My Albany NY Review:
Length of Concert: 8:25 pm to midnight
Crowd: Pretty much sold out & Rowdy
Money Spent on New Merchandise: Lost Count
Sound Quality/Production: Phenominal!
Overall Experience: Priceless
General Overview:
OMG I don’t even know where to begin. First--- Carrie—if you read this, I took your advice and did not watch any youtube videos before the show or read any in depth reviews because I wanted to be surprised. I am glad I held off because it was beyond my wildest expectations!
Overall this was the best I have EVER seen Carrie live, and the show was light years better then the Carnival Ride tour, which was still very good. Not only was the sound quality, production, and stage setup much better, but Carrie herself was vastly improved from her guitar playing to stage presence to even her vocals, which I didn’t think could get any better. J
The whole night was GREAT, but Carrie’s part was in a whole different league. You could tell that the Michael Jackson production guy was hired to do Carrie’s production, etc, because even the scenery had a This Is It movie feel to it. It was high class and world class quality, something you would expect from a Beyonce or Britney or Shania World Tour. Yet the intimacy of her vocals and emotion was not sacrificed whatsoever. You still felt close to the music itself, as the bells and whistles did not distract or interfere with her singing, not did the sound overpower her vocals. Rather, it added greatly to the overall show, and made it an “EXPERIENCE” rather then just a concert.
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Crowd:
Maybe it was due to it being a Friday night and lots of people were a little drunk, lol, but this crowd was ROCKING. It was a much bigger crowd then last time she did Albany, because they opened up a big part of the nosebleeds, whereas last time she only sold floor and lower levels. I think it was about 10,000ish, since she did just under 7k last time without the upper levels. It was almost sold out if not completely sold out.
Overall, a vast diverse mix of people, of all age groups, once again. I noticed a good number of teens and kids, but honestly, I would say the vast majority of people there were college students of over—20-30 somethings and older. It was nice to see so many adults that are fans of Carrie. That is good for her long term career as the tweens can fade out and move on to other artists, but adult fans tend to stick with their favorites.
I am not sure what others have posted about the crowd last night, but I felt that they were standing and dancing the whole time Carrie was on. They were rowdy and fun and really into every song. They knew the words to all the new stuff too, surprisingly, and did all the Na Nas during Undo It, etc. They sang along to Temporary Home, and seemed in a great mood. Overall, the crowd was MUCH more into it then the last time Carrie was Albany. They loved her then too, but not everyone sang along last time, and it was a much smaller crowd.
The Band:
Oh my gosh they kicked major bootah! For the first time, the band is now dressed up in costumes, kind of, to coordinate Carrie’s outfits and the themes of the songs. Ie- Jaime had on a beautiful elegant black dress, and the fiddle/guitar player had on a top hat and awesome tux jacket. The band was set back from Carrie a little, but overall, played a very important part of the night. I loved when Carrie introduced the band this time, as it was very well done and professional. I think the band has also improved their skills if that is possible! Lol I just think the producers of this tour deserve a 10 Star review out of 5 stars, as they went beyond the call of duty here, and even the Band was dressed for the part. Awesomeness!
PS – Carrie said Ed was not there as he had a baby yesterday! Congrats to him!
LATE START:
SOS didn’t start till about 8:25pm, almost an hour late, because of a production delay in setting up I think. I think Carrie will be please with the merchandise sales from Albany, because due to the delay in letting us in to our seats, so everyone was buying stuff…just for something to do. Lol I saw bigger lines then ever before buying massive tshirts etc. lol Anyway, there was a half hour delay in letting us to our seats because they were having some production glitch setting up. Apparently, one of the trucks was 2 hours late getting in from Reading, from what I heard, so they were very late setting up…and they had to cut out some production for our show. Ie--- there was no piano, no rocks, no tree, no funky lit up dress during Change. Lol But honestly, it wasn’t missed that much as Change and Mamas Song were still powerful, and all the other production worked, including the truck, etc. While I am disappointed I missed seeing Carrie play piano, it really didn’t take away from the show at all, and most people had no idea that she was supposed to play piano but us die hard fans. Lol thank god for youtube videos from Reading. Lol It didn’t really dtract from the show, honestly. It was still great.
