Blake Shelton, the ultra-loquacious, semi-annoying and possibly homophobic star of NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice, is coming to Tampa, but the openers give even non-country fans three good reasons to actually consider checking out the March 8 “Friends and Heroes” tour at Amalie Arena.
First there’s opener Lauren Alaina, who is nominated for Best New Artist artist at the Country Music Awards on November 14. She’s definitely the poppiest of the support acts on Shelton’s tour, but her new single, “Ladies in the ‘90s,” is an homage to the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Shania Twain and Britney Spears, too.
After that, Shelton is just kicking it old-school with the Tampa Bay area’s own Bellamy Brothers (“Let Your Love Flow”), who created a name for themselves without having to disown Pasco County, and John Anderson, who turned his life in Apopka, Florida into one of the greatest Sunshine State songs ever, “Seminole Wind.”
The addition of Trace Adkins, a Trump supporter who has appeared on Season 7 of Celebrity Apprentice, kind of sours the whole thing up, but that has nothing to do with music, and this concert is definitely one where the entertainers will just “shut up and sing.” And that’s all you really want when you give your hard-earned money up to watch some art, right?
Tickets go on sale November 9 at 10 a.m. and will cost fans $42.25-$125.25.
Blake Shelton’s “Friends and Heroes” tour w/John Anderson/Trace Adkins/Lauren Alaina. Fri. March 8. 7 p.m. $42.25-$125.25. amaliearena.com.
This article appears in Oct 25 – Nov 1, 2018.
