iHeartRadio and Dierks Bentley brought out some of New York City’s hardcore country music fans last night on Feb. 25. Bentley performed live for fans at The iHeartRadio Theater as part of the iHeartRadio Country Live series.
Concert goers were delighted with a few new album tracks as well as some Dierk’s classics for about an hour. The 38 year-old country music star said he left Phoenix, Arizona for Nashville at age 19, and apparently never looked back. Now, umpteen albums later, Dierks has released his 7th studio album “Riser” on Tuesday.
Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” played as the room began to fill up with Dierks Bentley fans 15 minutes before the prompt nine o’clock show time. Greeted by enthusiastic followers as he took the stage, it was like a country music frenzy in TriBeca. He opened the show with the heartfelt “Riser” album cut, inspired by the dismal yet overjoyed time in his life surrounding the death of his father and birth of his son. But, that was only a taste for a Bentley newby like me as he followed his first song with “Drunk On A Plane,” another track off of the album. It’s about a guy who gets stood up at the alter, but decides to go on the honeymoon anyway and intentionally intoxicates himself on the plane ride to Cancun. The singer gave commentary in and between songs, while he switched up his guitars and joked about getting shot if he didn’t perform “Come A Little Closer.”
After GMA yesterday morning, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon later on tonight, The View on Thursday, and I’m sure some more stops to go, Bentley is also gearing up for a U.S. tour this summer. With tour dates expected to run through until the end of August, Bentley will be very busy. He sure didn’t disappoint last night, and the feeling was definitely mutual as he was quoted saying, “I was thinking this might be the best night of my life”, as I’m sure were the same sentiments for some of the audience members.
Songs performed (in order)
- Riser
- Drunk On A Plane
- I Hold On
- What Was I Thinkin’
- Home
- Hey Brother (by Avicii)
- Am I the Only One
- Free And Easy (Down the Road I Go)
- Come A Little Closer
- Bourban In Kentucky
- Say You Do
- Lot Of Leavin’ Left To Do
The event broadcasted live on-air as a 30-minute special on Clear Channel Country radio stations, with a 60-minute live video stream online across station websites and iHeartRadio.com.
