Miranda Lambert @ the Bank of America Pavilion
Miranda Lambert took the stage to thunderous applause at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on July 27. An opening montage of famous divas set to Beyonce’s "Run the World (Girls)" was an in-your-face reminder that this wasn’t going to be a subtle affair.
Lambert has been country’s resident bad girl since her critically lauded debut album ’Kerosene.’ Now on her fourth album ’Four the Record,’ her status as authentic country’s most formidable contemporary female force is undisputed. Miranda’s effortless stage presence has more in common with a seasoned lifelong veteran than her fellow young country colleagues.
The audience stayed on its feet throughout the entire performance, dancing along to "Mama’s Broken Heart," "Kerosene," "Fastest Girl in Town," and "Baggage Claim." Lambert proved her competence as her vocals shined through her hit ballads "Over You" and "The House That Built Me."
Lambert isn’t afraid to raise an eyebrow, which is exactly what she did when she professed her love of Lady Gaga and went into a spirited rendition of "You and I." Lambert’s cover version stood toe-to-toe with Gaga’s original, a feat sure to impress even diehard Little Monsters.
Midway through her set, Lambert’s fellow Pistol Annies joined her onstage to perform a few of their songs. The three women have fantastic chemistry, providing a perfect blend of classic country sounds with a wink-and-nod to the ironies of its juxtaposition with contemporary attitudes. They were charming, funny, and vocally pitch-perfect. The only shame was that they couldn’t have had a longer set.
Miranda finished out the evening solo, leading the audience on a rowdy singalong of "Gunpowder and Lead" before closing out the show. She returned for a brief encore in which she paid tribute to Patsy Cline. Lambert exited to the same deserved standing ovation with which she was greeted. Country music is better for counting Miranda Lambert among its ranks as she cements her place among the greatest country voices of this generation.
JT Hodges served as the opening act. His corny delivery was excusable only for the warmth he showed toward the audience.
