Jake Owen at THE SHOW

Story and Photos by Pat Krause

THE SHOW at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa brought another country music legend to its stage on July 31. Jake Owen rocked the stage with his incredible voice and fun songs. He arrived onstage wearing an Agua-colored T-shirt with “Alan Jackson 1994 Tour Local Crew” on the back, along with jeans. His connection with the audience was evident as he spoke to fans between songs.

The minute he arrived onstage, the audience in the floor area stood up. Most remained standing throughout his entire performance. Cellphones were held high in the air to record the concert, with some fans taking videos and others snapping photos. Many danced in place, and screams could be heard as he sang some of his more famous songs.

The theater would go completely dark between performances. When the stage lit up again, Owen often talked to the audience about the heat outside and his experiences with other famous singers. He shook hands with fans in the front rows and frequently tossed trinkets to others in the audience. He also pointed out a few fans he spotted in the crowd.

His band included some of the most prolific guitarists. The huge background screen showed close-up views of the musicians’ fingering, capturing their deft fingers moving along the necks of their guitars. Several band members performed mini-solos during the songs. The huge backdrop screen also showed the drummer and his cymbals, which appeared enormous on the screen. When Owen sang “Honky Tonk,” the fans sang along.

His “Dreams to Dream” concert included some of his famous songs, such as “Anywhere,” “Back Roads,” “Days of Gold,” “Fishin’,” “Come Monday” and “Barefoot.” My favorite, “Come Monday,” brought out a lot of cheering.

Kings of Chaos came the following night to another filled venue. More fantastic shows are coming up, including the Gipsy Kings on Aug. 4, Dwight Yoakam on Aug. 14, and Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on Aug. 22.