Carrie Underwood’s Denim and Rhinestones Tour Sparkles at Tampa’s Amalie Arena
It has been almost 20 years since Carrie Underwood hit our T.V. screens auditioning for American Idol Season 4! She first played the Amalie Arena in 2005 on the “American Idols Live” tour as the Idol winner. Not only did she win but Simon Cowell predicted she would “sell more records” than any other Idol winner. Not only has she done that, but she is also currently the reigning “People’s Choice Award for Country Artist” and has won Grammys, CMT and CMA awards as well as American Music Awards. She is at the top of her country music game. This is her 7th concert tour in support of her 9th album, and it keeps getting bigger and better! A diamond shaped walkway stretching across the arena with a general admission audience on the walkway sides, Carrie likes to have contact with her fans. The Amalie was packed with cowboy hats, jeans, and boots of every design. There was no mistaking that this was a country show! Jimmie Allen is opening for Carrie on this tour, he is supporting his “Tulip Drive” record. Jimmie and his band do an excellent job getting the crowd fired up.
Carrie arrives onstage rising from the floor to her opening tune, “Good Girl.” She is dressed in colored rhinestones and black denim jeans, the first of many costume changes throughout the show. “Church Bells” comes next and then a personal fav, “Undo It”. Carrie gets the audience involved with a fun sing-along. She took it back to the early 2000’s with “Wasted” and “Cowboy Casanova”. For her award-winning duet with Jason Aldean, “If I Didn’t Love You.” Aldean appears on the big screen while Carrie in a gold mini-dress sings her part on the main stage, and it works well.
She moves the show from the main stage to the end stage on a beautiful floral swing for “Ghost Story”. She picks up a guitar for “Two Black Cadillacs”. She takes us to church with her 2005 first #1 hit “Jesus Take the Wheel” and a beautiful version of “How Great Thou Art”. She moved back across to the mainstage with “Crazy Angels” on a circular metal trapeze above the audience. Jimmie Allen joins Carrie. onstage for a fun duet version of the title track “Denim and Rhinestones.” They danced and shook hands with fans. During band introductions, Carrie jumps on a drum kit and plays a drum solo “Something In the Water” is a big production number raising Carrie in a blue & white gown in front of the video screen that flashes a background of watercolors and images.
Coming back for the encore, Carrie rocks it out with a cover of Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle,” complete with a GnR leather jacket! The crowd was singing along and the energy level in the arena turned electric. Carrie can sing any genre and her voice works great on Jungle. She is known to be a huge fan of Guns and has sung with them on several occasions. She closed with one of her biggest hits and 2006 Country Song of the Year, “Before He Cheats” which included a sing-along and pyro. Carrie puts on a great show, and she sings her ass off! Even Simon Cowell could not have predicted just how far and how long Carrie Underwood would stay! The Denim and Rhinestones tour runs around the U.S. through March 17th. Carrie has a residency in Las Vegas at Resorts World, with various dates from June through December. All info on Carrie at Carrie Underwood Official
Vicky Sullivan Photos