Reviews: Keith Urban, Lydia Loveless, Hall & Oates, Leon Bridges, Gladys Knight

Keith Urban @ Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 15 – “Let it be known that Urban is a hotshot guitarist of the highest order. If he weren’t the front man, well, he’d be one hell of a sideman and back-up singer.” – Gerry Krochak / Calgary Sun

Daryl Hall & John Oates @ Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 14 – “It wasn’t until the fifth song – John Hall stepped to the mic for ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,’ the Righteous Brothers song that the duo covered decades ago – that the vibe picked up in the crowd. From then on, the band seemed much more comfortable and slipped into a fantastic groove that it held for the rest of the night.” – David Accomazzo / Phoenix New Times

Leon Bridges @ Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla., Sept. 14 – “Everything about his joyful candor reminded the crowd of times they didn’t know they were missing. His smooth vocal delivery peppered with a sultry cadence and G-rated dance moves carried the air of a true gentleman. His unreleased song, ‘Hold On,’ embodied that notion perfectly: ‘I wish I could go back to the time, the time when things were good…I gotta hold on.’” – Stephanie Bolling / Tampa Bay Times / TampaBay.com

Gladys Knight @ WinStar Global Events Center in Thackerville, Okla., Sept. 9 – “For one of her biggest hits, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine,’ Knight had the near-sellout audience participating and dancing in the aisles. In contrast, her ballad and strong performance of her chart-topper ‘Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye),’ moved many to tears.” – Carla Meadows / The Oklahoman / NewsOK.com

Lydia Loveless @ Coectivo Coffee – Prospect Café in Milwaukee, Wis., Sept. 11 – On ‘Bilbao,’ she sang longingly to a lover, desperate to be married, desperate to be comforted. Her voice was quiet, aching, until the pain became too much to bear, cracking painfully at the song’s climax.” – Piet Levy / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel