My review appears in today's print edition in The Orange County Register, and was originally posted on the Register's Web site on Saturday, Sept. 27. A special "thank you" to Kelly A. Swift for the use of her terrific photos!

Jason Aldean performed before a sold-out crowd at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Sept. 26, 2014.
Photo credit: Kelly A. Swift

ENTERTAINMENT

Jason Aldean heats up Irvine

The singer’s party-ready Burn It Down Tour features rollicking tunes and lots of pyrotechnics.

BY ROBERT KINSLER / CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Published: Sept. 27, 2014 Updated: Sept. 28, 2014 5:30 p.m.

Jason Aldean brought his aptly-dubbed Burn It Down Tour to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Friday (Sept. 26, 2014), unleashing a 90-minute set featuring more than a dozen big hits and even a couple of new gems.

Performing before a sold-out crowd that was already partying at full speed by the time Aldean and his powerful five-man band took the stage at 9:15 p.m., Aldean opened with “Hicktown” before kicking things up with “My Kinda Party.” Both songs would well have got the attention of the crowd anyway, but real-life pyrotechnics and flames shooting up on the stage itself further enhanced the dynamic video images displayed on the side and rear-projection screens.

Aldean proved early and elsewhere throughout the 90-minute concert that he was performing for two audiences. On one hand, he was leading the house band for the biggest bash in town, courtesy of tunes like “My Kinda Party,” “When She Says Baby” and “Tattoos On This Town.” These were the folks taking selfies and making endless beer runs even during the most riveting concert moments.

On the other hand, Aldean was able to equally deliver for those discerning listeners who have connected with his gifts as a singer and how uniquely he can interpret a wide range of songs. On the yearning pedal steel-adorned “Amarillo Sky,” powerful guitar-anchored “Johnny Cash” and reflective “Fly Over States,” he was able to expertly perform for both of those audiences at once.

With Aldean's next album Old Boots, New Dirt set for release on Oct. 7, the capacity crowd was treated to performances of two new songs from the disc. First up, was the introspective ballad “Two Night Town” followed a few selections later by the already million-selling single “Burnin' It Down,” with a notable drum loop that proved Aldean is ever-ready to bring new shades to his distinctive style.

Aldean's encore was all about the party, with the faithful on their feet as the grunge worthy “She's Country” was unleashed with fireworks to boot.

Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line
perform at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Opening for Aldean was the popular Florida Georgia Line, the duo of Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard. The bro-country pair brought their blend of country, rock, hip-hop and pop to Irvine, clearly impressing the party people with a 45-minute set featuring their biggest hits. “It'z Just What We Do,” “Round Here,” the reggae-tinged “Sun Daze” (which could have been a hit for Sugar Ray), and acoustic “Dirt" (off the upcoming album “Anything Goes”) were highlights.

The contemporary country music scene is rife with artists whose biggest talent is scoring hits despite lacking a clear and compelling artistic vision. Such seemed to be the case with opener Tyler Farr, whose 20-minute set indicated there isn’t a heck of a lot more to the Missouri native than “Thank you for loving country music” pronouncements and generic radio-ready tunes such as the newly unveiled country power ballad “A Guy Walks Into a Bar.” Farr was at his best with his rocking hit “Whiskey In My Water.”