Saturday August 24th

Brad Paisley @ Casino Rama

Friday July 9th, 2004

Brad Paisley’s been a pretty regular visitor to Casino Rama over the past few years, but something had always come up that got in the way of our attending. So this year we were so pleased that it all worked out and we were able to make it. Now for those of you who might not know it, Brad is an all around entertainer of the highest calibre, and the lineup at the box office and at the admittance door was not a surprise. For his two-night appearance (the first night being the Thursday) he filled the room each night, and I’m sure many of those people had been out last year too. By the time the show was due to start the room was packed, and I do mean packed! Hats were out in force, and about 10 minutes before show time some cowboys began calling out for Brad...yeah, he appeals to everyone, not just the ladies.

When the lights went down at 9 and the band filed onstage, just silhouettes in the dark, the crowd went wild...

Video of wild west scenes begins playing in the background and a musical interlude that leads right into ‘Wrapped Around’, with it’s unmistakable first few bars lets you know that Brad is in the house...hatless, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, with one of his signature ‘Paisley’ guitars in his hands and a huge smile, he quickly steps over to the microphone to say “Hey y’all!” as the lights go up brightly for a second. He sees us, we see him. And it becomes a love-in from then on...

“Two Feet Of Topsoil” had the band just revving up and it seemed as quickly as it started, it was over. A band member stepped out and put Brad’s hat on him from behind, and he had to pause for a second to adjust it just right, which brought the cheers on again. Now it was Brad as we’d become used to seeing him, because to be honest the man is just so young, so accomplished and so darned cute, and the hat seems to make us give him the respect he has earned...Grand Ole Opry member, platinum status and critically acclaimed songwriter. And don’t forget that voice!

Brad plays for as long as there’s a guitar in his hand, I don’t think it’s even a conscious thing anymore, so as he began a conversation with us softer strains of strumming came through to backlight his words. He referred to us as ‘God’s frozen people’ (and in this summer-that-really-wasn’t, he wasn’t wrong), and told us how much they’d enjoyed performing for us. They’d been here a few times now, and they love Tim Horton’s (cheers and laughs for that one), they’d been able to see a moose and they actually bought some red and white ‘Canada’ jackets. “What’s with the marijuana leaf, though?” he asked, and as the chuckles died down he dedicated the next song to “the rednecks like me who can’t keep their trucks clean.” “Mud On The Tires” was the next song. Really dazzling light show for the guitar solos during the song...that’s one thing you get to enjoy that you don’t get on the recorded versions. The artists chance to have a little ‘creative license’ and jazz it up a little; it’s really a lot of fun.

The next totally crowd pleasing song was “We Danced”, and he even snuck in the obligatory “Eh!” which made everyone giggle. For this one Brad was on acoustic duty. “Relationship advice portion of the show,” Brad announced, “is next. Honesty is the most important thing in a relationship...and then there’s knowing when not to be honest.” “That’s Love” is about telling those little white lies, to avoid hurting the other person...and then Brad mentions how the guy who yelled out when he said that is going to pay for it on the ride home. Another chance to display that awesome guitar skill that brought him to the attention of Nashville in the first place, and “Me Neither” was the next roaring song. Geez, he really has a lot of those, doesn’t he? I think the band has more fun on the wild musical interlude songs than anything else, and when you’re that good it’s a joy to experience, anytime. “Little Moments” brought the crowd to it’s vocal best again, screaming whenever there was a break in the song.

For the rocker hidden deep in most country fans the next song was “Sharp Dressed Man”. That hidden rocker must live in the band too, because they surprised everyone by doing the ‘ZZ Strut’ across the stage behind Brad. During the next lull, Brad wanted to introduce the band...Gary was from Winnipeg, so he got some pretty good cheers. Banjo player Ken was from Toronto, fiddle player Justin from Hamilton (????)...(I’m beginning to think a leg is being pulled here...or more accurately, about 8,000 of them). Randall on steel is from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and bass player Kenny claimed Niagara Falls. Drummer Ben was in his own backyard, as he claimed Orillia...no word on where Brad is from. (They must have really liked Timmy’s, to want to defect like that.)

Softer strains again for “He Didn’t Have To Be”, along with video of different family scenes. Brad goes back to an acoustic next and the band leaves the stage, which he says is fun because he can play whatever pops into his head. As a girl yells out “I love you!” Brad grins, and continues strumming. “Yeah, yeah, yeah...you said the same thing to Don Henley on Wednesday.” Everyone chuckled and then a guy yelled out “I love you Brad!” Brad quickly replied, “No you don’t, you’re just confused.” And then we all laughed, even Brad.

He says he’s working up a song about Canada based on the South Park show, called, “Blame Canada”. As the yelling between two concert goers continued, he listened from the stage in amazement for a moment before announcing,” You guys are wild!” “Old Rugged Cross” is what he decides to play next, and what a voice! A brief discussion was followed by the start of “Hello Darlin’”, which became a singalong between Brad and the crowd. Everyone got right into “Dixieland Delight”, clapping along with Brad right from the beginning. Someone yelled out something and he picked up on it, saying, “Alright, want some Haggard?” and headed into “Are The Good Times Really Over”. Calls of Johnny Cash brought us “Folsom Prison Blues” and as the yelling out multiplied Brad had to laugh. “Now how am I supposed to understand that? All I hear is ‘mmmn mmmn, eh?” And we had to laugh, because that’s probably just what is sounded like. “One By One” is on “Mud On The Tires”, and it’s a really funny, quirky song that Brad wrote and I know you’re gonna love (if you don’t have the CD yet), it’s a real thinker-song. You still find yourself smiling about it even after it’s over.

Complaints about crossing the border and border guards (whether you’re coming or going) had Brad revealing that it’s even worse when they turn out to be fans. “Mr. Paisley, I’m a big fan...now could you strip down?” The conversations continued, leading someone (a guy, go figure) to yell out “Brad, boxers or briefs?” So Brad replies, “Depends...” and stops, and everyone laughed again.

“If You Want To Say I Love You, Put That Toilet Seat Down” is a truly hilarious song, that deep, meaningful type of song that every songwriter wants to write. (Tales of the first year of married life, perhaps??)

Band files back out for the absolutely haunting “Whisky Lullaby”. For Alison’s part, the screen behind Brad lights up with the beautiful image of Alison’s face, singing her part. And the duet is completed together that way...just made a great show even better. “Celebrity” was performed along to the video too, and it was during this song that the sneaking down to the stage began. In no time dozens of folks were dancing down in front, and the ultimate no-no of a girl sneaking up onto the stage (well away from Brad, but still a no-no) had a security guard flying across after her. And she broke the record for jumping back down. The image of a big fish on the video screen had everyone jumping again, and “I’m Gonna Miss Her” (which we first heard four years ago at Fan Fair) signaled the end of the show but of course he wasn’t getting away that easily. Sure enough, the band filed back out for the encore song, “The Walk On By”, a swinging choice for a goodbye song. Hopefully just until next year, when this unassuming, charismatic and incredibly talented friend comes back again. And make sure you go too! You’ll have a great time, we guarantee it!

Thanks once again to the so-professional-it’s-scary staff at Casino Rama, for making it such a great night for everybody. Dave, nice job putting Wayne on the ‘big screen’, he’ll return the favour someday. Very special thanks to Brad Paisley and his band for making the trek north again this year. Makes us know that there is an answer to the song “Who Will Fill Their Shoes?”

Written by Kim Jamieson

Photos by Wayne Tozzi