Even old mother nature with her unholy wrath of over 6 inches of snow and ice could not keep just about everyone from showing up at the Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana last night to witness a concert performance that was nothing short of spectacular!
Knowing the storms were coming in, my wife and I headed out to the venue at 1:30 in the afternoon. Good thing too, because right after we got there the snow started to fall heavily. I was honored to be able to spend some time with Martina's husband John before the show, talking about a little bit of everything from music to where this whole internet deal is headed.
After seeing just some of what John does to set up the show, let me say that I have the utmost respect for the job that he does. I'm sure a lot of people show up at showtime and don't give a moment's thought to how the whole deal was put together.
The tour crew pulled into Merrillville at about 8 in the morning and were still making adjustments to the stage up until the point the doors were opened to the crowd. John is the ringmaster in what I called the controlled chaos going on around him. Wired to just about everyone through a walkie-talkie system John was busy making decisions about the last minute stage preparations. Then, daughter Delaney was on the radio looking for daddy! It seemed that John and Martina's younger daughter Emma hadn't been feeling too good and was looking for her daddy!
I personally don't know how John keeps up at such a pace throughout a grueling tour schedule like Martina has going. He deserves a lot of credit for getting that live show together, so if you ever get a chance to see him sitting behind that mixing console of his make sure to tell him you appreciate what he does!
Mark Wills opened the show for Martina, and actually really impressed me with his voice. I was not familiar with a lot of his music before last night, but now I'd consider myself a fan. The one song I was familiar with "She's In Love" wasn't played, so I guess I'll have to catch Mark the next time he's in town!
I did have one bit of excitement during Mark's set. Security came up to me and pulled me into the lobby. It seems that the large lens on my camera has caused some unwanted attention, and a not-so-polite member of the Star Plaza's security team was telling me I couldn't take pictures while I was trying to explain to him that I worked for Martina and was taking pictures for her web site. He told me in no uncertain terms that I didn't have a photo pass and to not take any more pictures or the camera would be confiscated. I just shook my head and told them to check with anyone on Martina's staff, that they would know what's going on. He told me no more pictures, so I went back to my seat. About five minutes later one of the ushers came up to me and said, "are you Darren?" and I said yes, and he told me that I was ok to take whatever pictures I want. So, my thanks to John McBride or Mark Hively or whoever took care of that problem!
Then after a brief intermission it was time for the main attraction. The stage was set for Martina to make her entrance. If you haven't seen Martina on this tour, let me just say that the stage set up is beautiful! It's a raised stage with a set of stairs down the center, and stairs on the sides. It was actually a little smaller version of their normal setup, due to the stage area at the Star Plaza being a little bit smaller than normal.
The lights went down and John McBride (at least I believe it was John!) did his best Elvis has left the building voice and said in the darkness... "Please welcome the CMA's Female Vocalist of the Year... MARTINA MCBRIDE." The crowd went crazy and Martina appeared from the center of the stage dressed in black pants and a black top. As she came onto the stage there were bright lights flashing and smoke surrounding her. Martina stared with a great rendition of "It's My Time." A grand entrance for what would be an even better evening!
There are very few artists that I have seen live that not only sound as good as they do on record, but actually sound better. I put Martina into that class without a doubt. Her live performances seem more energetic and have a little wider range than anything you can get from a cd or tape. Needless to say, if you haven't seen Martina live, you need to soon!
The setlist drew mainly from Martina's studio discs, with a stripped down cover of Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou" and the 70's classic "I Can See Clearly Now" thrown in for flavor.
Early on in the show Martina commented that she likes coming to Merrillville because the fans talk to her between songs! While most of the chatter was otherwise respectable men yelling "I love you Martina!" Martina seemed to have a good time interacting with the audience. One little girl named Amber came up to the stage and told Martina it was her 7th birthday. Of course, after that EVERYONE in the audience seemed to be having a birthday! So, Martina took that opportunity to sing a rendition of Happy Birthday to everyone, including her band's piano player Jim.
Another funny moment came when a young man approached the stage with a rose for Martina. She motioned to him with her finger to wait for a second before she hit a series of high notes. Ready to accept the rose from the fan Martina looked down to notice the rose there, but the young man gone. "He left me!" Martina said, getting a laugh from the crowd. I guess he the fan must have gotten a case of nerves being that close to Martina!
The musical highlight of the evening for me had to be when Martina and a piano came up from the floor of the stage and Martina performed a totally breathtaking version of "Valentine" while some home movies of John and the kids played on the large screen behind her. I have to say that Martina is a pretty talented piano player! Look out Sarah McLachlan!
Martina also showed her musical versatility playing the harmonica on "Loves the Only House." This live version of LTOH seemed to rock just a little bit harder than the studio counterpart.
The one-two-three knockout punch was delivered at the end of the set with "Whatever You Say," "A Broken Wing" and "Independence Day." "Whatever You Say" was a hybrid of rock guitar and steel guitar that seemed to me to find a whole new music genre of it's own! For all of the people who claimed Martina's music has gone a little too pop, watch out because this lady can rock and roll with the best of them too!
"A Broken Wing" and "Independence Day" seem to have moved into a neck and neck tie as Martina's staple songs. I still don't understand how someone as small as Martina can belt out those songs on a nightly basis! Her voice never faltering as she seemed to reach notes that I didn't even know existed bringing the crowd into a frenzy!
Martina came back out to do a two song encore before finally exiting the stage, immediately heading to meet with her fan club members. Everyone was happy to get a chance to say hi to Martina, and let her get back to taking care of her sick little girl. Let me just take the chance here to say "thank you" to Martina for still taking time to meet with fans after the show! I know from all the fans I talk to that everyone really appreciates getting a chance to say a quick hello.
Overall, the concert was a top notch show that showcased just how far Martina has come since her days as an opening act for Garth Brooks. Where she once seemed a bit timid on stage, there was no doubt in my mind last night in Merrillville that Martina is now the queen of her own domain as she took the capacity crowd on a musical joyride before sending them back outside to fight the cold and snow!