SONS OF SLYVIA:
I never watched Great American Band till the finale, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from the amazing Clark brothers. I knew I would like them as I loved Ashley when he toured with Carrie, but I honestly had no idea what type of music they would play last night. Lol However, from the opening notes it is clear they are a blend of Alt Rock meets bluegrass meets Christian rock. The overall effect was outstanding, and I think the crowd was in awe of them. Despite what the newspaper said, the crowd seemed very impressed with them and clapped loudly. They were just sitting quietly taking it in because no one knew who they were, but when they did the bluegrass number, especially, the crowd was very loud in support. I think everyone, including me, was glued to their seats because we were all so surprised and impressed by them. Maybe the newspaper critic was in a different section then me, or didn’t get that the crowd was actually mesmerized by them…. Overall, they were brilliant and I can see big things for them in their future. I really loved Ashley’s song “Revelation”. That was my favorite of their set.
Note: Poor Ashley seemed very tired after his performance, and I wondered if he was sick? Maybe he just needs to work out. Lol But he was brilliant. Great vocals last night.
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CRAIG MORGAN:
Before the concert, I liked him just fine and enjoyed a few of his songs like Redneck Yacht club, but I had no idea what a great live vocalist he is! Wow! I am not used to seeing other artists sound better then their cd when live except Carrie… lol But Craig’s vocals were better then his cd, and he was infectious, funny, happy, outgoing, positive. He got everyone in a great mood for Carrie, and he did his job well. By the time Carrie went on, everyone forgot about the delay getting into the stadium, because both SOS and Craig lifted everyone’s moods. Craig did a great cover that I can’t place right now but I tweeted it so I will check my tweets from last night. Lol Overall, he was a great choice to open for Carrie because I noticed that a lot of older folks or more “country” looking people were really really into him, having a ball. They all stayed for Carrie of course and had a blast for her too, but Craig definitely threw the traditional people a bone, and he was great! I knew way more songs then expected, and I absolutely fell in love with his warm, kind personality. It is impossible not to like this man. Lol
PS- Major Props to Craig for starting his set like 5-10 minutes after SOS finished. Somehow his crew were like supermen and the crowd appreciated the lack of a long wait between SOS and Craig, due to the late start. They must have worked miracles to be ready that fast.
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD: PLAY ON SET
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*NOTE: Some of my videos are from my digital camera, some from my Blackberry. I apologize that most are not full videos, but security was tight last time about camcorders so I did the best I could.
Oh my God. I do not think I can find the words to describe how AMAZING her show was last night! This was my 7th time seeing her live, and honestly, it was like going to a world class Madonna World Tour with the best sound system, best lights, high fashion costumes, high tech stage set and production worthy for Beyonce or Michael Jackson himself! Unbelievable! I am not sure if ANY country artist has EVER matched what Carrie did last night! Watch out everyone- because there is a new ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR- and it is Ms. Carrie Underwood!
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We managed to score 4th row seats and they were great! Even though the show started late, everyone was in a GREAT mood after the SOS and Craig sets, and I could tell this crowd was fired up. As I said above, maybe this is due to it being a Friday night, lots of alcohol, or just the overall great music of the night…but I have never seen Albany NY this fired up at a live show since Bon Jovi or maybe Dave Matthews Band.
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Carrie started out rocking with Cowboy Casanova, and her outfit was a white tux jacket with tight black pants and hot shoes.She sat on the couch which moved around, and the background lighting was red and electric. Even the band was all dressed up with Jimmy wearing a top hat I think? Lol He looked AMAZING! Jamie looked really nice too in an elegant black dress, and the whole band basically wore costumes too, to accent Carrie. That was never done before I don’t think, at a Carrie show?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatgiLCoepU![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010034-1.jpg)
Oh--- the shoes…. I could write a book about the amazing shoes she had on last night! Lol
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Major props to the Costume designer as Carrie’s clothes were almost an integral part of the experience. Everything was perfectly coordinated to the music, and it was like watching a well choreographed Broadway show rather then just a music concert.
The crowd LOVED CC, and was singing along, jumping out of their seats. I didn’t sit the entire show, nor did anyone in my section. Lol
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Quitter was really great live, and definitely a crowd favorite! They were really singing along and loving it! I got a clip on video because I was worried about using up all my memory. Lol I was very surprised to see a lot of the crowd singing along to Quitter as it is so new?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUwf10cLtWM![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010037-1.jpg)
Next came Wasted, and the crowd went crazy as this is an old faithful song that everyone loves. J Plus Carrie rose above the stage during the song and that was really cool. The lights in the background were breathtaking. The whole crowd sang along to this song too. I didn’t take a video of this as I was trying to save it for the new songs.
