Jay DeMarcus has this impression he does of girls in short skirts. He purses his lips, puts his hand on his hip, sticks his rear out and prances across the stage. It’s hilarious. He did it Thursday night during Rascal Flatts’ concert at the Civic Center, and he did the same impression when the band visited Peoria in September 2008.
Some of the small talk – and the set list – mirrored the show last time around. But the band, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, has returned a little bit older and with a little bit more money to put into stage toys.
The stage was set up with a catwalk that went clear to the back of the arena floor, a nice touch that afforded a good view for what Civic Center officials said was a crowd of 7,500 that turned out to see the “American Living Unstoppable” tour.
There were two giant screens flanking the stage, three screens that sometimes hovered high above the stage and sometimes sat on the stage floor. There were several extremely large screens that were set up behind the band, too. The screens flashed tangerine-colored paint splatters, wavy blue lines, a scene of winter trees being dusted with snow during “Here Comes Goodbye.” There were lights that made it look like it was snowing on the arena crowd, too.
Perhaps the coolest trick was a mirrored mosaic piano that was lifted into the rafters once band members were through using it.
Gary LeVox, like the last time he was in town, chose a cute child from the crowd to lift up on stage and hold her hand as he led her around the catwalk to wave at fans. The set list included “My Wish,” which followed a video segment on the band’s involvement with the Make-A-Wish foundation and a children’s hospital in Nashville. During the song, the entire front of the arena appeared to be draped in blue stars, thanks to the multiple screens.
During “Bless the Broken Road,” the stage floor was engulfed in wafting fog. The trio of DeMarcus, LeVox and Joe Don Rooney crowded around a microphone together, and they looked like perfectly stylish angels: outfitted in sparkly shirts and jeans with rhinestones, their hair coiffed just so.
The show began with an hour-long set by Darius Rucker. While Rucker fits neatly into the country realm, it’s hard not to associate him with his Hootie and the Blowfish days. And he doesn’t seem eager to leave them behind, performing songs like “Let Her Cry” to an eager audience.
He also performed “Only Wanna Be With You,” introducing it as: “This is a song I have to play for the rest of my life.”
Why, Darius? Why? Didn’t we hear enough of this mediocre song all throughout the 90s?
Other notable numbers included the drinking anthem “Drinkin’ and Dialin’,” with the lyrics “Next time you think I’ve had too much to drink and you tell me I shouldn’t drive home / When you take my keys, oh I’m begging you please, go on take my cell phone.”
He paid tribute to his country ancestors with the mother of all drinking anthems, Hank Williams Jr.’s “Family Tradition.” Pretty much any performer could make this tune fun, and Rucker’s deep, raspy voice suited the song surprisingly well. A short fiddle solo could’ve been extended, though.
Rucker closed by mixing soul and country on his version of “Purple Rain” – a feat that few country singers could pull off.
Danielle Hatch can be reached at 686-3262 or [email protected].
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