Toby Keith's concert at Toyota Arena in Ontario Sunday night (August 25th), part of the "That's Country Bro" Tour, was right in the pocket of what his fans want from him - the perfect balance of his hits from the '90s to the drinking songs that took him to another level in the decade and a half that followed.
Even with the ubiquitous red solo cup never far from his hand, Toby's performance was controlled and solid, if a little edgy at times.
Toby's career has spanned over 25 years now, and he recalled his first tour, with Reba McEntire, performing "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You," a song his record label hadn't liked...until his performances of that song on that tour, and radio's inquiries about it, convinced them otherwise. He performed a medley of his mid-90s hits, as well as songs from the aughts, like "Beer for My Horses," "Who's Your Daddy," "I Love This Bar," and others.
He also included more recent releases, like his latest single, "That's Country Bro," and "A Few More Cowboys," which recalled another song included in his setlist, "Should've Been a Cowboy."
"I thought my bucket list was full," Toby confessed, before performing "Don't Let the Old Man In," from the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood film "The Mule." "Turns out I had to get another bucket," he said of getting to work with the 89 year old actor.
"Red Solo Cup" was made even more playful with the addition of several audience members, winners of the "Red, White, and You" promotion, dressed in their most patriotic costumes, singing along on stage. One of them was a little boy attending his first TK concert.
As the show came to a close, with "American Soldier," a tribute to those willing to sacrifice everything, followed by the rollicking "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue," a selection of servicement and veterans were invited on stage, with an elderly gentleman handing Toby a red, white, and blue guitar for the final song, while the group of men embraced, slapped each on the back, and sang along, while the crowd held up American flags and patriotic accessories.
Opening act Ned LeDoux provided a set that was more "western" than "country," sounding eerily and delightfully indentical to his father, even performing a handful of Chris LeDoux classics, like "Bareback Jack," "Western Skies," and the iconic "This Cowboy's Hat," as well as originals like "Brother Highway."
1. Made in America
2. American Ride
3. I Wanna Talk About Me
4. God Love Her
5. Beer for My Horses
6. A Few More Cowboys
7. Don't Let the Old Man In
8. Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You
9. Medley: Who's That Man / Wish I Didn't Know Now / He Ain't Worth Missing / Dream Walkin' / When Country Comes to Town
10. Who's Your Daddy
11. Red Solo Cup
12. As Good As I Once Was
13. That's Country Bro
14. I Love This Bar
15. Should've Been a Cowboy
16. How Do You Like Me Now?!
17. A Little Less Talk (and a Lot More Action)
18. American Soldier
19. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (the Angry American)