For this week’s photospread and review I went back to the Susquehanna Bank Center for the first concert of their 2010 concert season with SUGARLAND. As I walked through the parking lot for this show, the only thing I sensed waffling through the air was MUSIC . . .  car stereos cranking out SUGARLAND songs.  Nearly everyone was decked out in their boots and cowboy hats and all over the lot, games of beer pong and other beer drinking games were in progress.
        Up first in the venue was Danny Gokey. American Idol fans will remember him as the third place finalist of the 8th season.  He took the stage and played mostly from his debut album "My Best Days."
        Next up was Jake Owen, a Grammy nominated American Country Music artist who enjoyed his 40-minute set playing various songs from his two albums "Startin' with Me" and "Easy Does It."
        With the stage covered by a black curtain, the crowd awaited SUGARLAND, an American Country duo composed of singer-songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, backed by their five-piece band. The house lights went down, the curtain dropped and an elaborate stage revealed the band. The stage resembled a sort of Victorian-style machine, like the inside of a giant clock; hanging lights and a bridge that spanned across the stage from drum riser to piano riser; a huge circle shapedvideo screen in the rear; and phonograph-like speakers suspended in the air. It was an incredible light and stage production that made for a fantastic show. Even the backing band wore Victorian era outfits.
        SUGARLAND opened with "Wide Open", "It Happens" and "Settlin" before Jennifer addressed the crowd by asking "How's Philly feeling tonight?" Then, referring to the Flyers series ending win against the Boston Bruins, she said "I'm sure your feeling pretty good since your Flyers won last night!"  The band then kicked into "All I Want To Do",  "Want To", and "Incredible Machine" before addressing the crowd again . . .  this time saying that "Incredible Machine" was off their new album called Incredible Machine and then asking the crowd, "Can you tell me the name of the tour?"  To which the crowd of 22,500 replied "The Incredible Machine Tour!" Then Jennifer said, "Wow! All that beer consumption out there in the parking lot today and that didn't stump you???"  Next came "Already Gone." Then Jennifer invited all the band members to front center stage for an acoustic set of the song "Baby Girl."  After the song, Kristian and Jennifer signed Kristian's guitar and he made his way through the crowd before giving the guitar to a fan all the way back in the section 200. He then ran back to the stage where they broke into "Everyday America" and "Stay." Jennifer asked the crowd if they'd like a little disco mix before going into a new song, "Find The Beat," and they ran that one right into a cover of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." After "Who Says" and a band intro that led into the closing song "Something More," the first set ended.
        After a short break, Jennifer and Kristian returned to the stage where two roadies held up a white flag. Jennifer spray-painted a heart and the word "LOVE" on the flag, then added a Peace Sign to the inside of the letter "O" before launching into "Stand Back Up," then brought the show to a close with an awesome cover of BLONDIE's "Heart Of Glass." They appeared at Merriweather Post Pavillion the following night and will be returning close to our area again later in the summer. Music fans, if you have the opportunity to see SUGARLAND, you don't want to miss their show. I'd see them again in a heartbeat!