s self-titled debut album that came out in 2003, but hearing his music on radio stations in the Kansas City area led them to become fans. They also gave credit to their parents’ influence.
Pre-show, Dries and Heffner said their excitement levels were at 10. Post-show, Anna’s father, Andy, said they reached an excitement level of 12.
“The visuals in connection with the audience and the music was something we won’t forget,” Andy Dries said in a text message. “Dierks seemed genuine and full of gratitude for the crowd support and his crew, that really resonated with us.”
“The whole family loved it and can’t wait until he comes to town again!!”
Whether he was playing hits like “Drunk On A Plane” or “Somewhere On A Beach,” rolling through covers like Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” or busting out a medley of ‘90s country hits with his parody band, The Hot Country Knights, Bentley and his band were having fun, and that fun rubbed off on the crowd.
He had a dueling acoustic guitar moment with guitarist Ben Helson during “Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do.” He pretended to get jealous that banjo player Charlie Worsham and fiddle player Dan Hochhalter were stealing his shine during covers of “Callin’ Baton Rouge” and “Freeborn Man.” He passed out Bud Lights to fans in the pit during “Beers On Me,” and had plucked two fans to shotgun beers with him, one of which had never shotgunned a beer before.
“You’re not representing Kansas City very well,” Bentley said to the fan.
His on-stage antics made the show so much better, Kristin Carver said.
Carver had traveled with husband Tony and daughter Alice from Adrian, Missouri, an hour south of Kansas City, for the show, but not initially for Bentley. Kristin’s 10-year-old daughter (who turns 11 on Sunday) is the biggest fan of Rice, the opener, and has been to 10 of his shows.
Rice waved a sign she made for him during his last song, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen,” while his dog, Jack, played with a water bottle. She may have been the only person in the building who knew Rice takes his dog on tour with him and brings him out for the last two songs, including “Bench Seat,” a song dedicated to Jack.
“I enjoy the show, but my excitement comes from seeing (Alice) get excited,” Kristin Carver said. “This is the first time (Tony’s) come with us to see Chase, so he hasn’t got to see her in all her glory yet.”
Although he’s not on Rice’s level in Alice Carver’s eyes, Bentley’s performance converted her into becoming a fan. It helped that Rice came back out to perform “Gone,” with Bentley.
It’s safe to say Bentley will be back in Kansas City in the future, but who’s to say when? With the NFL season approaching and his desire to take his family to a Chiefs game, it could be sooner rather than later.
What songs did Dierks Bentley play?
Dierks Bentley played 28 total songs, although not all of them were played in full. Here’s his setlist from Kansas City on Friday:
“Gold”
“Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do”
“I Hold On”
“Am I the Only One” and “Red Solo Cup” (Toby Keith cover) medley
“Living”
“Burning Man”
“American Girl” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)
“Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)“ and “Mountain Man” (Alabama cover) medley
“Gone” (with Chase Rice)
“Say You Do”
“Black”
“Up on the Ridge” and “Callin’ Baton Rouge” medley
“Freeborn Man” (Keith Allison cover)
“5-1-5-0”
“Somewhere on a Beach” and “Beers On Me” medley
“What Was I Thinkin’”
“Drunk on a Plane”
The Hot Country Knights closed out the show, playing snippets from these country hits from the ‘90s:
“I Like It, I Love It,” by Tim McGraw
“Meet In the Middle,” by Diamond Rio
“Little Rock,” by Collin Maye
“Heads Carolina, Tails California,” by Jo Dee Messina
“Achy Breaky Heart,” by Billy Ray Cyrus
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” by Shania Twain
“Friends in Low Places,” by Garth Brooks
