Dierks Bentley Brings Mountain High Tour to WYCD Hoedown

*Dierks Bentley © Splice Magazine – John Swider. Please do not alter images.*

Clarkston, Michigan (June 1, 2018) – Tonight Dierks Bentley made the 36th Annual, WYCD 99.5 Hoedown, at DTE Energy Music Theater, in Clarkston, MI, his fourth stop on his Mountain High Tour. With special guests, Lanco and Brothers Osborne opening the night’s festivities, along with the thousands of fans jamming into the open-air venue, the stage was set for a good old-fashioned party!

As darkness fell and the pavilion lights dimmed, strains of “ The Mountain”, the title track off Bentley’s forthcoming 10th album of the same name, permeated the night air. With the man himself, guitar in hand perched high on a platform above the rest of his five-piece band, Bentley proclaimed to the crowd, “you guys always make me feel like its a hometown show!”. And with that being said, the party was on!

For the next 90 minutes, Bentley’s fans were treated to his biggest hits along with a few tracks off the upcoming release, The Mountain. The fast-paced show flowed through the first nine songs with seamless interludes and transitions so smoothly registered that it would make a DJ envious. Long known for his interactions with his fans, It didn’t take Bentley long to make
his first trip into the crowd during “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)”. Working his fans on both sides of the aisle while moving up the left side of the pavilion, the drummers from special guests Lanco and Brothers Osborne joined in with some deep bass drum notes for “Woman, Amen”. Even though the song is off the brand new album, The Mountain, it has received extensive airplay and judging by the fan reaction, its quickly becoming a signature Bentley hit. Not wanting to miss the party, brothers T.J. and John Osborne joined Bentley onstage to recreate their highlight appearance on “Burning Man (feat. Brothers Osborne)” off the new album. Aided with John’s sizzling guitar solo, the new song struck a chord with the audience witnessed by the high fives and head nods throughout the pavilion.

After a steamy opening 9-song run, Bentley, in his ever-charming way, slowed the pace down a bit for “Different for Girls”. As the crowd finally seemed to be settling in, he took the time to announce, “hey, I haven’t had time to say hello yet!” With a quick breather, he proceeded to look back at previous Hoedowns and tell a few stories about the late Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry, and of partying at Kid Rock’s house on another. Just as quickly as it slowed, the pace picked back up for a feverish run to the end.

During “Am I The Only One”, Bentley again jumped off stage and began a march to the upper reaches of DTE. Not just the pavilion this time, but all the way up to the lawn seats! There he high-fived and took a few selfies with the fans before moving down to the small stage set up in the middle of the pavilion. While on this small stage he had his traditional beer-shooting contest with a fan while covering the hits “Tip it on Back” and “Say You Do”. Back on the main stage, Bentley and his band put the final exclamation point on the high-energy 17-song set. With the chart-topping “What Was I Thinkin’”, “Sideways” and then what most consider the penultimate encore song, “Drunk On a Plane”, to finish off the night.

Dierks Bentley has come a long way from that his first Hoedown at Hart Plaza in Detroit. He has become a country music superstar with a boatload of hits who can sell out arenas with ease. Has he become the ultimate modern country entertainer at this stage of his career? Do yourself a favor and go catch him live on his Mountain High Tour, then you decide. We think you’ll have the same answer as the fans who saw his show tonight.

Dierks Bentley: