On August 4^th, 2016 I went to see country female singer Miranda Lambert at the Greek Theater for her Keeper of the Flame tour. Her show started with a video montage featuring several female pop culture figures from Betty Boop to Dolly Parton. After the montage, Lambert and her eight-piece band, they played a ninety-minute set with a lively verison of her hit song “Fastest Girl in Town.” The fast pacing harmonica and banjo playing for her song “Kerosene” was equally bad ass. A wild verison of her song “Bathroom Sink” got the whole crowd on their feet. Then Lambert went into a hard rock phase for her cover of Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” and totally lost herself in the moment. Her heartfelt song “Over You”, co-written by Blake Shelton, had many of her fans singing along with her. She was glowing during her performance for her song “All Kinds of Kinds”, where old time country sounds of the mandolin and lap steel was in the lead. Halfway into her show, she finally introduced her new single to the crowd “Vice”. Other highlights of this show was her singing of “Mama’s Broken Heart”, “Little Red Wagon” and the main set closer “Gunpowder and Lead”. Lambert’s fondness for the 1970’s continued with a carefree performance of “Ophelia” by the band and well known sax player Johnny Reno. They also did a cover of Danny O’Keefe’s “Covered Wagon” and encored with a take on Lowell George’s “Willin”, that Linda Ronstadt recorded for “Heart Like a Wheel”. Tour mates Kip Moore and Brothers Osborne traded verses with Lambert.

Kip Moore whose “Up All Night” album was the most successful male country debut of 2012, and followed it up last year with his album “Wild Ones”. Dressed in a backward ball cap and torn jeans. This croaky vocalist did a 65 minute Greek set with all his popular songs and even some new ones. The rock n’ roll guitar playing, loud drums and a great chorus really made this arena sparkle. His Top 10 single “Beer Money” received a great audience response. Moore also surprised the audience by taking a Jimmy Eat World’s song; “The Middle” and putting his own country twist on it. The good-looking musician was open onstage, while preforming his song “I’m to Blame”. While performing “Come and Get it”, there were three electric guitars there to provide a wonderful sound. He made many ladies in the audience blush and scream while pulling on his shirt while performing his sultry song “Back Seat”. He also took a girl’s cell phone so she would focus on his song “Hey Pretty Girl”. Moore sang to her and followed up with a few verses of Bill Withers song “Lean On Me”. He also stayed in the audience, for his number 1 single “Somethin’ Bout a Truck”. He raised the show’s energy level to a 110% and he finished his set with his song “Magic”.

Earlier, the famous duo Brothers Osborne, played a half hour set of songs from their latest album “Pawn Shop”. John Osborne impressed the crowd with his great electric guitar work, especially while playing “Rum” and “Down Home”. Also John rock out to his own guitar solo on “Stay a Little Longer”. Meanwhile, lead singer TJ Osborne called playing the Greek, “a bucket list moment”, and sang through a megaphone to start “Green Pastures”, a upbeat and twangy country song. Also TJ proved his range in vocals for their single “21 Summer”.