George is king, no buts about it

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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - A sold-out Baltimore crowd whooped and hollered as loud for a close-up of George Strait’s backside in jeans as it did for his hits.

“It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before in my life,” said Karen Fairchild of the Grammy-nominated group Little Big Town, which opened for the Texan on Friday at the 1st Mariner Arena. “When George moves around the stage, the crowd just goes berserk like he was Elvis. He has this subtle, sexy thing. All the women fall over him, and the guys think he’s cool. You feel like you know him.”

With 55 No. 1 hits, King George couldn’t play them all. But backed by the 11-piece Ace in the Hole Band, he satisfied old and new fans, breezing through classics and recent songs such as “The Fireman,” “Amarillo by Morning,” “Check Yes or No,” “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” “How ’Bout Them Cowgirls” and “I Saw God Today” — off his 37th album, “Troubadour,” which debuted at No. 1 Wednesday on the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts.

Song by song, Strait, wearing a blue-and-white checkered button-up shirt, jeans and cowboy hat, made his way around the stage to give each section a chance to snap pictures, show off their “I Love George” shirts and tip their 10-gallon hats.

Many male and female fans stood swaying and singing, clutching their $8 beers before setting the bottles aside to slow dance in the aisles.

Maryland native Shannon Harding, 31, traveled from Florida with her husband to see her man Strait. “He’s our generation’s Hank Williams — God rest his soul,” she toasted. “I love him!”

And he loves them back. A country class act, Strait lingered on the stage at the close of the show to shake hundreds of hands reaching for the legend.

Throughout the night, Strait tapped the beat on the side of his guitar, mouthed thank-yous and charmed the adoring crowd by pointing to beaming faces, but he didn’t offer as much insight into his career or evening as we would have liked. At least that left more time for the music. The concert lasted more than an hour and a half, including the encore.

News flash: Baltimore gave Strait such a warm welcome, he’s planning to return for more Charm City love during future tours.

STRAIT SHOOTIN’

Jessica: I’m all for showering a singer with applause and standing O’s, especially if it’s for someone as great as Strait, but do we really need to play the encore game? The musician says goodbye and exits, but the band keeps playing because they know, he knows and we know he’s coming back. Yet, we keep clapping and screaming until our palms are stinging and our throats are desert dry. Call me jaded, but I hate staged encores. I’d rather they be spontaneous.

Emily: It’s a tradition. What really sucks is when you think there’s an encore coming, and you keep clapping and hooting, but then the artist is too stuck-up to come back out.

Jessica: Obviously, those performers didn’t come out because you didn’t clap loud enough. And by the way, continuing tradition for tradition’s sake is lazy.

Emily: Maybe I like tradition. I still believe in Santa Claus. And I’m sorry, but aren’t country music concerts always supposed to be during the summer at some outdoor venue? It just seems wrong to cram them indoors.

Jessica: Yup, that’s right. Lock up your winter emo rock, the temperature is above 57 degrees. What a crock. No one’s musical taste should be determined by the season. You’re crazy, or you’re one of those people who only listens to “Margaritaville” in the summer.

Emily: No. 1, I despise Jimmy Buffett. Why is he always the “go-to” for summer music? And No. 2, I may be crazy, but I’m definitely one of those people who doesn’t want to listen to reggae music in the dead of winter.

Jessica: Guess you never “Shot the Sheriff” in November?

ecampbell@baltimoreexaminer.com

jnovak@baltimoreexaminer.com

SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY

EMAIL STORY

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58 days ago: Football’s Southern gentleman returns to Baltimore

58 days ago: Pan and Praise: Football’s Southern gentleman returns to Baltimore

66 days ago: Ed Kowalczyk knocks 'em out at Pier 6

73 days ago: Q-Tip will get inside your head

79 days ago: Finally, political songs that pack a punch

87 days ago: Hollywood A-listers kiss B’more goodbye

129 days ago: Male revue wants its clothes back

143 days ago: Here’s one ‘hot’ ticket you can’t get

157 days ago: Specialty water could be the next hot mixer

171 days ago: New Kids on tour? We will be in the first row