A light fog fell over the Luhrs Performing Arts Center house as people sitting in the audience waited for the arrival Vince Gill. The blue lights set the tone for what would be a relaxed and enjoyable evening on Sept. 10.

Drums, keyboard, steel guitar, several microphones and amps, with a background of three steel scaffolding poles holding lights covered the stage. The minimal set up added to the relaxing feeling of the evening.

Once Gill finally came on stage he was dressed casually in jeans and a white and black flannel button-up shirt. The band was dressed similarly with jeans and t-shirts or button ups.

He started off with “One More Last Chance,” to bring the energy of the crowd up. After “Don’t Let Love Start Slippin’ Away,” Gill joked that by doctors orders he could not play more than two fast songs in a row so he would have to slow it down for his next song.

He then slowed it down with “I Still Believe In You” and “Take Your Memory With You.” The audience members seemed to sit farther back in their seats as Gill interacted with the crowd as someone would with a large group of friends.

Between almost all the songs he would either have a story or make a comment to get the audience laughing. He was very relaxed on stage and it seemed to put the audience in the same frame of mind.

The next few songs, “Tryin’ To Get Over You,” “High Lonesome Sound” and “Some Things Never Get Old” followed in line with this as well.

One of his many stories during the night explained how he got to work with one of his favorite artists, Diana Krall, who collaborated with him on the song “Faint of Heart”, which set itself apart from many of the other songs. Since Krall is a jazz musician, the song felt more soulful than most of the others which were more country and bluegrass.

Gill even joked that he felt he should have a cigarette after playing that song. This then lead into stories of his family, many of whom smoked. But this mainly led to stories of his father.

His father became a large part of the night as he spoke of him fondly, remembering how his father supported him in the early parts of his career. He also mentioned how his father taught him how to play guitar and even gave him a song idea.

Gill also wanted to pay tribute to those in the military by playing “The Fightin’ Side Of Me.” This was the finale of a combination of Merle Haggard and Buck Owens songs he had performed for a record, paying tribute to what he called “country legends” and whom he said changed the country music industry.

He then got a chair, shouting into the audience, since he was away from the microphone, “Doctor’s orders to sit down.” As the crowd laughed, he sat in front of the microphone while the other members of the band disbursed, making it feel even more conversational as he plucked strings and told even longer stories, mixing the laughter with some tears.

The band came back, paying tribute to an ex-drum player, Martin Parker, who had passed away the night before. Gill’s drummer stood by the acoustic guitarist and sang, leaving the drums silent for “Go Rest High On That Mountain.”

But the night ended on a much higher note with “What the Cowgirls Do” and “Liza Jane”.

After the concert ended, Shippensburg University President Jody Harpster, who was in attendance said that he enjoyed the concert and it was, “fabulous.”

Share