By: Christian Scalise
“Kellie Pickler Rocks Cubby Bear”
Country music sweetheart Kellie Pickler brought her show to the Cubby Bear North in Lincolnshire Saturday September 29th 2007. Kellie is no stranger to the area. She has performed in Chicago several times in the last few months. Either she can’t get enough of Chicago, or Chicago can’t seem to get enough of the charming platinum blonde America fell in love with on “American Idol!!!!"
The Cubby Bear North offered an intimate setting. It had a dance floor that was standing room only, booths to sit in while eating in the dining area, and an upper level that had a bird’s eye view of the stage. The venue had a sports oriented environment. It is located 40 minutes northwest of Chicago.
Kellie’s show started at 10:15 pm to which she received a very warm welcome by the audience. She wore a cute pair of distressed jeans, a grey top, and a fitted black jacket. She looked stunning!! Kellie opened her show with “Gotta Keep Moving” it was a great choice for an opener. “I’ve been waitin’ to see you all day!!” Kellie told the crowd after her performance.
The next song “Things That Never Cross A Man’s Mind” was very upbeat and it had the crowd singing along!! Kellie mentioned that it was her new single. (Make sure to REQUEST the song at your local radio station!!)
Kellie dedicated “One Of The Guys” to all the ladies in the audience and mentioned that she co-wrote the song for her debut album “Small Town Girl.” “It’s easier to be a guy!!” Kellie shouted to the audience during the song. Her performance was very sassy and flirtatious!!
“My Angel” was a very serious song and Kellie told the audience that she wrote it about her late grandmother. “My grandmother took me under her wing; she was my best friend and my angel.” Kellie told the audience in a soft voice. Her performance of the song was very touching and sentimental!!
“Do you guys like Patsy Cline??” .... “You Better!!” Kellie told the audience. She then performed a sensational cover of the late great Patsy Cline’s hit, “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Kellie’s version of the song had a rock and roll feel to it!! Patsy would be proud!! It is great to see that Kellie has respect and admiration for the legends of country music!!!!
Kellie has a great way of connecting with her audience. She is very personable, and she has a down home attitude that is very welcoming. She has a very flamboyant personality, and definitely caught the attention of all the men in the audience with her good looks and charm. Her positive attitude and bubbly personality make her irresistible!!! When she takes the stage, she commands it!!
“We have a little surprise for ya!! I’ve got a brand new song and I’ve only sang it once before.” Kellie told the crowd. “I wrote it with my friend Taylor Swift on the Brad Paisley tour this past summer.” “I hope you like it!!”
“Cheaters” was well received by the audience. “Do y’all think I should put that on my next record??” Kellie coyly asked the audience. In response to her question came roaring applause!! Looks like she may have a hit on the way!!!
“This next one is a favorite of mine. It is one that I co wrote off my album.” Kellie mentioned to the audience. “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You?” showcased Kellie’s powerful vocals!! It was a beautiful song that had some of the audience in tears!! Kellie’s band finished off the song and she received great applause after her performance!!
Next up was “Small Town Girl” which is also the title of Kellie’s debut album. “This is the first song I ever wrote.” “The biggest deal we ever had in our town was a Super Wal-Mart!!” Kellie told the crowd. “Small Town Girl” is an autobiographical song that tells the story of Kellie’s youth from growing up in Albemarle, North Carolina. It also tells of her feelings about her rise to stardom and what matters most to her in life. She took her fans on a journey to her cherished childhood memories during the song. It was a great performance!!
A fan came to the stage to give Kellie red roses!! Kellie took them and put them on the stage. Kellie’s next song was definitely a favorite of mine. “Ladies, stand by your man!!” Kellie told the audience. Kellie performed a cover of country legend Tammy Wynette’s classic tune “Stand By Your Man.” Kellie’s performance of Tammy’s hit song was well received by the audience. After her performance Kellie introduced her talented band to the audience.
Kellie’s covers of the “traditional country” tunes were enjoyed by all throughout the evening!! Her next cover was her best of the evening!! Kellie told the audience about her special meeting with her idol, music icon Dolly Parton from this past February. “Dolly’s got the whole package.” “I almost touched “them”!!” teased Kellie!! The entire audience laughed along with her!!
Kellie’s vibrant and pleasingly upbeat performance of “9 to 5” had the entire audience on their feet!! She joked to the audience that they better tip the servers or she won’t be their friend!! Kellie has several similarities to Dolly Parton. I’ve had the honor of meeting Dolly in person and seeing her perform numerous times, I must say that I am sure that Dolly would be proud of Kellie's performance!!
Kellie’s performance of “I Wonder” was long awaited by the crowd!! Kellie sat on a bright red stool to perform the touching ballad that she wrote about her mother. “This song is very personal to me. I co-wrote it and it’s a reflection of how I feel inside.” Kellie told the crowd. “I Wonder” is a beautiful song. It was a special moment because Kellie connected with the audience during the song. She sang her heart out on it!! After the performance Kellie wiped away tears from her eyes.
Kellie introduced her next song, “Red High Heels” to the audience. “I didn’t wear my red high heels tonight. I couldn’t wear em because my pants weren’t hemmed and they are too long to wear heels.” Kellie encouraged the audience to sing along with her!! After her performance Kellie graciously signed autographs for her fans. Kellie appreciates her fans and it is apparent that they are very special to her!! “Thank you so much!!” “You’ve been great!!” After Kellie left the stage, the audience cheered for more!!
Kellie returned for an encore of “Independence Day.” Her cover of Martina McBride’s hit song was phenomenal!! “This is one of the very first songs I’ve sung.” Kellie told the audience. Kellie’s show ended at 11:22pm.
Kellie’s concert Saturday evening was filled with great covers and several selections from her debut album “Small Town Girl.” The venue was the perfect setting for her show. Kellie pleased the audience with her “girl next door” charm and wit. We look forward to her return to Chicago!!
Full Set List;
1. Gotta Keep Moving
2. Things That Never Cross A Man's Mind
3. One Of The Guys
4. My Angel
5. Walkin' After Midnight
6. Cheaters
7. Didn't You Know How Much I Love You?
8. Small Town Girl
9. Stand By Your Man
10. 9 To 5
11. I Wonder
12. Red High Heels
(Encore)
13. Independence Day
9x5 - video
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