Audio By Carbonatix
I admittedly laughed at that idea when I first saw that Kenny Chesney was going to be the next artist in residence at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The 57-year-old country music superstar does not strike me as an artist who would translate to what is perhaps the most high-tech visual concert experience in the world.
I am willing to admit that I was very wrong! He puts on the best show of any non-jam band to date and it’s not even close.
Chesney, a country music artist by definition, has more recently become a figurehead in the tropical, yacht rock, sand life sector of the industry. He is more Jimmy Buffett-adjacent these days, if you will. His fanbase fully subscribed to the ‘No Shoes Nation’ lifestyle. They travel all over the country to kick back in a lawn chair and drink beers under the sun. It is a really good time!
However, the Sphere is not the typical venue for an artist like Kenny Chesney. He normally plays stadiums or amphitheaters. The Sphere is indoor, first and foremost. Its 160,000-square-foot screen (at least in my head) caters more to shows like the Grateful Dead or even Gwen Stefani where the background visual is an enhancement to the greater musical experience. Colorful, ever-changing visuals seem to play much better than a slideshow of images that rotate throughout the set.
I was not sure what to think of Kenny Chesney in Las Vegas but I did not think he was going to make full use of the LED screen. I expected it to be more like U2 or The Eagles. I’ve heard that both shows were kinda lame compared to the full scope of what they could be/could’ve been.
The first peek at Chesney from the Sphere led me to believe the visuals would be good enough for what it is, but not up to the standard of Dead & Co. or Phish. This was my initial introduction:
The second preview of the visuals made me think it would be much better than expected.
Although I was optimistic, I assumed the ‘Beer In Mexico’ background would be pretty standard for the rest of the show. It’s cool but not that cool.
I was wrong!
As someone who wrote this off as soon as it was announced, I have since changed my tune. Kenny Chesney and his team did everything right. ‘Beer In Mexico’ is just the beginning… literally. It is the first song of the set!
The associated visual is even cooler than the sneak peek made it seem.
Kenny Chesney’s use of the screen helps to tell the story of his music and his life. The show opens with a full three-minute short.
From there, he takes you on a journey. To Knoxville, Tennessee and his high school alma mater:
To the Fish Bowl:
To the racetrack:
To the neon-infused waters of the deep sea:
And back to Las Vegas:
Chesney told the crowd that he and his team have been working on this show for a full year. The visuals absolutely reflect 12 full months of hard work.
Some of them are pretty insane!
Credit where credit is due. Kenny Chesney could pack out the Sphere on name alone. His shows sell tickets no matter what kind of visuals are behind him on stage. It would’ve been very easy to mail it in.
And yet, he did not! The visuals for Kenny Chesney at the Sphere in Las Vegas are awesome.