Dierks Bentley and his Burning Man Tour come to Charlotte NC

Dierks Bentley at PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte North Carolina

By: Michael Bragg (Photo Gallery & Review) of MJBragg Photography

Charlotte, NC (8/8/19) – As I arrived to the PNC Music Pavilion this evening I pulled into a parking lot of cowboy hats and boots kicking up dust, flannel shirts, wrangler jeans and short shorts. Pretty obvious there is a country show tonight as fans tailgated to some of their favorite country music songs provided a backdrop to the smoke of the grills and cold beers. Inside the venue final touches were being out in place for Dierks Bentley and his “Burning Man” tour show to be performed tonight. Bringing along guests Jon Pardi and Tenille Townes attendees were sure to get an earful of Nashville’s finest.

Hot Country Knights

With a special opening set by Hot Country Knights the night started with a comedic set providing lots of laughs. For those that don’t know this groups is actually Dierks and his band as a side project. They dress in the most hideous 80’s and redneck style clothes as the group plays through their renditions of top 90’s country hits. From John Michael Montgomery, Garth Brooks, Tracy Lawrence to Reba McEntire and more the band jokingly fumbles through the classic tunes as the keyboardist seemingly falls asleep, there’s a bit of bickering over who the lead singer is as Dierks gets knocked to the ground, one guy never plays or sings anything just sits on stage with his cooler of beer tossing guitar pics into the crowd. A great lighthearted, fun way to start off the night.

Tenille Townes

Canadian born Tenille Townes was next up with her soulful yet powerful voice. With only a 6 song set she still made an impact. Opening with “White Horse” she instantly showed the crowd her immense talent. Without any hesitancy she owned the mic and stage as she strutted across the stage with her guitar. Providing a sound that has a more modern style yet still reflects some core traditional country values Tenille won fans over as she went on to perform other songs such as “Jersey On The Wall” and a great cover of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2. Closing out her set with her latest single, “Somebody’s Daughter” Tenille thanked the early seat takers for the great response given back to her.

Jon Pardi

Jon Pardi is one of those artists who goes against the grain and does his own thing. Providing hits songs like “Dirt On My Boots” and “Night Shift” that give a throwback to mixture of traditional country with a touch of 90’s vibe Jon has found thousands of loyal listeners. You want find the current trend of dance beats with pre-programmed instruments on his songs. What you hear on his recordings is real and that’s what you get live. Backed by pedal steel and fiddle to accompany his twangy country voice Jon’s music holds reflections of artist he’s looked up to like Dwight Yoakam and Marty Stuart. Pardi showcased some of his influences as he gave the crowd a cover of “My Next Broken Heart” by Brooks & Dunn which is featured on the groups latest release “Reboot.”

Currently out supporting his new single “Heartache Medication” Jon and his band performed the new song for a crowd already familiar with it who sang the words back to him. Showing consistency in sound Pardi’s new album that drops on September 27th, 2019 should be just as successful, if not more, than the predecessor “California Sunrise.”

Dierks Bentley

With 8 studio albums under his belt providing 16 number one singles and 7 more in the top five Dierks Bentley has amassed a large following through the years. Having burst into the spotlight in 2003 with his first single, “What Was I Thinking” reaching number one Bentley has become a mainstay on the country music scene. Currently out on his “Burning Man” tour Dierks is supporting his latest album release “The Mountain.” With the lights low and intro music playing fans watched as silhouettes of band members entered the stage. Last to come out, as the lights came up, was Dierks as he proceeded to the front row shaking hands with his supporters. Throughout his set he mixed in fan favorites like “5-1-5-0,” “Riser” and “Come A Little Closer” providing attendees with plenty of sing-a-long moments. Mid set Dierks was joined by Jon Pardi for a duet of “Missin’ You Crazy” followed up by Tenille Townes taking the stage for a duet of Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman.” Staying on stage for one more song Tenille took over Elle King’s vocals for a special performance of “Different For Girls.”

Ending the set on a high energy performance of “Sideways” Bentley and band bowed to the crowd thanking them for continued years of support. The “Burning Man Tour” continues through September 8th ending in Sacramento, CA.

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Copyright – Michael Bragg/MJBragg Photography

Dierks Bentley

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