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Next came I Know You Won’t, and the crowd was mesmerized. Even without the elevation of the stage that she did last time for this song, the song was a highlight of the show. I heard people saying “Wow” collectively all around me. She blew the roof off. I am glad this song stayed in the setlist.
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Some Hearts was next and she did it with guitar, which was a pleasant surprise and happy addition to the song. The crowd seemed very into this song, and many many people around me were saying, “Wow, Carrie plays guitar! And she’s good!”! They had no idea she played guitar. Lol Carrie needs to play in a video or an awards show to set the record straight. Lol She seemed much improved on guitar this year for some reason? Maybe she practiced a lot over the last 2 years since I saw her?
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Just a Dream was breathtaking as she wore this stunning poofy gown and sang while on a swing, as I am sure you all know by now. The scenery looked like the This Is It background, and was visually stunning. I think whomever thought of singing while on a swing was brilliant as it was really nice and added to the song.
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Temporary Home… Oh my god! Carrie’s vocals on this song live are out of this world. This was my first time hearing her sing TH live, and it was so moving. Not only did many people tear up, but here is the cool part: THE WHOLE CROWD WAS SINGING ALONG! I was very surprised to hear so many voices singing along to this song as it is a slow ballad. But it was a crowd favorite for sure. Beautiful performance and I think Carrie was moved when she heard so many people singing along!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKgVyH7WzjY![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010011.jpg)
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Someday When I Stop Loving You: Oh my God.
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2 parts--- sorry!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4t9W6exAQwww.youtube.com/watch?v=RDO7DN00jjQMy favorite song ever by Carrie besides Wasted…lol It was so beautiful hearing it live! The background was visually stunning and added greatly to the song. I wish I had a full video, but here are 3 parts, one from my blackberry, 2 from my digital. The crowd seemed to love this song and knew the words. J
All American Girl: Big crowd favorite. She played guitar to it and that went over really well. Again, vastly improve guitar playing in my opinion. She seemed more comfortable this time and was really good! Great vocals as always, and the crowd all sang along.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_CMJAJXkASo Small was really good last night. The wheat fields in the background was a good fit for the song, and her vocals were spot on flawless.
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GOOTT/Country Roads medley: Wow I am glad I did not watch any videos before hand as while I knew about the truck thing, I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Lol I loved that John Denver song, and the whole performance was really great. The crowd seemed to love the truck thing, and it really gave Carrie a chance to interact with the crowd a little. She said something like “Now I can see all your faces” or something cute like that and everyone applauded whenever the truck got close to them. The whole arena was a SEA OF CAMERAS and videos. Lol It felt like the airport in some parts of the world. Lol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBK2eLj5M-8![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010021.jpg)
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This Time: While in the truck, Carrie did This Time, and it went over really well. It is great live, very catchy and upbeat. I don’t think as many people knew the words to TT as they did to other songs, but in my section, people sang along. It was so much fun!
crummy clip, but better then nothing: lol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQeX924V4Xs![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010020.jpg)
Undo It was a highlight of the night. The entire crowd was singing Na Na Na and Carrie asked for our help to sing the Na Nas while she did a verse. The background videos on the big screen were AMAZING and brilliant, with Carrie ripping up the ex’s clothes and such, and it was very BHC meets Beyonce’s Irreplaceable. Loved it! The crowd knew ALL the words to undo it! Lol They sang really loud!
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Jesus Take the Wheel and How Great Thou Art medley was breathtaking. The roof literally shook when Carrie did HGTA. I think they flowed nicely together, and Jeff/Robert were right that the slow songs in a row thing was not an issue. It was beautiful, and the crowd sang along to JTTW in unison.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vamgwjTYH_Q![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010042.jpg)
What Can I Say was incredible. Ashley did really well with his part last night, and overall, the crowd seemed to love the performance. I managed to get almost a full video of this song thankfully. Hearing this song live for the first time once again convinced me it should be a single. It is amazing. Bravo to SOS and Carrie. SOS played an exquisite violin part that I never heard before, and joined with Carrie’s band I think. It was amazing and classy.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOAH1AhTbJU![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010023-1.jpg)
Change was very powerful live! The flashing dress was cut tonight likely due to the production glitches, but that is ok. I really didn’t miss it. Her vocals did it all. Apparently some rocks and a tree etc were missing too but it didn’t matter. It was amazing anyway.
