Member Cowboy4Life writes:From fistfuls of No. 1 singles and albums to numerous Country Music Association awards, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn's partnership has been a great one. However, the superstar country duo decided last year to go their separate ways following what they call The Last Rodeo Tour.FYI - BPD is a members-only service that provides backstage passes on a first come, first served basis to its members. There are no guarantees that you will be awarded a pass. It all depends on when your requests were made; the earlier the better.
About 10,000 of us took the opportunity to bid farewell to the kings of New Country, who in turn treated the crowd to more than 90 minutes of hard-hitting honky tonk hits, tear-jerking ballads, slick, toe-tapping country pop and a little Boot Scootin' Boogie. The huge band, including three back-up singers, sounded studio perfect. Especially soulful was the gospel ballad Believe.
While the pair reminisced about their lengthy career and showed their gratitude for all the years of support, there were no doleful stares, wistful meanderings or melancholic moments.
It was a full-on going-away party and Brooks & Dunn made sure everyone was having a good time.
The duo hit the stage wearing their trademark designer western shirts, which were far more tasteful than they have been in the past, and got the crowd revved up right away with the stomping Play Something Country.
Lyrics-wise, songs such as You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl and Honky Tonk Truth are fairly corny, but strangely, earnest ballads like That's What She Gets for Loving Me and It's Getting Better All the Time were effective and moving in a live setting.
Dunn has the warmer voice and took care of most of the lead vocal duties, but Brooks' rougher style gave his songs a more interesting edge.
The two -- backed by three attractive female singers and a very tight, professional band -- didn't have much to say during the first half the concert, but loosened their tongues as the night wore on. They happily chatted to the crowd and even let a fan take the mic during one song.
What surprised me, however, was that they stayed separate backstage, suggesting to me that the "magic" was gone. Perhaps that's why they're calling it a day.
This was my first time seeing a show from the back and it was really great, dampened only by the disconnect between B&D's onstage warmth and the backstage coolness.
All passes entitle the user to view the show from backstage, which is an awesome experience. In addition, you'll get to meet and spend time with your favorite performers.
Passes are awarded 4-6 weeks prior to the performance. If a pass is awarded, the price is $149 per pass. Annual membership is only $49.
