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Curtain rises on Kenny Chesney tour

Brian Mansfield   | Paste BN

NASHVILLE — Outside Bridgestone Arena was cold and drizzling Thursday night. Inside, it might as well have been a beach party, as Kenny Chesney kicked off The Big Revival Tour 2015. "To say that I missed you guys was an understatement," Kenny Chesney told the audience during a concert that was part tour launch, part guest-packed birthday party. Dressed in a cowboy hat, jeans and a loose-hanging sleeveless Grace Potter & the Nocturnals T-shirt, the country superstar, who turned 47 Thursday, gave a three-hour 36-song set.

A big star — and a big smooch. Taylor Swift, who attended the concert with Scottish producer Calvin Harris, surprised the audience and singing Chesney's 2003 single Big Star with him. After the song, Swift said, "Happy birthday, Kenny!" and gave the singer a big smooch, right smack dab on the lips.

The guest list. Swift was just the first guest of the night. Two songs later, Grace Potter joined Chesney to sing Wild Child, their duet on Chesney's latest album, The Big Revival. She returned during the encore to sing You and Tequila with him. David Lee Murphy, who has written several songs Chesney has recorded, came out to sing two of his hits, Dust on the Bottle and Party Crowd. Uncle Kracker took the stage for When the Sun Goes Down, a 2004 collaboration with Chesney, then stayed to sing a pair of his own hits, Follow Me and Drift Away.

For those about to rock. Chesney's band primarily consists of longtime veterans, but one new face belongs to bassist Harmoni Kelley McCarty. She got a big introduction and a highlight of the set, taking the lead on a cover of AC/DC's Whole Lotta Rosie.

Not done yet. "Usually, that's when we walk off the stage," Chesney said after singing his 1999 hit She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy during his encore, "but not tonight." Not when there's Joe Walsh to be introduced and Rocky Mountain Way to be played. Walsh, who toured with Chesney in 2007, stuck around to sing Happy Birthday, as well as Life in the Fast Lane, Life's Been Good and All Night Long.

It does happen twice. Support acts Chase Rice and Jake Owen got an enthusiastic reception from Chesney's fans, but that's not all Owen appreciated. "It's been a long time since I've played a show, spent the night in my bed, then come back and played the same place the next day," said the Barefoot Blue Jean Night singer. Chesney plays Bridgestone Arena again tonight before moving on to Columbia, S.C., Saturday.

Chesney's set list follows:

  1. Drink It Up
  2. Reality
  3. Beer in Mexico
  4. Keg in the Closet
  5. Til It's Gone
  6. Summertime
  7. Rock Bottom
  8. Pirate flag
  9. No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems
  10. Big Star (with Taylor Swift)
  11. Somewhere With You
  12. I Go Back
  13. Wild Child (with Grace Potter)
  14. Old Blue Chair
  15. Living in Fast Forward
  16. Young
  17. Whole Lotta Rosie
  18. American Kids
  19. Anything but Mine
  20. There Goes My Life
  21. How Forever Feels
  22. Dust on the Bottle (with David Lee Murphy)
  23. Party Crowd (with David Lee Murphy)
  24. Never Wanted Nothing Nore
  25. When the Sun Goes Down (with Uncle Kracker)
  26. Follow Me (with Uncle Kracker)
  27. Drift Away (with Uncle Kracker)
  28. Don't Happen Twice
  29. Out Last Night
  30. The Boys of Fall
  31. (Encore) You and Tequila (with Grace Potter)
  32. She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
  33. Rocky Mountain Way (with Joe Walsh)
  34. LIfe in the Fast Lane (with Joe Walsh)
  35. Life's Been Good (with Joe Walsh)
  36. All Night Long (with Joe Walsh)

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