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I Told You So was the best Carrie ever sounded on that song live, to me….and the surprise holograph addition of Randy Travis was beyond amazing! I knew his voice was on it, but I didn’t read the reviews or watch the videos to know it was a holograph performance! So cool! The crowd loved it and cheered really loudly for Randy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzotNCzP6AMwww.youtube.com/watch?v=_k3n4CynN0g![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010102.jpg)
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Mama’s Song was great live. It is not my favorite Carrie song, but it was wonderful live. The crowd cheered loudly whenever the family photos were shown, especially the Mike one! Mike got the biggest cheer of the night I think! Lol Even though she didn’t play piano due to the production glitches last night, it was still powerful and I don’t feel cheated.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqQiS1F_698![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010103.jpg)
Some crowd members yelled out Happy Birthday Carrie during a slow song, and Carrie heard and smiled/waved to them, said Thanx. It was cute.
Rock won again! But she did Home Sweet Home instead of Summer of 69. Not sure why the change, but I was fine with it as I love HSH live and the crowd seemed very into it. Her vocals were amazing! Here is an almost full video of it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af3FCPO-oMM![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010026-1.jpg)
Chatter: Carrie was so cute here because she told us Rock won before the screen displayed the winner, and realized she let the cat out of the bag and said so. Lol It was cute.
She gave a nice shout out to all the fanclub members in the crowd, and asked us to yell if we were in the Fanclub! J She looked RIGHT AT ME when I raised my hand! Lol Highlight of my night.
Ok--- LAST NAME was also a highlight of the night. The crowd went WILD and sang along to every single word! My video clip does not do the performance any justice as this is a crappy vid clip off my Blackberry, but trust me, she was on fire.
2 parts:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilefa959hbkwww.youtube.com/watch?v=Nedlemk-sqE ENCORE:
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OH my god those videos they played while Carrie changed for the Encore were amazing! They played “Play On” in the background while they showed a montage of all her official music videos, and it was incredible seeing them on such a big screen, in that High Def clarity. WOW! Techies everywhere would have swooned. J
She came out rocking on Before He Cheats, and the whole crowd was dancing, singing, jumping around. She gave the mike out to the crowd a few times and we all sang along. It was really great!
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Her outfit for BHC/SLT was amazing! She wore shorts with this cool jacket thing and Funky boots that had red tints to them that sparkled! Lol HOT!
After BHC she jumped into Songs Like This for the finale, and it was beyond amazing! The crowd loved it, especially when she did the Miranda Lambert line from White Liar. I missed the Beyonce part for some reason? Maybe It came fast and I missed it. Lol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcfkHlzDkrk![](http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g212/tsharky/CarrieUnderwood2010110.jpg)
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The stage video background and lighting for the finale was amazing! These fake people were dancing on the big screen and it reminded me of Regis and Kelly when they have people dance behind the screen. Lol It was amazing and kind of looked like Dr. Suess meets So You Think You Can Dance meets Lady Gaga. It was hot!
Then streamers came down and it was over….leaving the crowd breathless, hoarse, tired, and happy, like we were completely satiated from eating the best meal of our life. While I didn’t want it to end, you left feeling satisfied and like you got WAY MORE then you bargained for. They could totally charge more money for these tickets and it would be worth it…but bravo to Carrie for not charging more. What a great night!
Ended: around 11:50-55pm.
I got a phone call right when the concert ended and noticed how late it was. I have never been to a concert that went to midnight before? I am surprised the venue let them go that late? Maybe since it was a Friday night. They had to go late though since they started an hour late. It was amazing!
CONCLUSION:
If Carrie doesn’t win EOTY at the CMAs this November, or at least get nominated, there is something seriously wrong. Carrie got great reviews this morning from the Albany paper, my radio station and on twitter, etc.
I need to go again…and see her play piano. Scouring for tickets now. Lol
PS: I was told Carrie got her birthday cake and flowers from us all safely, as the florist called me to confirm that security allowed them and someone from Carrie’s team came to personally pick them up from security at the venue. Yay! Hope she liked them!