This isn't your grandfather's country music, but the songs of Miranda Lambert and guests were music to the ears of Grand Forks fans Sunday night as the country music superstar performed at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Lambert and opening acts Josh Kelley and Eric Church drew 5,585 people to the arena for more than three hours of rock-influenced country hits. It was the latest stop of a nationwide tour in support of Lambert's third album, "Revolution," that she released in September 2009.
Josh Kelley's five-song, 20-minute set proved to be a mellow introduction to the night as he performed five songs displaying his new country sound.
Kelley has had four hit singles on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart over the years. He ended his performance with "Georgia Clay," a Top 40 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart -- his first-ever country music hit after switching to the genre this year.
North Carolina native Eric Church cranked up the volume for his 50-minute set, tearing through 12 rollicking songs that got the crowd in the right mood for an energetic show.
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He kicked off with "Before She Does" and kept the energetic mood going throughout his set. He had the crowd singing along to the title track from his 2006 debut album, "Sinners Like Me," and was at his unashamed country best with his Top 20 hit "How 'Bout You."
But it was clear that the crowd was there to see Miranda Lambert, a native of Texas who rose to fame when she finished in third place on the 2003 season of "Nashville Star." She was quickly signed to a record deal, and released debut album "Kerosene" in 2005.
Lambert released her third album, "Revolution," in September 2009. She's released four singles from the album so far, including "The House that Built Me," her first No. 1 country hit.
It's been a good year for Lambert, who made history when she was nominated for nine Country Music Association awards this year. Earlier this month, she celebrated her 27th birthday just before picking up three of those CMA awards to add to the four other major awards she's already received in 2010, capping off a year of critical acclaim and strong record sales.
Lambert took the stage about 9:15 p.m., kicking off her set with "Only Prettier," drawing loud screams from the ladies in the audience as she sang, "I'm just like you, only prettier."
Next up was "Kerosene," a song off her debut album that became Lambert's first single to be certified gold in 2006. The tough girl attitude of the song -- which is about getting revenge on a cheating boyfriend by burning down his house -- helped establish Lambert's reputation in the country music world and gave her the spotlight in a genre full of popular female singers.
Lambert brought out her trademark pink guitar for a cover of Hal Ketchum's "Small Town Saturday Night" before launching into "Dead Flowers," a single off her latest album.
Her next song was "More Like Her," a song from the 2007 album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" that tells the tale of a woman watching her cheating boyfriend return to his old girlfriend.
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Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .
