Brad Paisley Triumphs as a True ‘Weekend Warrior’ During Virginia Concert

Paisley rocks hard during his live show, and it was the classic 'American Saturday Night' when he hit the Virginia venue over the weekend.

Written by Kelly Brickey
Brad Paisley Triumphs as a True ‘Weekend Warrior’ During Virginia Concert
Brad Paisley; Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images

For almost 20 years, Brad Paisley has reigned supreme when it comes to his live performances and his Saturday night show (Sept. 9) was no exception from that rule.

Taking on the outdoor Jiffy Lube Live! amphitheater in Bristow, Virginia, thousands of fans packed close together for a night to remember underneath a gorgeous late summer evening. As the sun set below the horizon behind the grassy open seating, Lindsay Ell fired up the crowd with her guitar-shredding skills. Busting her chops on tracks like “All Alright” and “Waiting on You,” country music’s latest girl crush proved she’s more like a powerhouse when someone plugs her into the amp.

Chase Bryant blazed through his time on stage, hitting high notes on his tracks such as “Room to Breathe” and “Hell If I Know.” He even threw it back to the song to “Take It On Back” as the venue filled up its staggered seats full of devoted country music lovers.

Keeping the flame alive, Dustin Lynch took the torch as the next performer and gave fans a “Hell of a Night” with a lively opening number. Feeding off the energy of the Virginia crowd, he played vocal games on “Mind Reader” after thanking the crowd for making it his third No. 1 of his career.

After partying even harder on his toe-tapping “Where It’s At,” Lynch made for a more solemn moment as he dedicated “Cowboys and Angels” to the late Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry, who suddenly passed away on Friday from a helicopter crash. He raised his glass of Tennessee whiskey high to the sky to pay tribute to his fellow country singer friend among others who hung their heads in sadness and silence before the song carried on.

Lynch returned back to his partying ways with some classic 80s rock covers, including a headbanger rendition of “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Greeted with another red Solo cup as a toast from Paisley, Lynch sipped on some smooth fire while finishing out his wild set with “Small Town Boy” and “Seein’ Red” to fans’ delight.

The man of the evening commanded the Jiffy Lube Live! stage as the headliner with a lead-in of “Last Time for Everything” from his latest album, Love and War. As a guitar aficionado himself, Paisley honored the iconic Prince with a passionate cover of “Purple Rain.” The country singer honored his legacy with his own axe riffs, while still remembering the notes so beautifully created by Prince himself.

Fans got out of their amphitheater seats for the next line of tracks such as “Perfect Storm,” “Online” and “Crushin’ It.” A standout moment from the show, though, wasn’t necessarily music related—he stopped to chat with a younger fan who happened to bring their own paper version of a guitar with the West Virginia University logo to jam alongside Paisley’s melodies. Rather than carry out the “flat guitar” motif, Paisley generously presented the audience member with his own silver instrument as a gift and incentive for coming out to the show that night.

During “Love and War,” Paisley created another connection with the crowd by raising a glass to a handful of servicemen and women to thank them for their sacrifices and keeping the country safe.

Paisley showed off his welcoming personality even more so by having each of his opening acts join him on stage for various tunes. Bryant sang along during “American Saturday Night” while Lynch entered for a rowdy rendition of “I’m Still a Guy.” The real kicker of the night, though, were the haunting harmonies from Ell on “Whiskey Lullaby” that brought chills to the hearts of many during the mild-weathered night.

Keeping the company around for the encore, Paisley capped off the show with “Alcohol” before waving goodbye to the new ‘Weekend Warriors’ he helped create thanks to his good ol’ country spirit.