WEST VALLEY CITY — After a couple years on hiatus concentrating on family and solo projects, Lady Antebellum was injected with fresh energy during its “You Look Good” tour stop Wednesday night at USANA amphitheater.
The trio, composed of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, proved their decade making country hits together has only improved with time. And while a storm threatened the evening, the little rain that fell kept neither the band nor fans deterred from having a great time.
The true letdown of the night was learning the group would be one man short. Haywood, who plays guitar, piano, mandolin, and sings backing vocals, was out with the flu. He appeared for the first number and then left without warning, leaving folks scratching their heads until Kelley bore the bad news.
“We’re going to give him some love while he tries to sleep this off in the bus,” Kelley said, working to keep fans energized despite their visible disappointment. As with any live performance, the show must go on — and so it did, thanks to the trio-turned-duo’s enthusiasm and tenacity.
The set included mostly upbeat numbers and numerous hits, giving fans the good time they came for. Crowds danced feverishly to the fun loving country-pop songs that have topped the charts over the years, like “Lookin for a Good Time,” “Need You Now,” “Just a Kiss,” “Compass” and “Bartender.”
The band jazzed things up by introducing a trumpet and trombone player — not typical for a country concert. Kelley explained the brass instruments worked so well for one of their newest singles, “You Look Good,” that they were invited on tour.
While the musicians were all wonderfully talented, there were times when almost a dozen folks were onstage at once. While having a mandolin, drums, multiple guitars, keys and brass instruments probably added to the party vibe, it also made it hard for Kelley and Scott’s amazing harmonies to always shine through.
The high points seemed most often to occur when the band sang stripped-down, acoustic versions of their hits, or when Kelley and Scott sat alone on bar stools to sing Shania Twain’s “Still the One.”
Kelley reminisced about walking into 12th and Porter, a bar in Nashville, and hearing the voice of Scott for the first time as she sang Twain’s legendary tune.
Like all great country concerts, the band took time to make its audience feel like one of the gang — joking around, chatting up fans and taking selfies or signing posters. To be country is to be gracious, and true to form the band repeatedly thanked the audience for coming out.
“It’s been two years since we’d been on stage together, and we don’t take it for granted,” Scott said as she talked about the band’s break, thanking the fans for coming out and discussing the future.
That future will include the addition of twins with her husband, the band’s drummer, Chris Tyrrell, who accepted onstage congratulations from Kelley. A post on social media earlier this month has also announced that Haywood and his wife are expecting their second child.
It’s the personal details and band relationships that audiences pine for. All evening, Kelley and Scott gave fans a glimpse into their chemistry — from their singing to their playful ribbing to their easy rapport, proving they’re not just coworkers but true friends. Best of all, they made their audience feel like true friends as well.