Sugarland, USANA Amphitheater, Aug. 20
WEST VALLEY CITY – The heart is a symbol country super duo Sugarland use frequently.
Saturday night at the USANA Amphitheater, Sugarland showed that their hearts not only stood for love, but also courage and strength as the band put on a powerful show, exactly one week after the tragedy at the Indiana State Fair.
Just minutes before the band was to take the stage on Aug. 13, a strong gust of wind caused the entire stage to collapse. Four people were killed immediately. Friday, it was announced that a sixth person had died as a result of injuries sustained from the accident.
Though inconsequential in the overall picture, Sugarland’s elaborate stage and many of their instruments were also destroyed.
As the crew set up Sugarland’s stage Saturday night at USANA, it looked like a band rehearsal inside a local warehouse as the band didn’t even have a large curtain that most acts hang in the rear of the stage. Those who went to Sugarland’s show last year at the former E Center for the beginning if their Incredible Machine Tour saw the large stage set-up.
This year, the band had a few lights, smoke machines, speakers and instruments. But with the charismatic duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, combined with Nettles’ powerful vocals, that was really all that was needed Saturday night.
The stripped down version of Sugarland showed that while an elaborate stage is good entertainment, what makes Sugarland work is the talents and professionalism of Nettles and Bush.
The band took the stage with “All We Are” followed by a string of big hits including “Stuck Like Glue,” “Settlin’,” “It Happens” and “All I Want To Do.”
“We are so glad to be here, in so many ways,” Nettles told the crowd.
Bush was full of energy from the start as he ran across all corners of the stage. The entire six piece band was a tight unit all evening. And Nettles’ voice may have been the best it’s ever been in Utah, especially on songs like the passionate “Tonight” and “Stay.”
Sugarland played several songs off their latest album, The Incredible Machine, including “Little Miss,” “Find The Beat Again” and the title track.
Nettles is admittedly a fan of all types of music, and it wouldn’t be a Sugarland concert without a bevy of cover songs. This time around, Nettles and company did a medley that included Cee-Lo Green’s “Forget You,” Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”
Sugarland later tagged few bars from Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to “Find The Beat Again.”
The band stripped it down even more to a campfire-style of playing for “Baby Girl” while Nettles strapped on an acoustic guitar for “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” with Bush playing the part of Jon Bon Jovi. Sugarland finished their main set with “Something More.”
For the encore, Nettles dedicated “Love” off the Love On The Inside album to “all the beautiful people of Indiana,” those killed in the tragedy, those injured in the tragedy and the rescuers who worked so hard to assist those who were injured.
Continuing with the covers, and Sugarland’s tradition of ending their shows with a cover song. the band went circa 1980′s for Dexys Midnight Runners’ lone hit, “Come On Eileen.”
After the tragedy in Indiana, Sugarland announced they would continue with their tour and begin the process of healing through performing. Saturday night’s show at USANA should go a long way in helping the healing process. It was emotional, energetic and Nettles, one of country music’s most consummate performers, along with Bush, put on a solid performance from start to finish.