Most would agree the weekend starts at 5 o’clock on Friday, so it’s no coincidence that Brad Paisley brought his Weekend Warrior tour to Bridgestone Arena on Friday night. His openers for this tour include Canadian country artist Lindsey Ell, singer-songwriter Chase Bryant, and Tennessee native Dustin Lynch.
Lindsey Ell delivered a short set, with obvious blues and rock influences in her voice and guitar playing, but with just enough of a hint of country to still fit in with the rest of the lineup. She thanked the crowd for making her single “Criminal” her first song to make it into the top 25 on country radio. But by far the most impressive part of her performance was her guitar playing. When she launched into a rocking solo, a double take was required to make sure it wasn’t coming from one of the members of her backing band, and it wasn’t.
Next Chase Bryant took the stage, with his own impressive guitar solos, making you wonder if the country guitar god, Paisley himself, was responsible for picking his openers. Bryant performed a sermon of sorts rallying the crowd to support the military and then launched into a cover of “Pink Houses” by John Mellencamp that got the arena singing along.
Dustin Lynch was the final opener, and showed his appreciation for the opportunity to play the arena. A Tullahoma native, Lynch talked about coming to Bridgestone Arena to see his favorite artists over the years and now finally being on the stage himself. Since it’s so close to his hometown he joked all his “67 cousins, aunts, and uncles” were in the crowd watching. Though he only played a set of nine songs, nearly all of them were radio hits, including “Mind Reader,” “Small Town Boy,” and “Seein’ Red.”
Brad Paisley brought his well-known humor, talent, and excitement to Nashville. From giving away a guitar to a little girl in the front row, to singing another girl happy birthday, to bringing soldiers onstage to thank them for their service, Paisley was nothing short of spectacular. Of course he rocked all his hits like “Old Alabama,” “Ticks,” and “This is Country Music.”
The cutest moment of the night came when Dustin Lynch returned to the stage to perform “I’m Still a Guy” with Paisley. Lynch appeared with a baby goat in his arms, which he announced was a gift for Paisley for being the “G.O.A.T.” or “greatest of all time” and as a thank-you for bringing him on tour.
For the end Ell and Bryant returned to perform Paisley’s anthem “Alcohol” all together outfitted in Predators jerseys.
The Weekend Warrior tour continues in the United States through August. Paisley will be back in Nashville on April 19 for the Nashville Comedy Festival.