Keith Urban rocks Las Vegas Strip with message of unity
Keith Urban told his crowd at BleauLive Theater on Wednesday to forget about it.
“Leave whatever problems you have, outside,” Urban said near the top of the show. “Just enjoy the next two hours.”
In his third Las Vegas Strip residency, Urban has achieved unity in a fractured culture. His “High In Las Vegas” is a no-acrimony zone at the Fontainebleau theater.
Urban belongs to the Las Vegas Party, more than a political party. His reference to “high” is even open to individual interpretation. Urban himself is clean and sober for 18 years. He said in an interview in June 2023, “When I come out on stage, I’ve got a job to do, which is to bring everybody together. My only job is to bring every person together for two hours.”
A testament to his enduring popularity, Urban is a rare Las Vegas headliner who has fronted residencies in three theaters. Prior to BleauLive, the 56-year-old superstar performed at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort. Only Billy Idol (Pearl at Palms, House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) among current headliners matches the three-venue mark.
In the new show, Urban samples a few songs from “High,” his latest album and the actual inspiration for the show’s title. “Messed Up as Me,” “Straight Line” and”Wildside” are all premiered. Urban said last month at iHeartRadio Music Festival that he scrapped an album he’d been working on early in ‘23, and regrouped to create “High.”
“Some flow thing happened in the studio, so I pretty much scrapped the whole thing,” Urban said. He kept four songs. “At the time I was like, ‘This has never happened before, I don’t know why this is happening.’ But I just stayed the course. Now this record is finished, and I’m so glad that I followed it.”
Urban has no flow issues in the stage show. He’s a fierce guitarist, playing the instrument as if it comes as naturally as filing his nails.
Urban also connects instinctively with the audience. He called up a fan near the front who had a sign saying she’d waited two years for a photo with the hit maker. Urban asked where she was from, and she said from North Carolina, which has been wrecked by Hurricane Helene.
“I’m doing a big benefit concert with my brothers and sisters for hurricane relief,” Urban said, referring to the Concert for Carolina which will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Oct. 26. Luke Combs, Eric Church, Billy Strings, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow and Bailey Zimmerman have committed to the effort. The crowd erupted at that connection.
Urban played “You’ll Think of Me” from a platform in the floor section, in the very middle of the venue. His encore was a simple acoustic turn on “Where the Blacktop Ends.”
He and the backing musicians bowed while jumping up and down, still in tandem. The band departed but Urban stayed, posing for a few selfies. He remained, taking up the spotlight as the crowd filed out. He was still there when I left, as if cathartically savoring every moment.
Cool Hang Alert
Vita Bella Wine Bar & Social Club at Ahern Hotel hosts entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m.-“late.” Lorenzo Clark hosts close-up magic on Wednesdays; DJ Bella’s Karaoke Party is Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; and a swing-dance night is Thursdays. No cover. Go to ahernhotel.com for intel.
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John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.